Oldsmobile Firsts!!!

[FTW65W29]

Did you know that in the USA Oldsmobile was first:
Successfully build and market gasoline powered automobiles?
Build factories specifically for automobiles production?
Utilize volume mass production techniques?
Succeed at making automobile production a profitable business?
To put into place the successful use of vendors to supply parts on a large scale?

They also established Detroit as the automobile capital of the world.

To bad GM killed the OLDS product line. They should have killed the Saturn name!

[J-(Chicago)]

They should have killed it in 1990 when the last Custom Cruiser rolled off the line.

[71rocket]

To bad GM killed the OLDS product line. They should have killed the Saturn name!

yep

[Olds64]

I read an article about that in an old Journey with Olds magazine. Oldsmobile was also the first manufacturer to offer airbags. I believe it was a pricey option in the 74 Toronados.

They were also the first manuafacturer to offer an automatic transmission. I believe that was in 41... the Hydramatic. :confsued:

[rocketraider]

Airbags in 1974 in B, C, E carlines. Shared with Buick/Cadillac.

True-Track anti-lock brakes for 1971 Toronados.

First use of nickel chrome plated grille/bumper/headlights, 1923.

Safety Automatic Transmission, 1937 which led to

Hydra-Matic transmission, 1940.

First production turbocharged American car, 1962 Jetfire (this one burns the Turbo Buick guys up)

First windshield mounted rearview mirror, 1970 Toronado.

First electric grid rear window defogger, 1969 Toronado.

First use of chromed ABS plastic exterior trim, 1969 Toronado.

First high-mount brake lights, 1971 Toronado.

First use of high-impact moulded plastic body components, 1980 Sport Omega.

And the beat goes on...

Oldsmobile didn't get their engineering/innovation/gadget division reputation for nothing. Most every gadgety option GM ever offered was developed in Olds Engineering, given to Cadillac first, then to the other Divisions.

[KeithA0000]

I didn't like the idea of canning the Olds line either, but to say that GM should have canned Saturn, that I can't agree on. However, they might as well do it now, since they've "brought it in line" with the other divisions. It was a good idea from the start, a division to compete with Hondy and the like, but when they started making big SUVs and two-seaters, obviously they had lost their way. Rather than canning Olds, the technology division, perhaps they should have merged the two luxury divisions, Buick and Caddy. I bet they'll be doing that soon anyway.

[deltathunder]

Well unfourtunately many American car companies are being hit by the popularity of foreign cars, only to be fueled further by the gas situation. We can only hope that the other affected companies will bounce back rather than go down like Olds. Saturn was able to glide through this because up until the last few years they didn't have much of a desire to make a "cool" car just a practical one. Now you have French and Japanese companies trying to buy up one of the big three (Chrysler). This is why I would like to see the possible GM-Chrysler merger work.

[Olds64]

Domestic manufacturers have been on a slippery slope down since the early 90s.

[deltathunder]

Ya and it doesn't seem like they are making any ground on getting out of it. The whole American car image changed in the 90's and there were other companies in the world who could do it better because they were already in business for what America was just getting started on. Now it is better but it is hard to compete with the market that is there now. And the reputations that are thrown around like you can generalize and entire country or even contenents by saying they can make a good or bad car.

[marinus_]

I have always bought domestic cars and have no desire to change.
To be honest, the fact that the Oldsmobile line is gone makes me like them even more.
The reason that I didn't buy the 69 camaro that I wanted since I was 8 years old is because there are too many at the car shows.
Not a lot of Oldsmobiles around anymore.
When I say I have a Starfire most people have no idea what that is. If I mention that I have a hurst/olds they say "what.... you drive a hearse?"

Makes me laugh.

[Lady72nRob71]

Originally Posted by marinus_

...at the car shows.
Not a lot of Oldsmobiles around anymore.

You said a mouthful there..
I went to a local show in my town 4 months ago, 210 cars, 0 Olds. I rode in on the bike just to take a quick peek.
GM and Olds were very proud of the Hydramatic (and they should have been!) I have a copy of an old Olds promo video (press release), describing the tranny. They showed that it took close to 40 bodily movements to get a manual trans car to highway speeds and only 3 for the auto trans.
I guess next time i drive the old ford, I will have to make a count!

[citcapp]

Not 1 out of 100 can guess that my 57 is a Oldsmoble. Its always something like. I didnt' know Chebby made a big car in 57. That's why I have built it to be my daily driver along with the 48. When I retire I plan on driving nothing else along with other american vintage cars I will build. Looking at a 62 Stud Avanti right now numbers matching 16K body good interior good. Both doors really screwed up. I'll make an offer and see what happens.

[justinj]

I drove an Opel Astra station wagon when I was in Germany, Austria and Czech last winter. Sounds boring, but it had the turbo diesel with the 6 speed manual - and snow tires for the Alps. It was a blast to drive on those roads to say the least.

They've brought it to North America under the Saturn name, but of course minus the diesel with the 6-speed.

Sad that GM is making a great, fun to drive, affordable, fuel efficient car like this and they feel the need to dumb it down for us.

-Justin

[mugzilla]

I think an Olds could be very competitive at a show as the judges are all chevied out ...

[GoodOldsGuy]

Originally Posted by rocketraider

Airbags in 1974 in B, C, E carlines. Shared with Buick/Cadillac.

True-Track anti-lock brakes for 1971 Toronados.

First use of nickel chrome plated grille/bumper/headlights, 1923.

Safety Automatic Transmission, 1937 which led to

Hydra-Matic transmission, 1940.

First production turbocharged American car, 1962 Jetfire (this one burns the Turbo Buick guys up)

First windshield mounted rearview mirror, 1970 Toronado.

First electric grid rear window defogger, 1969 Toronado.

First use of chromed ABS plastic exterior trim, 1969 Toronado.

First high-mount brake lights, 1971 Toronado.

First use of high-impact moulded plastic body components, 1980 Sport Omega.

And the beat goes on...

Oldsmobile didn't get their engineering/innovation/gadget division reputation for nothing. Most every gadgety option GM ever offered was developed in Olds Engineering, given to Cadillac first, then to the other Divisions.

Verrry Good Rocket Raider. How about these too:

• First front wheel drive production drive (volume) American car

1966 Toronado. (Cord was very low unit build)

• First use of "lost foam" (that's right-styrofoam) aluminum casting process on a production engine component. - 6 cylinder Olds Diesel aluminum cylinder heads. Circa 1988 (Carried on to Saturn)

• The first Flexible Fender on the 1980 Omega(mentioned above) set the tone for use on the Saturn coupe body panels.

FYI - Saturn was an offspring from Oldsmobile Division. The first Saturn four door was actually a
Jr. Cutlass Supreme. (looks very similar). Joe Sanchez - General Manager of Oldsmobile was
the first President of the newly formed Saturn division.


Fred

[Allan R]

Too bad Olds was canned is right. I have 2 Olds that I'm going to hold onto.
BUT, I also have a Saturn for my wife. Aside from a few problems (less than average) every once in a while, it isn't that bad a car, and it will spin it's tires in the winter or on muddy roads. The wife loves it; but is afraid of driving the 98 because its so big. The 72 Cutlass has more power than she's used to and again the dimensions are not in her comfort zone.
GM has always been a family favorite, so I'm not sure why we're bashing it. We make fun of Chebby , Buick, Pontiac, Caddy etc but the long and short of it is that when you see old iron on the road, it commands some respect.
Heck, maybe Olds will make a comeback in the future. Just takes time for the industry to wise up to what they lost....so in the meantime let's not wish for any more product lines to be canned.

[Olds64]

Soon it won't be only Oldsmobile that GM had canned. Once they merge with Chrysler they will probably kill Pontiac and Cadillac. Chrysler will also die and it will just be Chevy, Buick, and Dodge. Or something crazy like that.

[citcapp]

Makes you want to save everythiing. I was going to sell my 2003 Cadd with the Northstar V8. Only has 78,000 miles now I think I will just add it to my collection. In time it will be a collector car as will all american made cars

1948 Olds
1957 Olds
2003 Cadd STS
Korean no-name gas saver embarrassed to own but need the gas milage