In 1949, your main alternative new car choices were the bug-ridden 49 Ford and Mercury, whose engines would need a lot of hopping up to get anywhere near the level of the 88. The FirePower, Buick Nailhead, and Chevrolet V-8s didnt exist yet. The high-compression four-barrel 394 cu. Rockets, Vikings and Your Old Man. Earlier 50s and(I believe)all 49s had the split windshield. Im not sure about the early Hydramatics but later ones, 54-56 you put in reverse to park. As the diagram below illustrates, an L-head engine has its valves in the side(s) of the block. Vintage lovers are ready to spend any amount of money to get hold of a Rocket 88 of 1949. In 1985, roller lifters, floating piston wrist pins, and swirl port intake runners were added. (I quess that would be total Olds minus Olds 76 model.). Larry Young. This engine was only available in the Oldsmobile Starfire and a performance economy model called the Jetstar I. 1960 to 1967 Oldsmobile Delta 88 for Sale on ClassicCars.com The Rocket Engine History - 1957 Oldsmobile Golden Rocket 88 Now heres the rub vis-a-vis this article: granted that the Rocket 88 gained a reputation as something of a factory hot rod in its day (helped, no doubt, by Ike Turner aka Jackie Brenston and the Delta Cats little ditty of the same name), nonetheless in my research I have been hard-pressed to find anyone who used it as a performance powerplant. The turbocharger fitted to the V8 engine was a small-diameter Garrett T5 model with integral wastegate, manufactured by Garrett AiResearch, and produced a maximum of 5psi (34kPa) boost at 2200rpm. The B-body Oldsmobiles rode a 6-inch (152mm) shorter wheelbase and were 11 inches (279 mm) shorter and 3.6 inches (91mm) narrower than the C-body 98 and weighed 250 pounds (227 kg) less. We are known for our high quality,attention to detail and meeting our customers goals. 303 Oldsmobile V8 parts in-stock with same-day shipping. OHV engines can also support much higher compression ratios. Some Oldsmobile employees detested that name, but it remained strongly associated with Oldsmobile well into the 1960s. Logging in sets the wordpress_logged_in_xx, wordpress_sec_xx, and/or wordpress_xx cookies, which store the user's login credentials to allow access to the administrative dashboard and other administrative functions; there may be multiple iterations of each cookie. For 1957, the basic 88 was officially named Golden Rocket 88, taken from Olds' 1956 Motorama two-passenger show car. The new, mid-sized Oldsmobile Rocket 88 went on sale February 6, exactly seven weeks after the 98. They may persist for up to two years. Plus, there is a cool mix of a preserved chrome cruiser with the right upgrades to make it more enjoyable for modern times. Making its debut in 1957 as standard equipment on all Olds models,[4] the 371 was produced through 1960. Unless youre building a rod, its often worth it to spend more upfront for a car thats in better condition. $200.00. Horsepower: 135 hp at 3,600 RPM Torque: 263-lb.ft. Hoo, boy, you better run away right now). (We have now DISCONTINUED our use of Google Analytics tracking on this website; see the "Online Tracking" section of the Privacy Policy for more information.) The Vimeo Cookie Policy also provides information about how Vimeo users can control the use of third-party analytics and/or advertising cookies in connection with embedded Vimeo video players. (Google, Google Analytics, and other related marks and logos are trademarks of Google LLC. 1949 - 1960 Oldsmobile Rocket 88 - Top Speed 1957 also offered the "J2" option, with three 2-barrel carburetors atop the 371 cubic inch V8; making this a true luxury performance . 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Even the flathead Ford held up well (courtesy of the Ardun hop-up parts mail order catalogue.) 1959 and 1960 371s used green painted valve covers. 1948 & 1949 Cadillac Fastbacks, Special Interest Autos #11 (June-July 1972), pp. So this sedan was delivering big torque with a healthy dose of Streetside Classics - Atlanta (877) 828-8754 Lithia Springs, GA 30122 (406 miles away) 6 It shared the same compression ratio of the Toronado Rocket at 10.5:1. wider bore provides a greater surface area on which the forces of combustion can act, improving power The cookieconsent_status cookie recorded whether or not you consented to analytics tracking and told the website to hide the notification banner; this cookie normally expires after about one year. Neither of GMs new OHV V8s had an exceptionally high compression ratio at first Oldsmobiles was 7.25:1, Cadillacs 7.5:1 but that was mostly a reflection of the low octane of the gasoline of the time. Most of these engines were very similar, using the same bore centers and a 9.33in (237mm) deck height, raised on "big-block" versions to 10.625in (269.9mm). As part of this I ran across a very interesting 1934 paper by a GM engineer Chris H. Bouvy and would like to know more about him and whether his design method was used within GM. The final 1990 configuration was rated at 140hp (100kW) at 3200 rpm and 255lbft (346Nm) of torque at 2000 rpm. (author diagram). I think current brand-management logic would probably consider Oldsmobile rather hopeless. All LV2s feature a 4-barrel carburetor. (Vimeo and the Vimeo logos are trademarks of Vimeo.com, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. GM embarked on a vigorous campaign to persuade the major oil companies to offer higher-octane premium gasoline for civilian use. However, the only badging identifying it as such was a simple "88" underneath each taillight. Your email address will not be published. The difficulty presented by an OHV layout is finding a way to operate the valves. (2,969 cc) six with a compression ratio of 12.5:1, where most contemporary engines had ratios of no more than 7.0:1. C. G. [[[Chevrolet Corvair#First generation (19601964)#{{{section}}}|contradictory]]]. Your wording in the flathead section (acts directly) suggest the valve stem tip rides the cam lobe in a flathead. From 1950 until 1974, the 88 was the division's most profitable line, particularly the entry level models such as the 88 and Dynamic 88. A long piston stroke gives more torque, which means better engine response at low speeds. An Ultra High Compression Toronado Rocket version of the 425cuin (7.0L) V8 was made for the 1966 Toronado. 12 (December 1964): 36-47; William Kovarik, Ph.D., Charles F. Kettering and the 1921 Discovery of Tetraethyl Lead In the Context of Technological Alternatives, originally presented to the Society of American Engineers Fuels & Lubricants Conference, Baltimore, MD, 1994, revised 1999, www.radford. Your email address will not be published. But it DID have a fairly illustrious season on the track and in road racing. Maybe just intake or vacuum leak. Revisions to the engine for 1986 included roller lifters with a slightly smaller camshaft (.435"/.438" lift and 194/210 duration at .050"), new heads with smaller, swirl-port intake runners, floating piston pins, and larger piston dishes for lower compression (8.0:1 v. 8.4:1). R.M. Its taken economic downturns, the occasional oil embargo, and mounting signs of environmental calamity to get Americans to take a real interest in how much fuel they use; even then, that interest never seems to last for long after the latest crisis has passed. The cylinder head is little more than a cover for the top of the cylinder, which is why L-head engines are commonly called flatheads. These limitations hurt both power and fuel economy. [2] [3] In 1929, Oldsmobile installed a 90 degree monobloc flathead V8 engine in the Viking companion brand before the monobloc was used in LaSalle and Cadillac vehicles from 1929-1931. The 403 Oldsmobile was generally painted "Corporate GM Blue" on every model line it was equipped in. The 1976-1979 Cadillac Seville was equipped with a version of this engine featuring an analog Bendix/Bosch electronic port fuel injection system, making this the first American mass-produced car with EFI as standard equipment.[18]. An 88 also won the first grueling Carrera Panamericana, the 2,176-mile (3,500-km) Mexican Road Race. Cookies whose names begin with "_ceg" are associated with the Crazy Egg web analytics service (which is subject to the Crazy Egg Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy). The Vimeo Cookie Policy does not currently disclose the normal durations of the cookies and similar technologies the Vimeo platform uses, but it appears that some may remain in your browser (or other user agent) for as long as your settings permit. It was a sliding gear like a manual and held in some fashion I cant remember because it couldnt lock to the engine through the torus member. Classic Car Deals (844) 676-0714. Many customers did not keep the reservoir filled, or had mechanical problems with the turbocharger system which resulted in many of the turbo-charger installations being removed and a conventional 4 barrel carburetor and manifold installed in its place. Akamai is a registered trademark or service mark of Akamai Technologies, Inc. in the United States (Reg. Flathead engines are easy and cheap to manufacture, but they leave a lot to be desired when it comes to performance. Submitting a comment signifies your acceptance of our. The engine was designed by Charles L. McCuen, who later had a hand in approving the Rocket engine for production. Even with the standard Hydra-Matic transmission, the 88 was capable of 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) in a bit over 12 seconds and could reach an absolute top speed of 97 mph (156 km/h). He saw the potential in an engine design offering increased compression. Following the Automobile Manufacturer Association ban on factory supported racing, power ratings went down for the 1959 and 1960 88 models: 270hp (200kW) and 390lbft (530Nm) for 1959 and 240hp (180kW) and 375lbft (508Nm) for 1960. 1999), pp. You make a good point about the L-head lifter. In development, the high compression ratio combined with the charged load created problems with spark knock on hard throttle applications, which led Olds to develop and utilize a novel water-injection system that sprayed metered amounts of distilled water and methyl alcohol (dubbed "Turbo-Rocket Fluid") into the intake manifold air-stream to cool the intake charge. Some things, like the Hydra-Matic, arent so bad, but trim pieces can be a major pain, and even the early Rocket engines can be challenging at this point. 1949 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight Specifications - Conceptcarz.com The 324cuin (5.3L) version was produced from 1954 until 1956. 17, No. Motor Trend (July 1950) mentioned getting 18.8 mpg at a steady 50 mph and a 1950 Olds entered in the Mobilgas Economy Run bettered 20 mpg. (4,705 cc) and were designed to take advantage of research that had been done by GM Research VP Charles Kettering on high-compression engines (of which well have more to say below). I have a pretty good handle on Ford Design evolution, but not so much on GM, especially OHV. So, its not particularly surprising that a highly tuned flathead Ford would be stronger than a stock 1950 Olds 303. It was released one year earlier than the tall deck 425, and debuted the standard 3.385in (86.0mm) stroke; bore was 3.938in (100.0mm). About six weeks after he started work, Burrell showed his designs to Oldsmobiles chief engineer Jack Wolfram and Oldsmobile general manager Sherrod Skinner. Were Oldsmobiles ever sold in Brazil in any significant numbers? Like the test mules, the Rocket 88 was, in the parlance of a somewhat later era, a real bomb. Unlike a Mustang or a later Chevy, where theres a thriving business in replacement pieces, finding parts for an Olds of that vintage isnt necessarily easy these days. 9, No. I received some information from Harvey Crane. A cheaper solution (pioneered by Buick back in the days before General Motors was formed) was to leave the camshaft in the block, as in a flathead engine, but add long metal pushrods to allow the camshaft to actuate the valves remotely. Clarke (Cobham, England: Brooklands Books Ltd., ca. Then in 1955 Chevrolet introduced their ohv V8 (as did Packard, Plymouth and Pontiac) and changed the game again. ), These cookies were previously used by the Google Analytics service to collect information about visitors and their use of the Ate Up With Motor website. Maybe. It always featured the 4A 83cc heads with 8:1 compression, and a Rochester Quadrajet 4 barrel carburettor. If you correctly enter the password, the site saves this cookie on your device to allow you access to the password-protected post or page. The OHV V8 was still a large engine externally, but it was shorter and lower than the straight eight and weighed quite a bit less. Presumably this says something about the cars place in the culture. 1956 Oldsmobile 88 Classic Cars for Sale - Autotrader Classics The Story of the Oldsmobile "Rocket" 88, America's First Muscle Car Google, Google Analytics, and other related marks and logos are trademarks of Google LLC.). The real standard of the world. . Not a lot of people collect or preserve those cars anymore, and many succumbed to rust or the crusher a long time ago. (These cookies may not be set at all for administrative users unless they access the publicly visible portions of the website and/or update their consent settings e.g., by accepting an updated version of the Privacy Policy. at 1,800 RPM Transmission: Three-speed manual standard, Hydra-Matic optional Wheelbase: 119.5 inches 303 Oldsmobile V8 Parts | Speedway Motors 26-33. Output was 185hp (138kW) and 320lbft (430Nm). Some L-head straight-eights were MORE powerful than early OHV V-8s, although they were getting to the limit of their potential, at least in states of tune that were still reasonably streetable. A few years later, the Chevrolet engine started taking over the flathead Fords role as the cheap-and-easy hot-rodder choice. A Detailed Look Back At The Oldsmobile Rocket 88 The starting gun of that race was sounded by Oldsmobile, with its advanced new overhead-valve V8 and the new mid-size model that shared its name: the 1949-1950 Oldsmobile Rocket 88. You could say the same thing about the original Century, if you were so inclined, which I am. 425 motor, super rocket. When it comes to Oldsmobiles from 1957, the hardtop was the second-most-popular body style, with 49,187 units produced. The super-fuels the engineers wanted would probably have added even more. Assuming your car has its original engine, its the version Oldsmobile called the Skyrocket, which was differentiated from the base Rocket by its four-barrel carburetor and gross ratings of 330 hp and 440 lb-ft of torque. The cookies are not set at all unless you select that option when submitting a comment. (Thats a lesson that many Jaguar and Porsche owners have learned the hard way.). For additional technical information about the cookies used by the analytics service, see their "Google Analytics Cookie Usage on Websites" page; for your reference when reviewing that page, we did not use Google Analytics 4. "Alternative Engines: Part 2--Buick V8", in, Davis, Marlan. Oldsmobile V8 engine - Wikipedia Off.).) 49 rocket 88 was my first car back in 1964. Full instrumentation is standard Olds had not yet succumbed to the allure of warning lights. Oldsmobile might be gone, but the Rocket brand hasn't been forgotten by collectors shopping for a 1950s American automotive icon. 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 88 The Oldsmobile 88 was introduced in 1949 as a replacement for the 70 series. 303CI ROCKET V8, 4SPD AUTO, COOL, ICONIC 50S STYLING, 4-DOOR CONVENIENCE, CLASSY. Instead, influenced by the Space Race between the United States and the USSR, the legendary Rocket was born, available in Oldsmobile's 88, Super 88, and 98 models. When the engine is running, transmission oil pressure disengages the pawl. Contact. Monday - Saturday: 9-5. The Chevrolet Corvair Spyder Turbo, likewise a forced induction i.e turbo-powered car, predated the Oldsmobile Jetfire Turbo, however by only a few weeks[citation needed], thus being the world's very first turbocharged commercially sold vehicle. There were 64 1st Gen sold in the last 5 years. It had the same 0.921in (23.4mm)-diameter lifters of the first-generation Oldsmobile engines, rather than the standard 0.842in (21.4mm), which let engineers increase the camshaft's ramp speed for more power, 385hp (287kW), without sacrificing idle or reliability. The Buick version of the 215 V8 went on to become the well known Rover V8, which still remains in limited production, utilizing the Buick-style pistons, heads, and valve train gear. The 1950 Oldsmobile Rocket 88s were considerably cheaper than the 49s, although that was largely because Hydra-Matic, which had been standard equipment on all 1949 V8-powered cars, reverted to being a $185 option. The original Oldsmobile V8 was to have been marketed as "Kettering Power" after chief engineer Charles Kettering, but company policy prohibited the use of his name. 1955 OLDSMOBILE 88 CORE ENGINE ASSEMBLY 8-324 V-8 879042. This very open and flat chamber was fuel efficient and had lower than average emissions output. Happy to see someone that not only mentions, but appreciates the early Olds. The 425's stroke was lengthened to 4.25in (108mm) to achieve a 455cuin (7.5L) to create the Rocket 455 for 1968. When the center carburetor was opened to 60 or more engine vacuum drawn from the windshield wiper pump would simultaneously open the front and rear carburetors. The demise of Olds is yet another dreary episode in the ongoing story of GM losing its way.