20 Ways Oldsmobile Revolutionized the Car Industry

www.autoevolution.com ^ | 17 Sep 2023, 08:02 UTC | • By: Ciprian Florea

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Fascinating story! Thanks for posting. How we take for granted such breakthroughs such as the cross-plane V8 crank.

[BradyLS]

“The marvelous Men of Olds’!”

[daniel1212]

Very informative. Thanks. And a tribute to capitalism, in contrast to most of Soviet Communism

[Red Badger]

“This isn’t your father’s Oldsmobile.”.....................

[hecticskeptic]

Ha.... I have a family member who had an Olds 88, not sure of the year but ‘61 or ‘62 rings a bell. Anyway, his girlfriend from New York was visiting in the wintertime and she somehow managed to spin out of control going down a hill just before a bridge. The roofline on that particular model essentially created a ledge and the rear window went underneath the ledge. As she hit the framework of the bridge going backwards, one of the horizontal pipes of the bridge managed to pop out the back window and slide neatly under this roof ledge... and there she was. She must have been about 75 feet above a river, the back wheels were well over the edge and the only thing stopping her from going right over was this bent out pipe that had caught the lip of the roofline. Surprisingly enough, it didn’t take that much to get the car back to good shape again.

[Dr. Sivana]

I learned to drive a 1969 Delta 88.

One of the first cars I drove was my brother's 1970 Olds 98. You didn't steer it. You aimed it. What a ride!

[jttpwalsh]

We had a “Rags to Riches” guy in our town, wonderful man. He always owned a fully loaded Olds. My brother asked him one day why he did not just get a Cadillac. His reply was along the lines of, he wanted the luxury, but not the snobbery, of being a Caddie owner.

[exnavy]

Those were the days.

[Bonemaker]

Growing up during America's golden age, when America was still America and you could tell cars apart, this is my all time favorite:

[beef]

No mention of the 5.7 diesels. Hmm.

[Bonemaker]

Growing up during America's golden age, when America was still America and you could tell cars apart, this is my all time favorite:

[Myrddin]

My parents purchased a 63 Delta 88. You were planted hard in your seat when you hit the accelerator. That was eventually traded in for a dark blue 98. Dad purchased a gas powered Toronado and later traded that for a diesel version. Dad passed in 2003. Mom's vision was failing from wet AMD. Both cars were sold.

[Red Badger]

Or the Hurst Olds...................

[Myrddin]

Before the 63 Delta 88, mom and dad had a 55 2-door painted in dark green and white. We had both cars through 1966. Dad traded the 55 Olds on a 67 VW bug for commuting to the Pentagon from Springfield, VA. Mom continued to drive the Delta 88 until we returned to San Diego in 1969. The Delta 88 was traded in for the "98".

[Bonemaker]

No it wasn’t. Buick was in between Olds and Cadillac going up the ladder. Pontiac and Chevy below. Plus a myriad of other differences starting with the engine. I was there..could definitely tell them apart. I’m talking only about the 50’s.

[Poser]

Three numbers: 442

[justme4now]

My 1971 442 W-31 olds.

[crosdaddy]

my older brother had the same car, but yellow with black stripes/ interior, really nice car.

[TexasGator]

“My parents purchased a 63 Delta 88. You were planted hard in your seat when you hit the accelerator.”

Time warps memories ...

[Myrddin]

I was seated in the back seat with my sister. Dad was driving. Mom on the passenger side front. When Dad hit the gas to pass another vehicle, I was glued to the back seat as the car accelerated. We never had another car with acceleration that good. The 455 Delta 88 was a hotter performer than the 455 "98" that replaced it.

I remember fairly precisely the day my parents went to purchase the Delta 88. They only said they were going to Ryan Olds to look at a car. I had an immediate need to contact them and the 411 operator obliged with a phone number. True to their parting comment, they came to the phone at Ryan Olds when I called. I was 7 years old at the time. I'm 67 now.