Many will say that the 1964 Pontiac GTO marshaled the beginning of the muscle car movement but others will suggest that it started much earlier, going back to the introduction of the 1949 Oldsmobile and their first overhead valve V8 engine. I suppose you could throw in a lot of other entries too and make for debatable points all the way around. Back to that Oldsmobile suggestion, here’s a second-year 1950 entry, very similar to the all-new ’49 edition, and, at first blush, it certainly looks the part of a vintage hot rod. It’s clean as a whistle so let’s look it over and see if it has verifiable chops. It’s located in Wenatchee, Washington and is available, here on eBay for $15,300 with two bids tendered so far.
Oldsmobiles came in three different models in ’50, the Ninety-Eight at the top, the Eighty-Eight following suit, and the Seventy-Six bringing up the markers. The Seventy-Six shared a 119.5-inch wheelbase with the Eighty-Eight but relied on six-cylinder power whereas the Eighty-Eight was V8 all the way. The Ninety-Eight utilized the same powerplant as the Eighty-Eight but added two and a half inches to its better-appointed wheelbase. As for body styles, the Eighty-Eight offered five-different two-door models, a sedan (our subject car), a coupe, a Club Coupe (fastback) a convertible, and a Holiday Coupe which was a hardtop. Also in the mix was a four-door sedan and station wagon. As for total production, Oldsmobile placed sixth in the ’50 contest (408K units) with Chevrolet, Pontiac, and Buick all occupying slots in the top five positions – it was a good time to be General Motors!
Further examination somewhat dispels this car’s hot rod vibe. Being big and bright red and then adorned with white stripe tires, red painted rims, fender skirts, and trim rings lends credence to the concept but it’s not really that much different than any other ’50 Eighty-Eight two-door sedan. The finish looks great but the seller states that it’s an old, scratched repaint. The bumpers, and some of the trim, are supposedly pitted but they still show quite well and the body yields no indication of poorly performed repairs.
While the 135 gross HP, 303 CI V8 engine is what built and solidified Oldsmobile’s image from ’49 forward, this example appears to be stock and non-modified. The seller laconically refers to it as a “running and driving car” – so much for accolades! The engine gets points for originality – note that air cleaner “tank”. I was assuming a three-speed manual transmission would handle gear-changing chores but this Olds relies on a Hydramatic automatic transmission.
Nothing shabby about this Eighty-Eight’s interior – it’s sharp looking! The seller adds, “The interior is in very good condition, no tears or warped panels or stains. Both front kick panels need some work, carpet looks like 70’s shag! Headliner is excellent“. The upholstery appears to be a mix of velour fabric and vinyl and shows little sign of wear – it’s an attractive color combination. The fluted dash trim is a nice touch, it adds some style to an otherwise mundane-looking dash and instrument cluster.
The odometer on this Olds reads 20K miles but there’s no claim or authentication to that reading – it’s likely meaningless. What matters is how the car looks and drives. There is a mention of a bit of rust along the bottom edge of the driver’s door but I wouldn’t let that dissuade me from pursuing this Eighty-Eight if it were a car that captured my interest. So, a hot rod custom as described in the listing? I’d say no, but a nice Oldsmobile from an important era in the defunct marque’s history? Absolutely! What’s your thought, if you were interested in this almost three quarters of a century old sedan, what would you do with it?
That is one beautiful and classy car. I doubt this came in that color from the factory but it should have. That shade of red really works with the vintage. Someone had a good eye. 50’s cars have lost their ground somewhat in the collector crowd and I myself am not a 50’s car guy but I find myself warming up to the period. I would be a proud owner taking this out for a drive or showing up to a car show.
yes it may have come from factory in that shade of red remember seeing a new rocket 88 convertible on show room floor in 1950 in that red father took me to local olds dealer to see it said one of fastest cars around it was the car to beat back than
Al, I truly don’t believe the 50 Olds came in that shade of Red. It was more of a Dark Maroon color. I had 2 ’50 Oldsmobiles back in the Mid & late 50’s, a convertible & a 2 Dr. Hdtp. I was aware of All cars on the road then & have seen Many other Oldsmobiles, but Never one That shade of red, Only the Maroon!
Al, are those the Factory colors for 50 Oldsmobiles? I agree on the color of This car. Love it!!!
A price of $15.000 does not do much to warm me.
57chevy now you got me thinking i know back in the early 50s Maroon was a very popular color i had a 1950 ford that was factory maroon and i also know ford in that year also came in a red i always called it fire engine red cant remember what ford called it let me investigate on olds colors for 1950 anyone that was around in the 50s must remember there where some great colors in that decade remember the 1950 ford crestline it came in sportsman green it was a wild shade of green with black vinyl roof
57chevy you may be right the red that 1950 olds came in was called Chariot Red and it was a little darker than the red on this car but i do like the color of this car better it really looks great
DAL-40911-DQE. Adler Green Poly. 11/11A(L)/11H(L)
DAL-50125-DQE. Garnet Maroon Poly. 42/12.
DAL-70193-DQE. Chariot Red. 42C/12C.
DAL-40701-DQE. Almond Green. 41C.
DAL-20681-DQE. Dune Beige. …
DAL-20562-DQE. Tawnee Buff. 43/43A(L)
DAL-20449-DQE. Praline Brown Poly. 43A(U)/46.
DAL-80472-DQE. Canto Cream. 13C/13H(L)
Oh, Jim, must you start this all over again? So many want “their” car to be known as the 1st factory musclecar. Chrysler hemis, Rambler Rebels, and GTOs all claiming to be the 1st, when, it has generally been accepted, it was this car right here, but something isn’t right. While the ’49 saw the “Rocket” V8, it wasn’t called that until 1950 when GM adopted it as the “Rocket 88”. Couple firsts. 1st factory musclecar, and a song about it claiming to be the 1st rock and roll song. We all know, it was the motor that powered this beast that got all the thunder in a normally sedate grandpas car, and many “went missing” to power juniors hotrod, but for a spell, Olds was the hottest stick,,,until then others caught up, that is. More importantly, however, it was this car that dad courted your mom after the war, sitting next to each other on that bench seat, AM radio blasting out Nat King Cole, it’s what memories SHOULD be made of.
Not Nat.
The radio should be blasting out
Ike Turner’s Rocket 88. Often credited as the first rock and roll hit…
Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats!
@Bob C.
You could be right…
Exactly BlondeUXB! On Silver Top Chess 1458 1951 vocal by Jackie Brenston, which I HAVE!
Agree, beautiful car. But what are those wires coming out of the valve covers? I can see the plug wires below so I know those aren’t them.
That is a brace that holds the ignition wires in place across the valve covers. I’ve never seen that set up before. Kinda neat.
The Oldsmobile lettering are plug wire spacers.
Yes, they Are spark plug wires. Click on the photo & bring it closer & you will see as you can follow the wires.
Didn’t Hudson and some others have more power?
Looks like coupe and not sedan to me.
Frame around the windows = sedan. No frames = coupe.
Frame is coupe, no window frame is Holiday Coupe (or also called Hardtop Coupe).
I hated that early Hydramatic just as much as that stinking powerglide that GM put in millions of car.Had one in a 57 Olds 88, it shifted out of low at about 5mph,into third about 10,and into 4th about 15.We were in the infant stages of the auto trans, but heavy and jerky for sure
Wrong! This is a coupe. Also available was a 2 door sedan that had a longer cabin. A pillerless body is a hardtop in common lingo.
OK guys, note the attached. There were several different two-door models available in ’50. The “Holiday” Coupe is a hardtop the others are listed as a Club Coupe, a Club Sedan (definitely not this one), or a two-door sedan. I went with the two-door sedan because of the full-width back seat.
JO
you are rt Jim i was just going to say that you beat me to it frame is coupe when rear windows are small and push out they are 2dr sedans when windows bigger and roll down for rear seats plus coupe has larger trunk no frame is a 2dr hardtop which olds called a holiday coupe
Could someone please explain what that is in place of the carburettor, and how does it work please?
Wayne, That IS the carburetor & that big tan thing behind it is the Air Cleaner! Yeah it IS a weird lookin’ Carb. but that is it.
Me? I’d just get a set of period-correct coker whitewalls and enjoy it!! Everything else has already been done!
I agree; needs wide whitewalls.
agree need wide ww tires like it would have had on showroom floor
Some say the 1936 Buick Century was the first muscle car.
The 1929 Packard Speedster may be the first.
I thought it was the Hudson Hornet.
’49 Mercury is in the discussion. Look at early-mid fifties Ford Times.
My Dad had a 1936 Buick Century. Heard my first cuss words about that car when I was about 4 years old. Something about the D—- carburator .
The diheadral fuel injection power carb?
i believe it was the 41 buick
Some say a man is made of muscle and blood too.
Part of my hot rod years had to do with an Olds powered Studebaker that was sheer fun to drive, especially at a stoplight drag. Pretty car here that you can just get in and drive… rapidly.
The true definition of a muscle car “used to be” a mid-size platform with a high powered motor, but apparently that no longer applies, and so the saga continues. Although basically a chevrolet in a tuxedo, I’ve always liked the early Oldsmobiles. One thing that baffles me, is that style of carburetor and air cleaner, I thought these all had a typical carb with the “batwing” air cleaner, but maybe that was the later models, maybe someone can enlighten me on that
Close, a true “musclecar” was a powerful motor in a light, basic car, and most importantly, offered by the factory. The different vehicle brands from GM at that time, were truly different cars than the other divisions, so not a badge engineered Chevy. That would come later, as did the batwing air cleaner( ’51?). For example, that carburetor, a Rochester AA, I believe was only used on Oldsmobiles in ’49-’50( and Mercury used them too) I don’t think they were anything special and dropped in ’51.
Howard, your first sentence; Right on the money!
That may be true for Stock Car racing which also depends a lot on the Driver, But I was referring to :Drag Racing. And like I said, I DID SMOKE a Hudson for about a 4 block race.
Just enjoy the car!! Why do people have to tear down something just to show off??
Just enjoy the car!!!
What a beautiful car. Who cares I can only agree. JUST ENJOY THE CAR. Truer words were never spoken.
It’s a beauty. Love the color.
We had a 1956 Olds Super 88 . The engine was a 324 vid and the transmission was a Roto- Hydramatic T-10. It was P-N-D-S-L-R. This same transmission was in our 1963 Dynamic 88. The engine was a 394cid with ultra high compression.
A 56 Olds would have had a 2nd generation Hydramatic which GM used from 56 thru 74. The Roto Hydramatic was used on the lower end Olds and Pontiacs from 61 tnru 64. T-10 is a 4 speed manual transmission
yes remember the 394 olds engine i was a passenger in a 1950 olds coupe same as this one friend had just got rid of the stock 303 v8 and dropped a 1959 olds 394 in it we where on its first run after the transplant 3 of us cramped in front seat doing about 85 mph when a 1958 ford fairlane 500 ran a stop sign we t boned him this was in 1963
Had a Black 50 Holiday 88 with 57 J2 tri power I drag raced in 66. Power jack with no front bumper. Left it with my sister while I was in Southeast Asia. When I came she had sold it for $100. Wish, oh well.
Ok Chuck….where is the body?
now that was a car a j 2 olds in 1957 did it have the 3 back windows one big one with smaller ones on each side love those cars one of best olds ever
That three piece back window was mocked as “suddenly it’s 1949”, compared to Chrysler’s tagline “suddenly it’s 1960.”
When I got out of the army, I learned my 8 year younger brother had claimed, sold or disposed of almost all my stuff.
Well, you didn’t take it with you. I thought you didn’t want it.
I love all cars. I love this car. I wish i could afford it. I also would drive it daily till it quit. Society nowdays is negative. I am positive. I wouldnt change a thing. Speak good about this piece of history and a classic that had real metal that was solid. I like the metal dash too. If you crashed this we were men. We got lumps but so what. We didnt need blow up pillows and beeps to tell us we were swerving….and to put on our brakes. I love this car. PERIOD
I love it also, my first car was a 1947 Olds
stick shift I bought for 20 bucks, it was in
Pretty good shape, inside needed some work.
tony that brought back memory’s my first car was a 1948 Pontiac straight 8 Flathead paid $25 for it and it was in good shape and ran well
I like.
Nice car for sure but Hudson sure did smoke those 88’s on the track.
on oval track but not on the drag strip
B.S. Lance! I had a ’50 Olds 2 Dr. Hdrp & Nothing & I mean NOTHING could stay up with me. I Did race a Hudson & Smoked that Big Tank! Fords & Mercs were a No Brainer. Not a chance for them! Any disputes? Let me know! thanks! Rich
Sorry to burst your bubble of arrogance, but Hudson did dominate stock car racing for several years, which included outrunning Oldsmobiles
The one piece windshield came only in the last half of 1950. This coupe has a sliding rear side window, whereas the 2 door Sedan has a larger side window that rolls up and down. Same size rear seat.
There was a time in my life when a 50 Olds coupe was my dream car after seeing one in Hot Rod magazine, but my real life transportation at that time was a Western Flyer bicycle. I have liked them and wanted one since that time but the opportunity, money, or family obligations never happened at the right time for me to get one. I really like this one and the red looks beautiful on it, but I will have to love it from a distance. I’m 82 now and won’t buy any more toys. Congratulations to the lucky person who gets it.
Your never to old, I’m 82 years old and I
still have my 1957 Chevy 283 Fuelie
Convertible and drive it in the summer.
Tony, I still have my 96 Chevy Chevy Z71 pickup, 2012 Cadillac SRX, and a 2005 Astro cargo van so I don’t really need another toy. I sold a 57 Chevy pickup to buy the 96 Z71 about two years ago. It’s a Silverado short bed, single cab, and was ordered with every available option. It’s a 4X4 but never been off road. It’s just to drive around in, the van is for when I need to haul something. The Cad was my late wife’s car and still like new, and has sentimental value. I don’t want to get rid of any thing and don’t have room for another vehicle so I just window-shop now.
My brother’s buddy Rollie had a 1954 Rocket 88 with a three speed stick, My brothers 1950 Plymouth business man’s coupe with a Dodge flat head six and a 4.10 read end would beat the Olds Rocket every time they raced. Those were the good old days!
Well as usual a lot of bad information in these comments and some fellows trying to get things straight. One thing no body ever mentions is the windshield on the ’50 Olds was one piece and was swapped into a lot of “49-’52 Chevys and Pontiacs. This was mostly on the West Coast but we did have a few in Birmingham.
A friend of mine had a ’50 Olds liker the above car. He had installed a later four barrel carb and manifold, dual exhaust and a ’37 LaSalle/Cadillac floor shift transmission. Saturday nights if we didn’t have a date we headed to town to surprise some unknowing people. That car would run. Everybody have a good day.
Was Lester Mt. Drag strip there in 50’s or not till 60’s.
Hey Craig,
I just saw your question. Was not trying to be rude. Helena was our first drag strip and I can still remember the first time I went there was a fellow that ran 117 mph in a rail job which was just an old 30’s Chevy frame and a brand new 283 FI straight out of his brand new 2 door Bel Air hard top. He did have a safety belt but no roll bar, no nothing. The crowd went wild when his time was announced. No elapsed time.
I have digressed again, but I grew up in Birmingham and went in the Navy the first of ’62 and I don’t remember Lester MT. There was one west of Birmingham later on and I can not think of the name.
Have a good day,
Bill
One definition of muscle car is the car maker’s lightest body equipped with the largest engine. Many consider the 1939 Buick Century the first muscle car. The Century combined the smaller Special body with the 120-horsepower straight eight from the bigger Roadmaster and Limited.
“… almost a quarter-century-old Oldsmobile…”– better use your calculater again!
You win the contest, you read my post all the way to the end! (Somehow the “three” part fell out, added back.)
Thx,
JO
This car fits into the definition of muscle car, for it era. High output engine, comparatively light chassis and lower price. This could be the first muscle car
Of course I -do- know how to special ‘calculator’– damned spell-check!
Take the skirts OFF!
Yup and drop a 394 in it
Can you imagine this many people getting mad over a few erroneous comments that some of you made and did not check it out. I hope it doesn’t keep you from sleeping tonight. No one should go to bed mad. It tells you that in the Bible.
Hey Al, Let me know what you find out about the Olds Colors? Thanks, Rich