Only GM could make a small car steer and handle like a Ford F-350. But kudos for GM for the effort, even though (as usual), too little, too late.
In November 1986 my wife and I celebrated winning our first election by renting an MR2 for a Thanksgiving weekend trip. I loved it; it was one of the very few times I was sorely tempted to stray from Bavarian machines.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Only GM could make a small car steer and handle like a Ford F-350. But kudos for GM for the effort, even though (as usual), too little, too late.
In November 1986 my wife and I celebrated winning our first election by renting an MR2 for a Thanksgiving weekend trip. I loved it; it was one of the very few times I was sorely tempted to stray from Bavarian machines.
I loved my '85. It was like driving a go-cart on the street. Such fun.
I found the evolution of that car to be interesting. Quite daring in original form, then sales slowed, it was normalized with a grille out of desperation - minimal results, then for 97 to be a parallel universe MB like the LS, maybe helped a little, but always (as far as I know) behind the LS.
Since some people seemed to enjoy the selection of images from Oldsmobile brochures from the 1930s, I'm going to waste some time by posting a few pages from each year from Oldsmobile brochures of the 1940s. In 1940 the biggest news for Oldsmobile, and for the whole auto industry, was the introduction of Oldsmobile's Hydra-Matic transmission. Here's some history from wikipedia on the Hydramatic, a picture of one of the first Hydramatics from a car museum, and then a few pages from the special brochure that Oldsmobile put out that year to explain the new automatic transmission. After 8 years of development at GM, starting with Cadillac, and what would be in today's money billions of dollars in R&D, Oldsmobile almost gave away the first Hydramatics for just $57 in 1940. A few years later Cadillac was charging $125, which was still a bargain but getting closer to the real cost.
From wikipedia:
"Cadillac, under Thompson, began working on a 'shiftless' transmission in 1932, and a new department within Cadillac Engineering was created, headed by Thompson and including engineers Ernest Seaholm, Ed Cole, Owen Nacker, and Oliver Kelley. During 1934, the Cadillac transmission group had developed a step-ratio gearbox that would shift automatically under full torque. This same group of engineers was then moved into GM Central Research, building pilot transmission units during 1935-36 which were then handed to Oldsmobile for testing....
The HydraMatic was designed to combine hydraulic operation of a planetary gearbox (allowing much shifting to be automated) with a fluid coupling instead of a friction clutch, eliminating the need for de-clutching. The transmission would have four forward speeds (3.82:1, 2.63:1, 1.45:1, and 1.00:1) plus reverse, with all acceleration provided by gearing; its fluid coupling did not multiply the engine output as a torque converter does....
The result, dubbed "Hydra-Matic Drive," went into production in May 1939 for the 1940 model year. The first Oldsmobiles so equipped were shipped in October 1939. Oldsmobile was chosen to introduce the Hydra-Matic for two reasons: economies of scale—Oldsmobile produced more cars than Cadillac at the time, thus providing a better test base—and to protect the reputation of Cadillac in case of a market failure of the new transmission. Advertising proclaimed it "the greatest advance since the self-starter."
In 1940, the Hydra-Matic was a $57.00 option, rising to $100.00 for 1941. In 1941, it also became an option on Cadillacs for $125.00. Almost 200,000 had been sold by the time passenger car production was halted for wartime production in February 1942."
And for 1949 Oldsmobile for the first time had a "Rocket Engine." I've sometimes thought that the globe integrated into the front of the Olds at this point and for the next few years was a sign of the new global role the United States had as the Cold War was starting....
Great stuff, @benjaminh ! I always thought Olds would have done better in the '40s if their styling had been improved. The vertical grille appliques under the headlights on the 1940 and especially the ornate 1941 models always made the front of the car look like it was crying. The '42 was absolutely hideous up front - I remember the first time I saw one at a car show I could not believe how awful it looked in the flesh. Then post-war, all of the front ends had that frowning "moustache" grill design which again made the car look sad. It was mitigated, but only a bit, with the '48 and '49 Futuramic redesign.
The 41 Olds front end has always seemed a bit fussy to me, maybe too much moderne gingerbread - reminds me of a fancy radio or waterfall furniture, but the 42 is strangely cool, something about that front end reminds me of a period airplane, fitting for that year I suppose. The 48-49s must have been a head turner when new, quite trim and modern for the time.
Speaking of ads - When I was a kid, and my parents had a space in an antique mall, I would make money by buying bulk lots old National Geographics at yard sales, cutting out the car ads with an exacto knife, and selling them in bundles of 10 for $10. They always sold well.
My 150 year old neighbor, Mr. Davidson, from Queens NY had a 1941 Oldsmobile. He was wayyyyyy too old to be driving but he refused to get rid of the car. I offered to buy it (it was a hydramatic) but he declined.
So I would drive him around to do his errands. I remember the car quite well. Very solid, and that transmission shifted quite well.
My 150 year old neighbor, Mr. Davidson, from Queens NY had a 1941 Oldsmobile. He was wayyyyyy too old to be driving but he refused to get rid of the car. I offered to buy it (it was a hydramatic) but he declined.
So I would drive him around to do his errands. I remember the car quite well. Very solid, and that transmission shifted quite well.
Not as far as I know. The car had very low miles, maybe 50,000 on it. His wife had a car and from what I could tell, did most of the work around the house--lol!
Should there be a mandatory ineligible age limit at the upper end of the actuarial table?
I mean compared to an old Toyota with +200K miles, some have likened that to a 90 y/o man who plays tennis but could drop dead at any time.
How long will you keep driving? There was an old Deep Thoughts sketch that went something like, "I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather. Not screaming and crying like the passengers in his car."
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
The problem with a lot of really old folks and their driving is that they have lost a lot of flexibility in their body. They can't turn around and look for danger. Of course, reflexes are a lot slower, and the world is always getting faster--not a good combination. Maybe autonomous cars would be the solution someday?
I just helped a 94 year old sell his Prius (and NO, it wasn't "too dull for him"- ). He was pretty cool about it. Apparently he had a very close call a few weeks back and it so unnerved him that he made the big decision.
I did notice though that his seemingly immaculate, low mileage Prius was peppered with all kinds of little dings and scrapes, and...oh, the right side rear bumper was missing.
I did notice though that his seemingly immaculate, low mileage Prius was peppered with all kinds of little dings and scrapes, and...oh, the right side rear bumper was missing.
That sounds about right! My grandmother is the same way. She really should not be driving any longer, but try telling her that (then duck)!
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
Well the old guy lives in a swank full-service retirement residence and he can have transport just about anytime he needs it--and his kids are nearby.
I actually drove the car for a few days to sort it out prior to sale (his kids are my good friends), and it took a while to stop driving it like it was a Mini Cooper. I about slid from one side of the car to the other making turns and forgot to count to 20 on freeway on ramps.
You know what a Prius really reminds me of? Driving an old Citroen DS. Kind of slow and poofy, with a springy seat and odd-duck styling.
For 1953 Oldsmobile says that its cars have become "The New Ruling Power of the Road!" Hubris? But at this point a top-of-the-line Olds optioned out had a powerful engine, power brakes, power steering, fancy radio, Autronic Eye, Quadra-Jet Carburetor, new 12 volt electrical system, etc., etc.
And for 1949 Oldsmobile for the first time had a "Rocket Engine." I've sometimes thought that the globe integrated into the front of the Olds at this point and for the next few years was a sign of the new global role the United States had as the Cold War was starting....
Keep them coming, very enjoyable. Thanks for taking the time and effort to share!
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
For 1954 Air Conditioning was available, the rocket engine was up to 185 horsepower, and I think Oldsmobile had better visibility than probably any car you can get today....
oh, and funny to see the autronic eye feature. The Lexus I looked at last night had that feature, and the salesguy was so proud of it he went out of his way to point it out because it was so rare and special.
For 1958 the Bulgemobile offered the disaster that was "New-Matic Drive." The J-2 engine, according to the brochures, was manufactured and tested to exacting standards....
And with 1959 at least for a while I'm finished with this bizarre tour through Oldsmobile brochures. But I will mention that the outward visibility on the 59 is astonishing. But in a rollover....Yikes.
S stood for Super in Oldspeak. It kept the transmission from going into 4th gear until you were doing about 65mph, so the car felt more responsive.
Olds in the '50s had a name for everything, some of which are quite amusing today.
It all started with Hydra-Matic Drive, which later became "Whirlaway" and even later, "Jetaway" Hydra-Matic. But then we also got "Safety" Power Steering with Co-Pilot, which became "Roto-Matic" power steering later on. "Pedal-Ease" power brakes too. The '57 had a "Span-A-Ramic" windshield, which became a "Vista-Panoramic" for '59. Don't forget the "Pivot-Poise" front suspension, the "L-Bow prop shaft, or the "Auto-Thermic" pistons either.
S stood for Super in Oldspeak. It kept the transmission from going into 4th gear until you were doing about 65mph, so the car felt more responsive.
Olds in the '50s had a name for everything, some of which are quite amusing today.
It all started with Hydra-Matic Drive, which later became "Whirlaway" and even later, "Jetaway" Hydra-Matic. But then we also got "Safety" Power Steering with Co-Pilot, which became "Roto-Matic" power steering later on. "Pedal-Ease" power brakes too. The '57 had a "Span-A-Ramic" windshield, which became a "Vista-Panoramic" for '59. Don't forget the "Pivot-Poise" front suspension, the "L-Bow prop shaft, or the "Auto-Thermic" pistons either.
The father of a girl I knew in high school had a 1974 Cutlass; The owners manual still said that "S" stood for "Super Performance."
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
When I see a 58 Olds, I always think of the story (urban legend?) of the owner who rearranged the letters to read "Slobmodel". They just applied the gingerbread with a cannon. The 59 is quite a bit cooler way, especially the flat tops.
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Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I think it was the facelifted version of a 1st Gen model. It had a grill in the front.
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Guessing it had the Hemi, as someone yanked the engine
From wikipedia:
"Cadillac, under Thompson, began working on a 'shiftless' transmission in 1932, and a new department within Cadillac Engineering was created, headed by Thompson and including engineers Ernest Seaholm, Ed Cole, Owen Nacker, and Oliver Kelley. During 1934, the Cadillac transmission group had developed a step-ratio gearbox that would shift automatically under full torque. This same group of engineers was then moved into GM Central Research, building pilot transmission units during 1935-36 which were then handed to Oldsmobile for testing....
The HydraMatic was designed to combine hydraulic operation of a planetary gearbox (allowing much shifting to be automated) with a fluid coupling instead of a friction clutch, eliminating the need for de-clutching. The transmission would have four forward speeds (3.82:1, 2.63:1, 1.45:1, and 1.00:1) plus reverse, with all acceleration provided by gearing; its fluid coupling did not multiply the engine output as a torque converter does....
The result, dubbed "Hydra-Matic Drive," went into production in May 1939 for the 1940 model year. The first Oldsmobiles so equipped were shipped in October 1939. Oldsmobile was chosen to introduce the Hydra-Matic for two reasons: economies of scale—Oldsmobile produced more cars than Cadillac at the time, thus providing a better test base—and to protect the reputation of Cadillac in case of a market failure of the new transmission. Advertising proclaimed it "the greatest advance since the self-starter."
In 1940, the Hydra-Matic was a $57.00 option, rising to $100.00 for 1941. In 1941, it also became an option on Cadillacs for $125.00. Almost 200,000 had been sold by the time passenger car production was halted for wartime production in February 1942."
And 35 years later Buick Electra was my favorite down-sized big GM sedan with this dash.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
(Before I looked at these brochures I'm not sure I quite got that "Futuramic" is a melding of "dramatic" and "future," although maybe I did.....?)
I remember this ad:
So I would drive him around to do his errands. I remember the car quite well. Very solid, and that transmission shifted quite well.
I mean compared to an old Toyota with +200K miles, some have likened that to a 90 y/o man who plays tennis but could drop dead at any time.
How long will you keep driving? There was an old Deep Thoughts sketch that went something like, "I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather. Not screaming and crying like the passengers in his car."
You are 90, and you insure two cars, when you shouldn’t even be driving one.
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I just helped a 94 year old sell his Prius (and NO, it wasn't "too dull for him"-
I did notice though that his seemingly immaculate, low mileage Prius was peppered with all kinds of little dings and scrapes, and...oh, the right side rear bumper was missing.
I actually drove the car for a few days to sort it out prior to sale (his kids are my good friends), and it took a while to stop driving it like it was a Mini Cooper. I about slid from one side of the car to the other making turns and forgot to count to 20 on freeway on ramps.
You know what a Prius really reminds me of? Driving an old Citroen DS. Kind of slow and poofy, with a springy seat and odd-duck styling.
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Again, these are all high rez images, and so if you click on them a couple of times you should be able to enlarge them and read the text.
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Olds in the '50s had a name for everything, some of which are quite amusing today.
It all started with Hydra-Matic Drive, which later became "Whirlaway" and even later, "Jetaway" Hydra-Matic. But then we also got "Safety" Power Steering with Co-Pilot, which became "Roto-Matic" power steering later on. "Pedal-Ease" power brakes too. The '57 had a "Span-A-Ramic" windshield, which became a "Vista-Panoramic" for '59. Don't forget the "Pivot-Poise" front suspension, the "L-Bow prop shaft, or the "Auto-Thermic" pistons either.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive