Oldsmobile Super 88

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Oldsmobile Super 88 Holiday Hardtop 2 Doors (1957)
Oldsmobile Super 88
Production period: 1951-1964
Class : upper middle class
Body versions : Sedan , station wagon , coupé , convertible
Successor: Oldsmobile Dynamic 88

The Oldsmobile Super 88 was a car built by Oldsmobile , a brand of General Motors , from 1951 to 1964 . From 1951 to 1960, the Super 88 formed the mid-range model of the brand and was a combination of the body of the Model 88 and the larger engines of the Model 98. If the 88 and 98 had the same engines, the Super 88 took on the new styling of the 98 , while the 88 still had the body of the previous year.

Year by year

1951-1953

Super 88 (1951–1953)
Oldsmobile Super 88 (1953)

Oldsmobile Super 88 (1953)
Production period: 1951-1953
Body versions : Sedan , coupe , convertible
Engines: Petrol engines :
5.0 liters
(99–121 kW)
Length: 5181 mm
Width:
Height:
Wheelbase : 3048 mm
Empty weight : 1629-1848 kg

In 1951 the Super 88 was created with a body in the new, flatter style of the Model 98 , but the length of the Model 88 . While the 88 was still offered with seven different bodies in 1950, the Super 88 took over this range in model year 1951 with the exception of the station wagon and was also better equipped. The 88, on the other hand, was only offered as a 2- and 4-door sedan this year. Accordingly, the Super 88 sold six times as often as the 88 this year. The 4977 cc machine, which was common to all Oldsmobile models, developed 135 bhp (99 kW) at 3,600 rpm.

In 1952 the engine output rose to 160 bhp (118 kW), in 1953 to 165 bhp (121 kW). The coupé with B-pillars had been discontinued in 1953, but the Super 88 with its four models was still Oldsmobile's high-volume model range. The bodies changed only a little, only the small round taillights protruded more and more upwards from the fenders and so gradually led to the era of the tail fins .

1954-1960

Super 88 (1954-1960)
Oldsmobile Super 88 Station Wagon 5 Doors (1957)

Oldsmobile Super 88 Station Wagon 5 Doors (1957)
Production period: 1954-1960
Body versions : Sedan , station wagon , coupé , convertible
Engines:
Gasoline engines : 5.3–6.5 liters
(149–232 kW)
Length: 5156-5547 mm
Width:
Height:
Wheelbase : 3099-3124 mm
Empty weight : 1682-2056 kg

In 1954, the Super 88, like its sister model series, had a new, flatter body with small tail fins. The front bumper horns had taken the form of missiles. Front and rear windows were designed as panoramic windows. The V8 engine had been enlarged to 5309 cc and made 202 bhp (149 kW) at 4000 rpm. In 1955, only the front bumper moved a little higher, giving the car a more modern look. The fifth variant was a 4-door hardtop sedan, which, like the previous two-door hardtop, also bore the name Holiday. In 1956, the radiator grille mutated into a shark's mouth with a central, vertical chrome strut. The engine output increased to 240 bhp (176 kW) at 4400 rpm.

In 1957, the shark's mouth in the front bumper became a little smaller, the central chrome strut fell away and the tail fins stood out more clearly. For the brand's upcoming 50th birthday, all Oldsmobile got a significantly larger engine. From a displacement of 6080 cm³, it generated 277 bhp (204 kW) at 4400 rpm. The series was supplemented by a 5-door station wagon. In 1958, a wide radiator grille with double bumpers and double headlights adorned the front. The rear fenders were provided with three chrome-plated trim strips on each side, which gave them a washboard-like appearance. The engine output increased to 305 bhp (224 kW) at 4600 rpm. This restored the gap to the 88 model, whose engine performance fell slightly this year.

In 1959 the styling of the Oldsmobile cars was completely redesigned. The tail fins reached their greatest shape and the vehicles had a wide radiator grille with wide-spaced double headlights between which position lights were arranged. In the middle, the hood was lowered a little. Like the 98, the Super 88 also got a larger engine that developed an output of 315 bhp (232 kW) from 6457 cm³. The two-door sedan was no longer offered. In 1960 the tail fins got smaller again and the twin headlights moved closer together. There was also a combination model with 7 seats.

  • 1959

  • 1960

1961-1964

Super 88 (1961-1964)
Oldsmobile Super 88 circa 1963

Oldsmobile Super 88 circa 1963
Production period: 1961-1964
Body versions : Sedan , station wagon , coupé , convertible
Engines: Petrol engines :
6.5 liters
(239–243 kW)
Length: 5385-5565 mm
Width:
Height:
Wheelbase : 3124-3150 mm
Empty weight : 1677-1963 kg

The 1961 Oldsmobile Super 88, like its sister models, no longer had tail fins, but a tapered rear end. The panorama windows had also disappeared. The round double headlights delimited the wide radiator grille, in the lower third of which the word "Oldsmobile" could be read. This scene was framed by the smooth front bumper and bonnet. The 6.5 liter engine, now also available with lower output in the 88, increased to 325 bhp (239 kW) in the Super 88. In 1962 there was a simpler grille and convertible and the 7-seat station wagon was discontinued. The engine output rose again slightly to 330 bhp (243 kW). In 1963, the grille was contoured so that the center line and the fender ends protruded slightly, while the twin headlights sat deeper in the grille. The round tail lights gave way to narrow, upright specimens.

In 1964 there were hardly any changes. The Dynamic 88 was accompanied by an entry-level model called the Jetstar , so that the Dynamic 88 largely took over the role of the Super 88. In the last year of production, only the 4-door sedan and the 4-door hardtop sedan remained of the Super 88.

Web links

Commons : Oldsmobile Super 88  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

swell

  • Gunnell, John (editor): Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975 , Krause Publications Inc., Iola (2002), ISBN 0-87349-461-X .