For Sale: 1936 Oldsmobile F36 2 Door Touring in Ft Worth, Texas

Vehicle Description

Affordable antique cars are definitely out there, and it's hard to go wrong with a mid-30s General Motors product. Since Day One, Oldsmobiles were some of the most modern cars on the road, featuring reliable and smooth inline-six engines, new hydraulic brakes, and streamlined styling that made even the bread-and-butter cars like this 1936 Oldsmobile F36 2-door sedan look upscale.

Restored some years ago, this is an excellent entry-level hobby car. If hot rods aren't your thing and you appreciate the style and feel of days gone by, you just can't go wrong here. The body is straight and completely unmodified, so it's good news that everything here is in excellent condition. The single-tone blue bodywork is a traditional look that may not be entirely correct, but for 99% of the population, it just won't matter; this is just a cool old car that looks great as it cruises down the road. There's a receipt with the car for the paint job, and it wasn't exactly cheap, and while there's some evidence of time and use, you need to get close to see any of it. Rubber on the running boards is correct, although these mats aren't quite the right stuff, but again, nobody is really going to notice or care. The chrome shows well, the deco grille is extremely straight, and it's full of those slick details like a cowl vent, big vent windows, and a single bullet-style taillight that make cars of this period so much fun to own.

The interior wears striped fabric that closely resembles the original style and materials. The Oldsmobile F36 was the upscale offering, and while the 4-door was their volume seller, that doesn't mean they were cutting corners with the 2-doors. The button-tufted upholstery offers authentic-looking vertical stripes with matching door panels and contrasting piping and wind lace. All the gauges appear to be original, with an Art Deco look that perfectly captures the era, along with a big banjo steering wheel that gives you a commanding feel on the road. Radios were still an expensive and rare option in 1936, so this car goes without, and since it comes from a warm climate, there was no need for a heater, which was also optional. And with a large back seat and a good-sized trunk, this is the most practical old car you can own; guys in roadsters will envy you the moment the sun goes behind a cloud.

Power comes from Oldsmobile's rugged 213 cubic inch inline-six, which despite its flathead configuration, makes plenty of power and feels lively out on the road. Unlike the Chevy Stovebolt, the Olds featured full pressure lubrication, an external fuel pump, and a smooth demeanor that was the envy of even more expensive machinery. The engine bay was clearly restored with the rest of the car, but it runs superbly and again, this is how you want your tour car to look so you don't have to worry. Corporate green paint on the block, new plug wires, and a correct downdraft carburetor and oil bath air cleaner ensure that it runs like it should. The original 3-speed manual shifts easily thanks to standard synchromesh, and it cruises pretty happily at 55 MPH. And as I mentioned, Oldsmobile offered hydraulic brakes for the first time in 1936, so handling and braking are surprisingly modern compared to, say, a 1936 Ford. 6.50R16 wide whitewall tires have been fitted to matching steel wheels with original chrome hubcaps.

A great starter hobby car, this Olds offers sophisticated road manners, reliability, and great parts availability, all wrapped in a handsome 2-door body. Call today!