For Sale: 1950 Oldsmobile Rocket 88 in Christiansburg, Virginia

The 1950 Oldsmobile Rocket 88 is widely celebrated by automotive historians as America's very first muscle car. By dropping a powerful, high-compression overhead-valve V8 engine into its lightest, most compact chassis, Oldsmobile accidentally created the performance formula that defined the muscle car era.The heart of the car was its groundbreaking engine. It dominated early NASCAR racing and became the vehicle of choice for Appalachian moonshine runners who needed a stock appearance but unbeatable speed.- Engine: 303 cubic inch (5.0L) "Rocket" OHV V8- Output: 135 horsepower @ 3,600 RPM / 263 lb-ft of torque- Transmission: 4-speed Hydra-Matic automatic (highly innovative for its time)- Top Speed: Approximately 91 MPH- Design Formula: Stuffed the heavy-duty engine from the larger "98" luxury series into the smaller, lighter "76" platform (creating the "88" designation).Styled with General Motors' sleek, postwar "Futuramic" design language, the 1950 lineup offered six distinct body styles to appeal to family buyers and hot rodders alike:- Coupes & Sedans: Available in 2-door Club Coupe, 2-door Sedan, 4-door Town Sedan, and standard 4-door configurations.- Holiday Hardtop: A pillarless, sleek 2-door coupe that became an instant sales success.- Convertible & Station Wagon: Ranging from the open-air Convertible Coupe to the highly collectible wooden-trimmed station wagon.Part of the Duncan Imports collection since 2023 this restored Rocket 88 has a rare manual transmission on it and shows just 66,000 actual miles on the odometer. Formerly part of the Rakescroft collection.