Oldsmobiles that never were
#1
Oldsmobiles that never were
On a road trip yesterday to my new place and back, so plenty of time to daydream...
Maybe this has been discussed here before, but I was wondering if anyone has ever found any documentation/pictures of Oldsmobiles that were designed on paper but never existed in Prototype or Production.
There were bound to have been plenty of designs that never made it to that point...but does anyone know what happened to them? Anyone have any drawings or documents? Just wondering...thought it would be an interesting topic.
Maybe this has been discussed here before, but I was wondering if anyone has ever found any documentation/pictures of Oldsmobiles that were designed on paper but never existed in Prototype or Production.
There were bound to have been plenty of designs that never made it to that point...but does anyone know what happened to them? Anyone have any drawings or documents? Just wondering...thought it would be an interesting topic.
#7
Just an Olds Guy
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
Just found this web page. Some of them we've seen sell at Barrett Jackson
olds concept cars
olds concept cars
#8
http://www.442.com/articles/concept.html is where that should go.
#10
Just an Olds Guy
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
Olds Golden Rocket - 1956 -
Oldsmobile 1955 88 Delta - fate unknown
Oldsmobile F-88 - 1954
Oldsmobile Cutlass - 1954 - All fibreglass dream car
Oldsmobile Starfire - 1953 - Only 3 prototypes built
Oldsmobile 1955 88 Delta - fate unknown
Oldsmobile F-88 - 1954
Oldsmobile Cutlass - 1954 - All fibreglass dream car
Oldsmobile Starfire - 1953 - Only 3 prototypes built
#14
Go here http://texas442.com and look at "not an el camino"
#15
Just an Olds Guy
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
#16
#17
Just an Olds Guy
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
It was an experimental car from what info I can glean on it. That would suggest it was not released to a collection, nor would it have been saved. Here's some more pics in this link
1954 Cutlass
1954 Cutlass
#18
Burt Reynolds drove a custom Olds in WW & the Dixie Dance Kings... in the story line it was said to have been 1 of 50 Special Editions. Had a dixie horn too!
Last edited by 70sgeek; June 29th, 2017 at 04:51 PM.
#20
That is where most of the pictures come from . I don't know how he managed to get his hands on them .
Most of these "dream" cars were ordered to be destroyed by GM corporate lawyers , because they were worried that they weren't covered by manufacturer's product liability insurance . Some of them went to "Warhoops" junk yard where they were "discovered" , plied up with other junk cars . A few of them were reportedly "rescued" .
https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2013/0...junkyard-sold/
I don't know the fate of the original Cutlass though .
Last edited by Charlie Jones; June 29th, 2017 at 05:31 PM.
#23
Go here http://texas442.com and look at "not an el camino"
#24
The '73 Cutlass styling exercise is sharp looking. Close to the production version with needed changes for the 5-mph bumper.
Thank goodness there was a reprieve that year for the back bumper, otherwise the sharp looking recessed tail lights would not has been possible. Even the front bumper was subdued compared with the other GM A-bodies, Ford intermediates, and Chrysler midsize cars.
I guess that is why the '73 Cutlass 'S', Supreme, and Hurst/Olds were the best looking cars that year. Besides the V-code option, it was too bad Oldsmobile and Hurst could not use more W-30 parts to make the optional W-46 engine more on par with Pontiac's SD-455, though it did tie a Corvette with the 454.
#25
#26
#28
Was not there another junkyard that was famous for saving many show cars, pre-production, styling exercise, and prototype vehicles from the crusher by hiding them in the yard until it was able to be sold or moved to another location?
There have been reports of executive and managers, even local dealerships, taking ownership of some of these vehicles before they were slated to be destroyed.
My friend's dad worked at the GM plant in Linden NJ for many years, including 1970. At the end of the production year workers were told to destroy any remaining W-25 hoods still in inventory since the hood could not be used for the 1971 models and it was not worth the cost to ship them to warehouses for future over the counter dealership orders.
Supervisors watched the workers as they broke the hoods up with sledge hammers and verified the remains were deposited into waste containers.
When workers inquired, they were told they could not take any of the W-25 hoods slated for destruction, even if they or family members had a '70 442 or Cutlass. Though, I wonder how many were taken out the back door for supervisors and/or executives?
#29
The thought of this makes me almost sick. And I'm sure it would actually make many members here sick. But you got to do what the boss says...
#30
http://www.horse-powergraphics.com/O...ion-s/1941.htm
The '73 Cutlass styling exercise is sharp looking. Close to the production version with needed changes for the 5-mph bumper.
.....
.....
#31
Here's one I've wanted to build for a long time. A drawing of one was in Rod and Custom magazine, many years ago, and I've always liked it. I searched the internet for a pic of it, but no luck. Just today, a friend of mine did a photoshop of the concept, though he did a 55, instead of the 56 I envisioned. He probably should have used the "98" trim on the car, too, as the Nomad was the top of the line model for Chevy.
I still have 2 roofs sitting behind my shop, in case I fins the right car to do this with.
I still have 2 roofs sitting behind my shop, in case I fins the right car to do this with.
#32
I'm sure I'm not the first to think this way, but maybe if Olds was allowed to put some of these cars into production they might not have been GM's first choice to close. The decision was probably made to keep Chevy out front years before these concepts, though. It's a shame to realize we are the minority for GM when Olds was on the forefront for almost everything the other companies capitalized on.
#33
Here's one I've wanted to build for a long time. A drawing of one was in Rod and Custom magazine, many years ago, and I've always liked it. I searched the internet for a pic of it, but no luck. Just today, a friend of mine did a photoshop of the concept, though he did a 55, instead of the 56 I envisioned. He probably should have used the "98" trim on the car, too, as the Nomad was the top of the line model for Chevy.
I still have 2 roofs sitting behind my shop, in case I fins the right car to do this with.
I still have 2 roofs sitting behind my shop, in case I fins the right car to do this with.
I like the concept shown in the photo except for the fender skirts and the low rider look. Even though the factory fender skirts looked good on my brother's two door '54 Ninety-Eight, on the wagon they take away from the design's lines.
#34
I'm sure I'm not the first to think this way, but maybe if Olds was allowed to put some of these cars into production they might not have been GM's first choice to close. The decision was probably made to keep Chevy out front years before these concepts, though. It's a shame to realize we are the minority for GM when Olds was on the forefront for almost everything the other companies capitalized on.
#35
#39
It was an experimental car from what info I can glean on it. That would suggest it was not released to a collection, nor would it have been saved. Here's some more pics in this link
1954 Cutlass
1954 Cutlass
#40
The first black & white photo shows it as it was in 1954 .
I've read that it was a highly modified 324 , with multiple carburation , that exceeded 300 HP.
The second photo is as it is today . When Joe Bortz got the car there was no engine . He replaced with a production 324 and even cut down the "batwing" air cleaner so it would fit .
The remaining photos are of F-88's the 55 Delta , and the 54 Cutlass .
The girls are pretty , but they are over 90 years old now .
Last edited by Charlie Jones; July 9th, 2017 at 03:20 PM.