Keieljun

Were the last Auroras manufactured in 2003 or 2004?

If 2004, then were all body types (coupes, sedans, etc.) manufactured then?

(Is there such a thing as an Aurora coupe, anyway? I forgot to check...)

I'm asking because it might be kinda nice to get a 2004 Olds - either Aurora or Alero - for gobs of personal-choice reasons. Wikipedia and other sources didn't cover production as far as I could see, and eBay only lists Auroras out to 2003.

Olds64

I believe the 4.0L V8 was the Cadillac Northstar engine.

GoodOldsGuy

Cadillac Northstar is 4.6L V8. Olds Aurora used a variant built as the 4.0L and produced 250HP. The detuning was in the cylinder heads to match the smaller engine displacement. The Aurora V8 was featured in IRL racing and was pitted against the Infiniti V8....Olds was victorious in about 99.9% of the races.
Regards,

Fred

Olds64

I think it would be cool to get one of the Aurora engines and put it in a little Omega or F-85.

Toro68

2003

88 coupe

Two totally different engines.

Norm

GoodOldsGuy

Your point? The Aurora V-8 was run as a 3.5 litre variant to take advantage of less mass and to allow for higher RPM operation. As with most "racing" engines they are quite different from their production cousins. Still an Oldsmobile AURORA engine.

Fred

88 coupe

Thank you.

Norm

Lady72nRob71

I have heard that since the 4L in the Aurora had used some of the technology of the 4.6L Northstar, it earned the 4L the unofficial nickname of the "Shortstar"...

This reminds me - I saw an Aurora on the way home yesterday; L-plate read C DAT 1...
Someone else is proud of owning part of a dwindling breed...

GoodOldsGuy

Rob- While not as powerful as the 4.6L Northstar, the 4.0L is no wimp. If you have never driven an Aurora (especially 1st gen) then you will be pleasantly surprised. We own an XLR with the 4.6L and it is (for a Caddy) truly fast. The V is even quicker with 443hp.

The 4.0L V-8 and the 3.5L six in the later Auroras share the same engineering architecture in a modular way. I think the "Shortstar" moniker was coined by some jealous Cadillac engineers when they heard that the Olds variant was chosen to power the IRL racers.


Fred

mikeb

My 2001 Aurora will probably be my last "new" GM vehicle. Great build quality and faster than many cars hundreds of pounds lighter. In my area they are rare, everyone that comments on it thinks it's a new car and like the styling.
Now if some I could just get some aftermarket performance parts I'd be really happy.

Toro68

A bunch of 95-99 Aurora(ie Classics) are showing up in Sourthern Maine (and some of '01-'03 crorw too)

Joeolds71

Can anybody tell me where to find out how many 95-99 Auroras were produced with the autobahn option. A breakdown by each year would also be nice. Thanks in advance.

1970cs

I see this is your first post! I am assuming that you have an Aurora? Not to be condescending, but an introduction would have been nice.

To answer your question, you need to contact the GM heritage center in Sterling Heights, MI. If you want the cheap way out, first e-mail them to see if they have the saturation numbers for the RPO code QQX (autobahn pkg) for 1995-1999 Auroras. If they do, you will have to pay them the research fee to get those numbers.
http://www.gmheritagecenter.com/abou...act/index.html

Pat

droptopron

Aurora was sedan only. The Buick Riviera was a two door cousin but didn't get the V8.

shakeyhands73442

Just traded my 99 aurora for a 74 442 bout a month ago

Joeolds71

Sorry for just "cutting to the chase". I do appreciate your response and will follow up on this. Yes I do have a '98 autobahn aurora that my wife wont let me sell. She loves it, but it is just a spare car that is extremely expesive to fix every time something goes awry. Since she wont let me sell it, I thought I should at least try to get an idea of how many were made. I have 3 other older oldsmobiles and have been a member of OCA since 1989. I Have owned countless other Oldsmobiles since I started driving in 1976. In addition to the 98 Aurora, I have 2 1971 442s (1 Automatic W30 that needs to be restored, and a non-w30 4 speed car that I restored in 1988-89). Also have a 1971 Vista Cruiser (factory Big Block, 4 BBL and dual exhaust car) That I am about 80% done with, but haven't touched in 3 years. I hope this helps everyone to understand I am a true rocket head.

1970cs

Welcome to C.O. Sounds like you have a few nice rigs in your stable! Throw us some pics when you get the chance.
I have been a member of OCA for 16 years myself. Are you headed to the nationals this year?

Regards,
Pat

Joeolds71

To answer your question, you need to contact the GM heritage center in Sterling Heights, MI. If you want the cheap way out, first e-mail them to see if they have the saturation numbers for the RPO code QQX (autobahn pkg) for 1995-1999 Auroras. If they do, you will have to pay them the research fee to get those numbers.
http://www.gmheritagecenter.com/abou...act/index.html

Pat[/QUOTE]
Thanks Pat. I emailed Gm hertitage center today. They were able to provide me with the following info. 95 Aurora Autobahn was code WG3 and only 14 units produced. RPO code was QQX 96-99. Autobahn car production numbers as follows 1996:11,423 units, 1997: 13,086 units, 1998: 1128 units, 1999: 2012 units. I'm sure at least a few people are interested in this trivial info.

1970cs

Not trivial info, I am sure W-machine (Kurt) would like to have that info as well as the Aurora forum.

Glad my info helped you!

Pat

Joeolds71

If they really only made 14 in 1995, I wonder if any are still around.

44TEETWO

That is not possible, if so I have owned 3 of the 14. I still have one along with my other Oldsmobiles. I have also bought a 96 for my girlfriend and another for her daughter. I have always wanted to put one of the Aurora V8's in a streetrod. I have been told that a 700r4 will bolt up to one. I think it would be very cool and VERY QUICK!

Joeolds71

I find it hard to believe too. Especially since about half of the 96s and 97s were autobahn equiped. The heritage center also said that a WG3 code would be on the rpo sticker in 1995 as well as FV4 and QQX. Only FV4 and QQX on the 96-99s.

NorTown Olds

GREAT thread here! Learned a lot! HARD to believe the Last of the Aurora's and the "Final 500" is a full 10 YEARS AGO this year!! TIME FLIES!!

Randy T.

The IRL Aurora motor was not a 3.5.

"

IRL: Las Vegas Oldsmobile Engine Notes
Racing series INDYCAR
Date 1998-10-09


* THE 700-HORSEPOWER CEREAL BOX. The IRL's engine rules stipulate a maximum displacement of 4.0 liters. For the metrically challenged, that's 244 cubic inches - a volume about the size of a 23-ounce box of shredded wheat breakfast cereal.


An IRL Aurora V8's pistons are 93 millimeters in diameter - a little larger than a can of tuna fish.

* MILE-A-MINUTE PISTONS. The pistons in an IRL Aurora V8 engine travel less than 6 inches in their cylinders with every crankshaft revolution, but those inches add up fast when the crank is spinning at 10,500 revolutions per minute. Each piston travels 5,061 feet in one minute - nearly a mile up and down in the cylinder. In a 25-second lap around Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the pistons travel 1.5 miles around the track and four tenths of a mile up and down in their cylinders.


When the pistons change direction at the top of the bore, they are subjected to a maximum acceleration of 70,000 times the force of gravity.

* DEEP BREATHING. At 10,500 rpm, an IRL Aurora V8 consumes almost 1,000 cubic feet of air in one minute - a volume equivalent to the air inside an average bedroom.

* THE CHAIN GANG. Like the production Aurora V8, the racing version uses chains to drive its dual overhead camshafts. At maximum rpm, these chains travel at nearly 60 mph around their sprockets.

* ENGINE ECONOMICS. The price of an IRL Aurora V8 racing engine from Oldsmobile's designated engine builders is $80,000. For comparison, the Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price for a 1998 Aurora sedan is $36,825 - which includes the 4.0-liter Aurora V8 production engine that inspired the racing version.

* FAST ACTION. Things happen fast inside an engine running at 10,500 rpm. At maximum speed, the crankshaft in an IRL Aurora V8 rotates 175 times per second, and its spark plugs fire 700 times per second.

* THE AIR FORCE. Although the IRL's 4.0-liter engines are naturally aspirated, they get a performance boost from the forward-facing air scoops behind the drivers' heads. At racing speeds, the scoop produces enough positive pressure to increase the engine's output by 5 percent - approximately 35 horsepower.

* LEADER OF THE PACK. Oldsmobile engines led 3,481 consecutive laps before the rival Infiniti Indy led a lap at an IRL event. Oldsmobile racers have completed 77,695 racing miles - a distance equal to three laps around the Earth's equator!

* IRL - NASCAR COMPARISON. The open-wheeled single-seaters that compete in the Pep Boys Indy Racing League are a dramatic departure from the full-bodied Winston Cup stock cars that raced at Las Vegas Motor Speedway earlier this year.


A typical IRL Aurora V8 engine produces over 700 horsepower - about the same power as a Winston Cup engine - but does it with one-third less displacement. A 4.0-liter IRL Aurora V8 displaces 244 cubic inches, while a Winston Cup small-block displaces 358 cubic inches.


The IRL Aurora V8 engine makes up for its smaller size by revving higher (10,500 rpm vs. 8,800 rpm), burning methanol fuel instead of gasoline, and operating at higher efficiency. Like its production counterpart, the IRL Aurora V8 has 32 valves-twice as many as a Winston Cup small-block-and four camshafts (instead of the single cam used in a NASCAR engine). "

Randy T.

I have had a lot of Auroras, especially 97s, most of them are not Autobahn, but I see a lot at salvage yards.

My current Aurora, the first one I bought, I converted over to Autobahn, as well as installed a Cadillac 4.6.