Remember Oldsmobile? If you’re young, you probably don’t. But if you’re older, you remember the days when they were everywhere. It was once one of America’s favorite brands before suddenly dying. And the greatest of them all, for 55 years, was the 98.
1941
The 98’s name was the product of a quickly-abandoned model number scheme. They had the Series 60, Series 70, and Series 80 starting in 1939 and then added the larger Series 90 in 1940. The second number would designate the number of cylinders, so in 1941, when Olds offered an inline-8 in the Series 90, it became known as the 98. The 98 was offered as a 2 door coupe, 2 door convertible, 4 door sedan, and rarest of them all, a 4 door convertible. I explained in my piece on the Lincoln Continental why they’re so rare, simply put, it’s because the loss of structural rigidity makes them floppy, and the reinforcement needed to rectify that adds weight and cost. The 98 also came with Olds’ Hydramatic, introduced the year before, it was the first fully automatic transmission ever.
1942-1947
For 1942, the 98, and all of GM’s C-bodies, was redesigned. It was now the only version of the Series 90 offered with the end of the 96. The 4 door convertible was also discontinued. A total of 6,659 98s were produced before the end of civilian automobile production on February 10, 1942. When it returned for 1946, it featured a new grille (shown above).
1948-1953
For 1948, the 98 was redesigned with more modern styling. In 1949, the Inline-8 was replaced by Oldsmobile’s Rocket V8. In 1951, with the end of the 76, the 98 and 88 were the last remnants of Olds’ ill fated naming scheme and for the next 40 years, the pair would serve as Olds’ full sized offerings.
For 1952, power steering became optional as did GM’s “Autronic Eye”. It had a photocell mounted on the dashboard that would detect oncoming traffic and then dim the headlights. In 1953, air conditioning became optional. It should be remembered that the 98 was a full-on luxury car, not something for mere mortals, which is what the 88 was for.
1954-1956
For 1954, the 98 was redesigned again, gaining 2 inches in wheelbase. Styling saw a further move away from superfluous curves toward the “envelope” look pioneered by the 1949 Ford. The engine grew from 5 liters to 5.3. In 1955, a pillarless 4 door hardtop was added. In 1956, power steering became standard.
1957-1958
1957 brought another redesign. The engine was bored out to 6.1 liters and it added 4 inches in length. In 1958, quad headlights were added and air suspension became optional. There was also a system that allowed you to set a speed and warn you if you were going above it with a buzzer. Power windows and brakes became standard.
1959-1960
1959 was the peak for Detroit styling excess, as embodied especially by the Cadillac. Oldsmobile didn’t take things that far, but it was still filled with many gimmicks, from the fins to the “flying wing” roof on hardtop models. The front end would be copied by the Chevrolet Corvair and would mark the only lasting break in design by having the headlights mounted low and integrated into the grille from their traditional prominent place above. The engine grew to 6.5 liters.
1961-1964
For 1961, the 98 was changed drastically. Despite losing only 3 inches in length, the result was a car that looked a lot smaller, an effect helped by the long passenger compartment and correspondingly short hood. The reliable Jetaway Hydramatic was replaced by the less expensive Roto Hydramatic, which was also less reliable and less efficient. At the time, Detroit was still pulling itself from the depths of the Eisenhower recession and were aiming for less flamboyance and preaching value for the money. Oldsmobile’s lineup was also growing, with the compact and then intermediate F-85 being added, which would evolve into the top selling Cutlass.
1965-1970
For 1965, the 98 was redesigned. The horrible Roto Hydramatic was replaced by a more reliable Turbo Hydramatic. The engine grew to 7 liters and 7.5 in 1968. Disc brakes were made optional starting in 1969.
1971-1976
For 1971, the 98 and its stablemates reached its zenith in terms of size. With the addition of 5 mph bumpers, it was a whopping 232 inches long. Weight was up by 500 pounds. Starting in 1971, the 7.5 liter V8 was modified to run on unleaded gasoline in preperation for the EPA’s 1975 emissions standards. This meant less power. Airbags were offered for the first time in 1974, but the take up rate was very low and the option was discontinued after 1976.
Also with this redesign, the 98 gained a station wagon version called the Custom Cruiser. It was part of GM’s full bore assault on Ford’s dominance of the station wagon market. In order to win over blue oval buyers, it came with a unique clamshell tailgate.
It looked cool, until it began to trap peoples’ hands. It also broke frequently.
1977-1984
For 1977, the 98 and all of GM’s other full sized cars were treated to a much needed downsizing. Length was down by a foot and weight was down by 800 pounds, yet headroom and rear seat legroom were up. The standard engine was now a mere 5.7 liter V8 with an optional 6 liter. Later models offered a 4.1 liter V6, betraying the name 98. This downsizing was a great boost to sales and certainly helped extend the lifespan of the great big American car by at least a decade. It fit well with Olds’ slogan “Always a Step Ahead”
1985-1990
For 1985, GM screwed up. They downsized the C body once again in anticipation of a rise in gas prices that never came, on the contrary, gas prices plunged. The new 98 lost 2 feet in length and another 700 pounds in weight. It was so tiny that it could be powered by V6s only. But people didn’t want these slimmed down cars, they wanted big traditional sedans like the Lincoln Town Car and Mercury Gran Marquis, and sales suffered for it. Olds was clearly too far ahead of itself here. There was also the problem with styling. GM was falling into the “cookie-cutter” trap and buyers found it hard to tell an Olds apart from a Buick or Cadillac. And at this time Oldsmobile itself was beginning to fall apart. Sales plunged from a record 1.2 million in 1985 to less than 500,000 in 1990, setting up the end.
1991-1996
For 1991, the 98 celebrated its 50th birthday. Its gift for that milestone was a major buttlift. To bring back some size, it gained a 9 inch extension, most going to the trunk, leading to some not very appealing proportions. The only engine was a 3.8 liter V6 in naturally aspirated and supercharged forms. Oldsmobile was clearly a division in decline at the time and tried drastic measures to right the ship. This meant the end of the 98 name in 1996. In 2004, Oldsmobile shut its doors for good.