Oldsmobile Series 70
| Oldsmobile Series 70 | |
|---|---|
 Oldsmobile Series 70 "Dynamic" sedan | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Oldsmobile (General Motors) |
| Production | 1938–1950 |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Full-size |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Oldsmobile G-Series 70[1] |
| Successor | Oldsmobile Cutlass |
The Oldsmobile Series 70 is a full-size midrange automobile produced by Oldsmobile between the 1939 and 1950 model years.[2][1] Oldsmobiles of this time period were in an unusual "middle" position in GM's hierarchy of automobile brands. Chevrolet and Pontiac were the budget priced models, while Buick and Cadillac were the luxury brands. GM would share their "A" body platforms between Chevrolet, Pontiac, and "B" body on Oldsmobile and Buick, while leaving Cadillac on the senior "C" platform. Oldsmobiles were then branded as "luxury level" Chevrolets and Pontiacs, while Oldsmobiles using the "B" platform were "budget priced" Buicks and Cadillacs.
Competitors from Ford's Mercury and Chrysler's DeSoto brands would give customers a choice to have Oldsmobile levels of luxury, while not paying as much for a comparable Oldsmobile. GM in later years would discontinue the Series 70 and the budget Oldsmobile Series 60, and introduce the Oldsmobile 88 to push Oldsmobile upmarket, giving Chevrolet and Pontiac a better market position for a lower price. It was with this generation that all GM vehicles experienced increased width dimensions to accommodate three passengers on the front bench seat and an additional three passengers on rear bench seat installed vehicles. This was accomplished with the deletion of running board thereby adding additional room inside the passenger compartment and upgrading the floor mounted gearshift to a steering column installed transmission gear selector for the Hydramatic automatic transmission.[1]
1939–1940
| First generation | |
|---|---|
 1940 Oldsmobile 76 Business Coupe | |
| Overview | |
| Model years | 1939–1940 |
| Assembly | (main plant) Lansing, Michigan (branch assembly) South Gate, California Linden, New Jersey Osaka, Japan |
| Designer | Harley Earl |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 2-door Business coupe 2-door Club coupe 4-door sedan 2-door convertible |
| Platform | B-body |
| Related | Cadillac Series 61 LaSalle Series 50 Buick Century Buick Special |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 215 cu in (3.5 L) Oldsmobile Straight-six engine 230 cu in (3.8 L) Oldsmobile Straight-six engine |
| Transmission | 3-speed synchromesh manual 4-speed Hydra-Matic automatic |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 120.0 in (3,048 mm) |
| Length | 1939: 197.0 in (5,004 mm) 1940: 199.8 in (5,075 mm) |
| Height | 1939: 65.8 in (1,671 mm) 1940: 65.0 in (1,651 mm) |
| Curb weight | 3,200–3,500 lb (1,500–1,600 kg) |
Naming standards were in flux at Oldsmobile during the late 1930s and 1940s. From 1932 through 1938 Oldsmobile had two series: "F" and "L". Series F came with a straight-6 engine and Series L came with a larger body and a straight-8 engine.[1] Series F was renamed Series 60 in 1939 and Series L was replaced with the Series 70, with the Series 70 being powered by the straight-6 and the straight-8 respectively. The Series 60 used the GM A-body and the Series 70 used the B-body.
In 1940 the even larger C-body was introduced to Oldsmobile and it alone was powered by the straight-8. In order to differentiate it as Oldsmobiles senior level vehicle it was named the Series 90 while remaining below the Buick Special. The series were also given names for the first time that year with the Series 60, 70, and 90 being called the Special, Dynamic, and Custom Cruiser respectively. The Hydramatic transmission, a fully clutchless automatic, debuted in the 1940 model year.[1]
1941–1948
| Second generation | |
|---|---|
 1941 Oldsmobile Dynamic Cruiser sedan | |
| Overview | |
| Model years | 1941–1942, 1946-1948 |
| Assembly | (main plant) Lansing, Michigan (branch assembly) South Gate, California Linden, New Jersey new locations in 1946 Kansas City, Kansas new locations in 1947 Wilmington, Delaware Doraville, Georgia "Atlanta" new locations in 1948 Framingham, Massachusetts |
| Designer | Harley Earl |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 2-door Business coupe 2-door Club coupe 4-door sedan |
| Platform | B-body |
| Related | Cadillac Series 61 Buick Century Buick Special Pontiac Streamliner Torpedo Pontiac Streamliner |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 238 cu in (3.9 L) Oldsmobile Straight-six engine 257 cu in (4.2 L) Oldsmobile Straight-eight engine |
| Transmission | 3-speed synchromesh manual 4-speed Hydra-Matic automatic |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 125.0 in (3,175 mm) |
| Length | 1941: 211.0 in (5,359 mm) 1942: 212.0 in (5,385 mm) 1946: 214.0 in (5,436 mm) 1947–48: 213.0 in (5,410 mm) |
| Width | 76 in (1,930 mm) |
| Height | 65.2 in (1,656 mm) |
| Curb weight | 3,500–3,700 lb (1,600–1,700 kg) |
In 1941 both straight six- and straight eight-engines were offered on each series so to differentiate between the two the second digit was used to denote the number of cylinders, so the Dynamic 70 was replaced with the Dynamic 76 and 78. In 1942 sales literature started referring to the Series 70 as the Dynamic Cruiser 76 and 78.[1]
Production was delayed from 1942 until 1945 due to manufacturing efforts being devoted to World War II defense production. To celebrate the company's 44th anniversary at the time, all Oldsmobiles were installed with a small badge on the grille with "B44" attached. This was not a model designation.[3]
In 1946 the Dynamic Cruiser Series 70 was Oldsmobile's mid-priced model, and offered both a 2-door Club Sedan and 4-door Sedan, and the second number in the series designation continued to identify if it had a straight six- or straight eight-cylinder flat-head engine.[4] Some of the optional equipment included a choice of a 6-tube or DeLuxe 7-tube radio, electric clock, plastic steering wheel, rear window wiper for both sedans, and auxiliary driving lights. Prices listed for the Dynamic 70 DeLuxe 4-door Sedan were US$1,678 ($26,218 in 2023 dollars [5]) and 5,118 were assembled while the Dynamic 70 4-door Sedan was much more popular, selling 25,528 with a listed price of US$1,568 ($24,499 in 2023 dollars [5]).[4] Electrical equipment was modest as the cars of this time only used a 6-volt system.[4] The standard equipment offered Bedford cord or broadcloth upholstery, front seat retractable center armrests, rubber floor mats, painted woodgrained instrument panel, dual sun visors, dual electric windshield wipers, and an automatic choke for the carburetor for easier starts for a cold engine.[4] Buyers who chose the DeLuxe trim package were given carpeted inserts in the rubber floor mats, a deluxe instrument with full gauges, a retractable center armrest for the rear seat, the E-Z-I anti-glare rear view mirror and an electric clock.[4] Curiously, the Standard Series 70 had 16" wheels while the DeLuxe had 15" wheels as standard equipment.[4]
1947 was Oldsmobile's fiftieth anniversary and other than some new two-tone exterior paint options, the standard and optional equipment and features remained carryover from previous years. A heater and windshield defroster was added to the options list for US$32 ($437 in 2023 dollars [5]). New branch assembly locations were added at Atlanta and Wilmington. Due to the American public taking the opportunity to purchase new vehicles to replace cars kept in service due to WWII production suspension, 38,152 2-door Club Sedans and 30,841 4-door Sedans were built, more than the Special 60 Series or the larger Custom Cruiser 98.[4] The Dynamic 76 was produced in Australia with fewer than 120 thought to have been produced during 1947.
In 1948, when the Series 60 was renamed the Dynamic the "Cruiser" tag was dropped from the Series 70 and it was once again named the Dynamic 76 and 78.
1949–1950
| Third generation | |
|---|---|
 1949 Oldsmobile Seventy-Six Club Sedan with 88 rocker ornament and 98 door moulding | |
| Overview | |
| Model years | 1949–1950 |
| Assembly | (main plant) Lansing, Michigan (branch assembly) South Gate, California Wilmington, Delaware Doraville, Georgia "Atlanta" Kansas City, Kansas Framingham, Massachusetts Linden, New Jersey |
| Designer | Harley Earl |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 2-door Club coupe 2-door Holiday hardtop 4-door sedan 2-door convertible 4-door station wagon |
| Platform | A-body |
| Related | Buick Special Oldsmobile 88 Pontiac Streamliner |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 257 cu in (4.2 L) Oldsmobile I6[6] |
| Transmission | 3-speed synchromesh manual 4-speed Hydramatic automatic |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 119.5 in (3,035 mm) |
| Length | 202.0 in (5,131 mm) |
| Width | 75.2 in (1,910 mm) |
| Curb weight | 3,500–3,800 lb (1,600–1,700 kg) |
The all new postwar Futuramic styling that had been introduced to the C-body Oldsmobile 98 in 1948 was brought to Oldsmobile's A-body which it now shared with Pontiac and Chevrolet in 1949, and the new name Seventy-Six, with the numbers now spelled out, became Oldsmobile's entry-level model when the Series 60 was discontinued. The wheelbase was now 119.5 inches (3,040 mm) and was only available with the Oldsmobile straight-6 engine.[7] The previous 78 model was retired with the 1949 introduction of the Oldsmobile 88, which shared its new Futuramic A-body platform with the Seventy-Six but was equipped with the new overhead-valve Rocket V8. The new word from 1948 "Futuramic" identified an Oldsmobile as the Dramatic Design of the Future, Beauty with Design and Styling with a Purpose1948 Oldsmobile Futuramic introduction. In its final year of 1950 the Seventy-Six continued to offer the DeLuxe trim package that was also offered on the station wagon, while the Holiday hardtop coupe was briefly offered, manufacturing only 144 with the standard trim package and 394 with the DeLuxe package and a listed retail price of US$2,108 ($26,696 in 2023 dollars [5]). This particular model is particularly rare to find, as it was the only time Oldsmobile offered a six-cylinder engine with the upscale hardtop feature.[4] The hardtop was built by welding a steel roof onto the convertible body style, which simplified assembly line operations.[4]
The Seventy-Six was available in the following body styles:
- Station wagon
- Convertible
- Holiday hardtop coupé (2-door)
- Club coupé (2-door)
- Club sedan (2-door fastback)
- Town Sedan (4-door fastback)1949 Only
- 2 door Sedan (2-door)1950 only
- 4 door Sedan (4-door)
References
- ^ a b c d e f Kimes, Beverly (1996). Standard catalog of American Cars 1805–1942 (third ed.). Krause publications. pp. 1061–1088. ISBN 0-87341-478-0.
- ^ "Directory Index: Oldsmobile/1939_Oldsmobile/1939_Oldsmobile_Brochure". Oldcarbrochures.com. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
- ^ "1942 Oldsmobile Special 66 Club Coupe B-44". Hemmings Motor News. American City Business Journals. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Flory, J. "Kelly" Jr. (2008). American Cars, 1946 to 1959; Every Model, Year by Year. McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 833. ISBN 978-0-7864-3229-5.
- ^ a b c d 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ "Directory Index: Oldsmobile/1950 Oldsmobile/1950_Oldsmobile_Foldout".
- ^ "Directory Index: Oldsmobile/1949 Oldsmobile/album". Oldcarbrochures.com. Archived from the original on 2010-09-05. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
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