I love the 1949-53 Oldsmobile Rocket 88's. They were the dominant cars in the earliest days of NASCAR along with the Hudson Hornet's. Although I prefer the 2 door coupes it's still a really sweet ride and really original looking too. I wouldn't even restore it. I'd drive it exactly like it is.
NICE looking car. For a 1950 original paint it looks really good. Couple of comments: the carburetor is not original; the original carburetor air intake faced to the rear. Also the transmission does in fact have a park function. To access it you have to shut the engine off and then put the shift lever in the reverse position. I had a 1950 Olds 88 coupe that I modified considerably. Bored out the engine to 324 cu. inches, installed a Crane full race cam, a schieffer aluminum flywheel, a three 2-barrel carb setup, electric fuel pump, Mallory Magsprk ignition, and a 2600 pound pressure plate ( the stock one was 1750 pounds); it slipped under full throttle acceleration. The car was originally hydramatic, but I found another '50 on its side in a junkyard with a stick shift transmission in it; got the junk yard owner to sell me the transmission and all the parts needed for conversion for $25. I don't think the guy realized what he had. stick transmissions for Oldsmobiles were as scarce as hens teeth then. Got in a lot of trouble with that car. Seeing this one here brought back a lot of memories; thanks for the posting.
The Hydamatic transmission was/is a 4-speed. I had a 1953 Olds Fiesta hard top Rocket 88.The 303 V-8 had a Rochester 4-BBL carburator.The seats were cloth with leather upper tops. The front bumper was huge and very heavy chrome and I removed it and heated the front coil spring to drop/rake it. The 1st gear in the Hydromatic was extremely low, 0-15 mph. I dated my future wife, at 17 yr.old Senior in HS (I was 19 gas pump full service attendant at a Bulko Gas Station),asked her to go out with me "cruising" when she came in to gas up her parents 1958 Mercury Station Wagon, a huge dinosaur;at 5'2" Judy could barely reach the gas/brakepedals. She loved cruising in my Rocket 88. Met at the gas station in 1962, dated until married in October 1965. Together, inseparable for 54 years untilher death in 2015 from multiple strokes. Will be reunited in Heaven one coming day. She died at age 70. I am now 81 and my time ain't long. Thank you Jesus,our Savior.
I hope you pull up in a white with gold-chromed rocket 88 to the pearly gates for her! 🫡 I just lost my 82 year old uncle earlier this month. He lost his HS sweetheart 5 years ago and was ready. Godspeed, and us youngins will look after your Rockets when you're gone!
Nice car. My brother had this exact car in 1954. It came to him with a sun visor, which he removed. Later I had a, slightly customized two door. The term we used for the transmission was "Hydro" for hydramatic. A common transmission by GM. The transmission should be a four speed. It does not spend too much time in low gear so it's hard to determine. Reverse serves as "park". Olds was the "test" vehicle for GM. Most everything new was found on an Olds first.
Its a 4 speed hydromatic and YES it does have a park locking mechanism in the transmission. When you put the selector in R(reverse) and shut off the engine the locking dog engages and locks the vehicle(park).
My first car was a used two tone red and white 4 door hardtop, a flashy 55 Oldsmobile Rocket 88. It had park 'P' on the transmission but it didn't work. I found I could put in reverse 'R' and that worked the same as park.
Futuramic. You have to lovre love it. Oldsmobiles got the dual range Hydromatic, temperamental but a good transmission. The Fisher Body lacquer bufs up amazingly, but I suspect this is a repaint. Excellently well done though.
Love it, reminds me of my late father's 49 2 dr sedan he bought used in 51 in Pittsburgh when I was about 6 yrs old. His was light green. "My father's Oldsmobile"...wish I could afford to find one like his...
I had a 50 Olds back in 64-65 - built up with a 56 Olds J-2 engine bored .30 over, 3/4 race cam - 36 Cad LaSalle 3 speed on the floor w Hurst linkage - low geared rear end with extra heavy pressure plate. Top end only about 90 mph, but fast off the line. Got rubber an all 3 gears - ate Mustangs for breakfast - and the new Dodge Hemi's for lunch. Pics on my FB page.
Enjoyed reading about your car! Reminded me of my brothers 1951 Super 88 Olds Business Coupe. He bought it from a local wrecking yard in the mid 50's, with minor front end damage! He had it repaired at the trade school he attended at the time! And there's more to this story... my best friends dad owned the wrecking yard he bought it from! He told me the car had a bored & stroked '56 Olds engine! Back in the day the car to beat was a '57 Chevrolet - as you said, breakfast or lunch - not a problem! Thanks for the memory!
When you have a 394 back to 303 olds and you DON'T have at LEAST triple 97's carbs and like Belanger or later headers it's a real crime. Those 49 to 51 olds were the fastest car at the time along with the Hudson Hornet. But the "soupupability" of the Olds was amazing!!! With the right manifold, cam and exhaust, with no other mods you could get like 25+% HP WITH a killer broad torque band. We always put on a SIX carb set up and the change was amazing.
That's funny . In 54 my Mother spun out on a snowy street and crashed through a wrought iron fence. The car, a 50 Rocket 2 door and the fence got wrecked.
I've owned four '50 88s...My first car, in '62, was a 2-door sedan. In the 70's and 80's, I had a Club Coupe, 4-door stick and also a Holiday parts car. The '48 thru '50 Futuramics had great styling. '49 was a big year with Olds and Caddy, introducing those modern V-8s.
Great car. Beautiful engine¨s sound too. Only one comment: the excelent Hydra Matic automatic transmission is a four speed, not a three speed automatic, as you say in the video. Thank you for share it.
I've got a coop I was going to buy a four-door and some fantastic shape but I didn't man once you drive these cars you got a whole new appreciation for them I've driven all kinds of Chevys and Fords from the '50s at least buy 50 olds super 88 futuramic drive better than those Chevys of Fords during that era so you're definitely right Oldsmobile is way ahead of its curve at its time
Transmission shifts great and engine sounds good. Olds came out with automatic hydramatic transmissions first. This car looks great. And yes, these cars were your father's Oldsmobiles. Older conservative minded middle to upper middle luxury buyers.
Wow, that is cool as liquid nitrogen. ❗️ Oldsmobile V-8s were smooth and powerful, the rolex of V-8s indeed. For years the 455 olds was the mill of choice for jetboat owners. Was sad to see such quality discontinued. 🤪👍
It was common to see an 8 volt battery in this car. 6 volt couldn't crank it well and 12 volt wasn't to be for a few more years. The 8 volt battery had a solanoid that closed when starting and opened when running.
( Cont.), with a box-like, light-up gear indicator on the steering column, and both had a mechanical Reverse gear with bands tightening around a cone inside the transmission case, one would turn off the engine, move the lever to R, the bands engaging the cone, which acted as a "Park" gear. Was a good habit to use the parking/emergency brake as well, as one had to put the tranny in N before one could start the engine. I recall that pre-1949 Oldsmobiles had the same-looking box on the column --in fact, a Little Old Lady in my home town drove a 1937 Olsmobile 4-door sedan that had the box (GM used Olds as test beds for new concepts, including AT's, so my father told me). The indicators on my 50 Pontiac, a 48 Olds I got a close look at, and the elderly lady's Olds read N/Dr/Lo/R; the GMC's read N/1-4/1-3/1-2/R. Never had the opportunity to drive a 49 or 50 Olds, but still wonder if they had the locking R/Park set-up, as well. Do remember the old Hydros being huge, especially the one in the truck, which I once flushed, then refilled on a Saturday afternoon when I had planned
(Cont.) no other projects -- it took a case plus one (13 Qts) to refill the torus (torque converter) and the rest of the tranny. At least I could check fluid levels and add fluid under the hood -- in the Pontiac one pulled back the carpet on the front passenger's side, exposing a hole in the floorboard on right side of the transmission hump, and the filler cap, which was attached to a short dip-stick. Funnels or a can-opening pour spout were a must. (Of course, the Pontiac's heater core was located under the driv
(Cont.) Driver's seat, so the location of the transmission filler was not so strange. Btw, the shift levers and knob on both the hardtop and the pick-up were identical, as were the up-from-the-floor brake pedals, with identical rubber pads. Likewise the pair of chromed pull-knobs for the air vents were identical in both vehicles, and located in the same place, under the dash board in the center, close enough so one could open and close both left and right vents with one hand. Neither rig had the vent on the upper body between the windshield and the rear of the hood. Had a lot of fun as a younger man in both rigs. 😀
Highly impressed with the craftsmen ship and solid quality they sure don't make them like this anymore! As weird as it may sound alot of cars etc. have plastic bumpers not steel ones.
when first look at engine suprised to see no oil leaks looking closer i seen the permatex . and that batterie shut off probaly a short not traced down but its in good shape
This car has a FOUR speed forward hydramatic transmission and REVERSE IS "PARK" IF you put in reverse before you turn off the engine you will hear the park pin drop
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Someone else mentioned it also, you should put the air filter back on the carburetor. You are sucking dirt into the engine.
Brake lines have nothing to do with pulling to the left. That's an alignment problem or worn front end. Especially stating that it had some play in the steering. Very nice original car!!
It should have a 2 barrel carb , one ot those strange ones that had the inlet pointed towardsthe firewall , with a great big air cleaner that went across , like sideways ! Good car.
It's a 4-speed Hydramatic, and the transmission does have a provision for "Park" by pulling the gearshift lever into the "R" position once you have turned off the engine.
I miss Oldsmobile! Fantastic cars!
I love the 1949-53 Oldsmobile Rocket 88's. They were the dominant cars in the earliest days of NASCAR along with the Hudson Hornet's. Although I prefer the 2 door coupes it's still a really sweet ride and really original looking too. I wouldn't even restore it. I'd drive it exactly like it is.
NICE looking car. For a 1950 original paint it looks really good. Couple of comments: the carburetor is not original; the original carburetor air intake faced to the rear.
Also the transmission does in fact have a park function. To access it you have to shut the engine off and then put the shift lever in the reverse position.
I had a 1950 Olds 88 coupe that I modified considerably. Bored out the engine to 324 cu. inches, installed a Crane full race cam, a schieffer aluminum flywheel, a three 2-barrel carb setup, electric fuel pump, Mallory Magsprk ignition, and a 2600 pound pressure plate ( the stock one was 1750 pounds); it slipped under full throttle acceleration. The car was originally hydramatic, but I found another '50 on its side in a junkyard with a stick shift transmission in it; got the junk yard owner to sell me the transmission and all the parts needed for conversion for $25. I don't think the guy realized what he had. stick transmissions for Oldsmobiles were as scarce as hens teeth then. Got in a lot of trouble with that car. Seeing this one here brought back a lot of memories; thanks for the posting.
The Hydamatic transmission was/is a 4-speed. I had a 1953 Olds Fiesta hard top Rocket 88.The 303 V-8 had a Rochester 4-BBL carburator.The seats were cloth with leather upper tops. The front bumper was huge and very heavy chrome and I removed it and heated the front coil spring to drop/rake it. The 1st gear in the Hydromatic was extremely low, 0-15 mph. I dated my future wife, at 17 yr.old Senior in HS (I was 19 gas pump full service attendant at a Bulko Gas Station),asked her to go out with me "cruising" when she came in to gas up her parents 1958 Mercury Station Wagon, a huge dinosaur;at 5'2" Judy could barely reach the gas/brakepedals. She loved cruising in my Rocket 88. Met at the gas station in 1962, dated until married in October 1965. Together, inseparable for 54 years untilher death in 2015 from multiple strokes. Will be reunited in Heaven one coming day. She died at age 70. I am now 81 and my time ain't long. Thank you Jesus,our Savior.
I hope you pull up in a white with gold-chromed rocket 88 to the pearly gates for her! 🫡
I just lost my 82 year old uncle earlier this month. He lost his HS sweetheart 5 years ago and was ready. Godspeed, and us youngins will look after your Rockets when you're gone!
Nice car. My brother had this exact car in 1954. It came to him with a sun visor, which he removed. Later I had a, slightly customized two door. The term we used for the transmission was "Hydro" for hydramatic. A common transmission by GM. The transmission should be a four speed. It does not spend too much time in low gear so it's hard to determine. Reverse serves as "park". Olds was the "test" vehicle for GM. Most everything new was found on an Olds first.
Its a 4 speed hydromatic and YES it does have a park locking mechanism in the transmission. When you put the selector in R(reverse) and shut off the engine the locking dog engages and locks the vehicle(park).
And the four speed Hydramatic was so good it was used by Rolls-Royce under license!
Nice to see that somebody knows their cars.
@@jamesfrank7709 I drove these cars and owned a 55 pontiac with the original v8 hydromatic. I am 75 years old. now its a Camry
CORRECT!!!!
It's a two barrel carb and a four speed hydromatic
Oldsmobile was ahead of itself.
Very nice,the 49 olds was the first factory hot rod-IMO.303 rocket-overhead valves-huge performance advantage.
Lovely looking car! I've always loved the 1949-50 Oldsmobile.
My first car was a used two tone red and white 4 door hardtop, a flashy 55 Oldsmobile Rocket 88. It had park 'P' on the transmission but it didn't work. I found I could put in reverse 'R' and that worked the same as park.
Futuramic. You have to lovre love it. Oldsmobiles got the dual range Hydromatic, temperamental but a good transmission. The Fisher Body lacquer bufs up amazingly, but I suspect this is a repaint. Excellently well done though.
Love it, reminds me of my late father's 49 2 dr sedan he bought used in 51 in Pittsburgh when I was about 6 yrs old. His was light green. "My father's Oldsmobile"...wish I could afford to find one like his...
I had a 50 Olds back in 64-65 - built up with a 56 Olds J-2 engine bored .30 over, 3/4 race cam - 36 Cad LaSalle 3 speed on the floor w Hurst linkage - low geared rear end with extra heavy pressure plate. Top end only about 90 mph, but fast off the line. Got rubber an all 3 gears - ate Mustangs for breakfast - and the new Dodge Hemi's for lunch. Pics on my FB page.
Enjoyed reading about your car! Reminded me of my brothers 1951 Super 88 Olds Business Coupe. He bought it from a local wrecking yard in the mid 50's, with minor front end damage! He had it repaired at the trade school he attended at the time! And there's more to this story... my best friends dad owned the wrecking yard he bought it from! He told me the car had a bored & stroked '56 Olds engine! Back in the day the car to beat was a '57 Chevrolet - as you said, breakfast or lunch - not a problem! Thanks for the memory!
When you have a 394 back to 303 olds and you DON'T have at LEAST triple 97's carbs and like Belanger or later headers it's a real crime. Those 49 to 51 olds were the fastest car at the time along with the Hudson Hornet. But the "soupupability" of the Olds was amazing!!! With the right manifold, cam and exhaust, with no other mods you could get like 25+% HP WITH a killer broad torque band. We always put on a SIX carb set up and the change was amazing.
This kind of car makes me feel safe when I drive. All that thick steel.
Savage Nomad I can certainly understand that. The irony is... it’s not!
Yeah...it's not safe in the least
The glass was the most dangerous part of cars from that era during a crash
That's funny .
In 54 my Mother spun out on a snowy street and crashed through a wrought iron fence. The car, a 50 Rocket 2 door and the fence got wrecked.
I've owned four '50 88s...My first car, in '62, was a 2-door sedan. In the 70's and 80's, I had a Club Coupe, 4-door stick and also a Holiday parts car. The '48 thru '50 Futuramics had great styling. '49 was a big year with Olds and Caddy, introducing those modern V-8s.
So awsome I love oldsmobile especially 40s and 50 s
Great car. Beautiful engine¨s sound too. Only one comment: the excelent Hydra Matic automatic transmission is a four speed, not a three speed automatic, as you say in the video. Thank you for share it.
I've got a coop I was going to buy a four-door and some fantastic shape but I didn't man once you drive these cars you got a whole new appreciation for them I've driven all kinds of Chevys and Fords from the '50s at least buy 50 olds super 88 futuramic drive better than those Chevys of Fords during that era so you're definitely right Oldsmobile is way ahead of its curve at its time
Transmission shifts great and engine sounds good. Olds came out with automatic hydramatic transmissions first. This car looks great. And yes, these cars were your father's Oldsmobiles. Older conservative minded middle to upper middle luxury buyers.
Not good to run it without the air filter.
Beautiful car !
Gorgeous old car
Wow, that is cool as liquid nitrogen. ❗️
Oldsmobile V-8s were smooth and powerful, the rolex of V-8s indeed.
For years the 455 olds was the mill of choice for jetboat owners.
Was sad to see such quality discontinued. 🤪👍
Still a damn good beauty and feels relevant even now.
Beautiful !
If this car had tractor tracks it would have been a TANK! My first car, An oil burner, but you can't have everything. Great bumpers.
That is a good idea the metal plates going across the valve covers to hold the spark plug wires in place
an unrestored original car, is called a survivor car
An alternator conversion makes it no longer original.
It was common to see an 8 volt battery in this car. 6 volt couldn't crank it well and 12 volt wasn't to be for a few more years. The 8 volt battery had a solanoid that closed when starting and opened when running.
Same era of Barney’s 1st car. But the Oldsmobile is obviously a higher end automobile.
Barnard Fife.
Many years ago I owned a 1950 Pontiac Chieftain 2-door hardtop, and years after that owned a 1959 GMC 100 1/2-ton pickup. Both had 3-speed Hyframatics
( Cont.), with a box-like, light-up gear indicator on the steering column, and both had a mechanical Reverse gear with bands tightening around a cone inside the transmission case, one would turn off the engine, move the lever to R, the bands engaging the cone, which acted as a "Park" gear. Was a good habit to use the parking/emergency brake as well, as one had to put the tranny in N before one could start the engine. I recall that pre-1949 Oldsmobiles had the same-looking box on the column --in fact, a Little Old Lady in my home town drove a 1937 Olsmobile 4-door sedan that had the box (GM used Olds as test beds for new concepts, including AT's, so my father told me). The indicators on my 50 Pontiac, a 48 Olds I got a close look at, and the elderly lady's Olds read N/Dr/Lo/R; the GMC's read N/1-4/1-3/1-2/R. Never had the opportunity to drive a 49 or 50 Olds, but still wonder if they had the locking R/Park set-up, as well. Do remember the old Hydros being huge, especially the one in the truck, which I once flushed, then refilled on a Saturday afternoon when I had planned
(Cont.) no other projects -- it took a case plus one (13 Qts) to refill the torus (torque converter) and the rest of the tranny. At least I could check fluid levels and add fluid under the hood -- in the Pontiac one pulled back the carpet on the front passenger's side, exposing a hole in the floorboard on right side of the transmission hump, and the filler cap, which was attached to a short dip-stick. Funnels or a can-opening pour spout were a must. (Of course, the Pontiac's heater core was located under the driv
(Cont.) Driver's seat, so the location of the transmission filler was not so strange. Btw, the shift levers and knob on both the hardtop and the pick-up were identical, as were the up-from-the-floor brake pedals, with identical rubber pads. Likewise the pair of chromed pull-knobs for the air vents were identical in both vehicles, and located in the same place, under the dash board in the center, close enough so one could open and close both left and right vents with one hand.
Neither rig had the vent on the upper body between the windshield and the rear of the hood. Had a lot of fun as a younger man in both rigs. 😀
I love original survivors, with little in the way of upgrades. I don't mind patina, as long as it's only surface. 🙂
Highly impressed with the craftsmen ship and solid quality they sure don't make them like this anymore! As weird as it may sound alot of cars etc. have plastic bumpers not steel ones.
Beautiful
Re: spare tire: Not an original, since "narrow" whitewalls were not available in 1950.
when first look at engine suprised to see no oil leaks looking closer i seen the permatex . and that batterie shut off probaly a short not traced down but its in good shape
nice car
Damn right Man 👍
Impressive survivor
This car has a FOUR speed forward hydramatic transmission and REVERSE IS "PARK" IF you put in reverse before you turn off the engine you will hear the park pin drop
Someone else mentioned it also, you should put the air filter back on the carburetor. You are sucking dirt into the engine.
303 was "project dev in 46....hit "mainstream in 50
Brake lines have nothing to do with pulling to the left. That's an alignment problem or worn front end. Especially stating that it had some play in the steering. Very nice original car!!
The trunk is extremely original.
My pap had one of these
Check the spare tire date code to see when it's made
This has a FOUR speed Hydramatic and the Park position is REV only when the engine is off..
Like the 12volt upgrade Get an air cleaner on this beauty. Wow it’s garage kept-
I spotted a 12 volt battery and modem alternator . wasnt 1950 6 volt with generator ?
Yes it was. I think GM went 12 volt in 1955.
GM 12 volt happened for '53.
@@mdogg1604 1953
waowww
I got a 51. Takes bumpy dirt roads like a cloud. Probably due to knee shocks ...
LOOKS LIKE , CHEVROLET STYLELINE !!!
Mmmmmm...That missing air filter...
Good way to get a lot of dirt in the oil and valve train!
The question of the day: HOW LONG was this engine operated without that air cleaner?? It doesn't take long.....
Them transmisions are 4 speed and when you park it you put it in reverse . Thats like park
I saw an ad that the 48 had power windows this one does not
Someone sprayed the steering wheel and dash with 409 cleaner and messed up the Oldsmobile logo. I did that once... sure hated it.
Thats back when there was lead in the paint.
Looks like an alternator was swapped in.. So it's not unmolested
Look out for deer! With my luck, I’d hit one. 🙀🙀🤠🤠
My father had a 52 88 Club Coupe and a 55 Rocket 88.
Its a four speed.
4 speed Hydramatic
Contact me if its still avail. I know its a long shot....but hey
my boss had one .... he sold it so quick .. the thing was cherry all original this was los angeles sold it to some guy in missisipi lucky basterd :(
oh and he painted it green your engine needs some love
6
It should have a 2 barrel carb , one ot those strange ones that had the inlet pointed towardsthe firewall , with a great big air cleaner that went across , like sideways ! Good car.
The driver seems to drive around in just his underware - just swell, just great, just cool, just actually dumb driver!!!
Not the original paint; not a single barrel carburetor; don't say "actually" so much; it's a crutch
Joel Palmer You are 100% right. Underneath the trunk liner it’s metallic blue.
I knew that right away & I bet the motor's at least been freshened up if not rebuilt
It's a 4-speed Hydramatic, and the transmission does have a provision for "Park" by pulling the gearshift lever into the "R" position once you have turned off the engine.