1952 Oldsmobile 98 Convertible
VIN: 529M23680
Before and immediately following WW II, Oldsmobile may have had a
reputation for building sturdy and very well engineered, if not
exciting cars, but that quickly changed with the release of the
all-new, top-of-the-line Futuramic 98 introduced in 1948. Based on
the all-new GM C-body chassis shared with Cadillac, the Futuramic
98 models were definitely worthy of their name, with fresh Harley
Earl-directed styling and clear design cues taken from Lockheed's
sleek P-38 Lightning fighter plane of wartime fame. Thanks to their
new X-member frame and 4-wheel coil-spring suspension, the
low-slung 98 provided impressive ride and handling characteristics
for the era. Given Oldsmobile's long-standing heritage as GM's
"engineering" division and its stellar record of industry firsts,
it took another giant leap forward with the release of its all-new,
compact, and powerful Rocket V8 engine for 1949. Highly efficient,
capable of handling increased compression ratios and featuring
modern overhead-valve technology, the Rocket design was based on
principles laid down by Charles Kettering. Developing 135bhp when
introduced, the Rocket produced an even more impressive and highly
useful 263 ft/lbs of torque. The excellent Hydramatic automatic
transmission became standard on the 98 for 1949 and that year, new
B-body Series 76 and 88 models joined the 98. Oldsmobile sales grew
rapidly as a direct result of these welcome developments and
exciting, stylish, powerful and well-equipped models like this 1952
98 Convertible played a major part in that success. Powered by the
famed Rocket V8 engine, this completely restored 98 Convertible
features outstanding red-on-red colors with a black canvas top and
desirable features and options, including Hydramatic, power
steering, power windows, a power top, AM radio, clock, heater and
wire wheels. It has 53,852 original miles. The underside is in good
in appearance, the exterior was repainted and the interior
redone.
