http://wildaboutcarsonline.com/cgi-b...=9990393179016

Production by model from 1897 to 1997. In the Tech section under Specifications.

They are right from the book Setting The Pace. These numbers are what Oldsmobile considered (and the GM Heritage Center still considers) to be the official production numbers.

 

Kurt: I just read the complete performance car scene article you posted. It was a great article I had never seen.

http://wildaboutcarsonline.com/membe...Scene_1-18.pdf

Lee

 

Lee, that is an amazing and very rare look inside as to what Oldsmobile was thinking in 1969. We see what Olds did, and we enjoy and talk about what Olds did. We use terms like "musclecars" and such, but this publication takes us behind the scenes to have a chance to really understand what Olds was doing and why they were doing it.

 

cool article i missed that one. Kind of refreshing to read a document that is in plain English. Though it does seem written by a present day 8th grader - amazing how little statistics were available back then.

 

I think what was most interesting about the article was it showed their thought process that led to what I believe was a home run, the 1970 model with 455 engine, and probably one of the best looking hoods in the performance industry. My bias is showing here a bit but as they stated they were at the top of the food chain of the ("super car") muscle cars.

Lee

 

I think wha we forget is that the "supercar" (muscle car) era really only lasted 5-6 years 1964-1970. Given that only the GTO was "planned for the market (like the Mustang was for the pony cars), everyone else had to figure it out and then react.

Corporations like GM and such are/were huge, and changing direction is like steering the Titanic - so for them to figure it out and react as they did is pretty amazing. What that article shows is that while Olds jumped on the bandwagon early (and got lucky that they had handling AND performance with the '64 442), they were only coming to understand the market by 1969.


What those of you who weren't around trying to buy a performance car back then was that the biggest resistance for Olds and many others was that the DEALERS did not understand the market and did not push 442s and such, costing a lot of lost sales. ("What you need, Mr. Smmith is a Delta 88, with this lovely plush interior").


This document was simplified because it was a presentation to the dealers - trying to get the philisophy of the performance car into their heads. All the while the insurance industry, Ralph Nader, and the government were trying to get everyone back into 6 cylinder Chevrolets, where "they won't make trouble".


The biggest loss to Oldsmobile was the loss of the Division President John Beltz (a real performance nut like John Delorean) who died of a brain tumor in early 1971. He was repalced by Stemple, who was obsessed with emissions and the catalytic converter and moved Olds into the "research division" ending performance at Oldsmobile. And remember, while this was happening, the Olds A body was the best seller in the market.


So all that we are excited about really happened in a very short window, making the philosophy hugely interesting, because by the time Olds and other brands "got" it, the era was almost over.

 

I think the most important thing to come away with in that publication (and there are many significant things) is what is under the heading "OLDS CONCEPT OF PERFORMANCE CAR". It specifically says that Oldsmobile's engineering was going for a *balanced* performance car, and went on to define that. They were not out to say "my car is faster than yours".

 

You are correct, Kurt. What impressed me when bought my 70 W-30 (back in the day) was how solid it was over all, how balanced, and how "tight" it was. It not only handled well, but for the time, it was a complete car - not just a straight line powerhouse - which it was.

 

What a great article -- I especially liked their "nationwide" reference touting the performance and successes of Ron Garey and Chesrown Olds! A real "small reward" to the valiant efforts of the Chesrown team!! ( i'm biased, as you can see) LOL!!

Thanks again Kurt for sharing this document!!
T.

 

*Complete* Olds Production numbers are now posted on Wild About Cars, 1897-2004, thanks to a contribution of the last few years from Jaunty!

http://wildaboutcarsonline.com/cgi-b...=9990393179016

 

seriously good stuff!!