oldsmobile rocket 88 motor

Kettering had retired in 1947, but since he was still alive (and active as a GM consultant), naming the engine after him was against GMs corporate policy, so Sherrod Skinner suggested the Rocket name instead. Making its debut in 1957 as standard equipment on all Olds models,[4] the 371 was produced through 1960. You could say the same thing about the original Century, if you were so inclined, which I am. OHV engines can also support much higher compression ratios. It was rated at 350 horsepower (261kW) and 440lbft (597Nm) of torque with a Rochester 4-barrel, and 360hp (268kW) with the L69 tri 2-barrel option in 1966. All Oldsmobile V8s were manufactured at plants in Lansing, Michigan while the engine block and cylinder heads were cast at Saginaw Metal Casting Operations. As an aside, the Oldsmobile was bought by doctors, lawyers, bank managers, shop owners, construction entrepreneurs and the like. Brand new box. This is incorrect, in the context of wider vs. narrower bore sizes with the same displacement. The early Repco engines produced up to 300bhp (220kW), and featured new SOHC cylinder heads and iron cylinder liners. 770-738-7111. Oldsmobiles first postwar engine was born during the UAW strike that shut down GM production from November 1945 through March 1946. Hours of Operation. in. The 403 Oldsmobile was generally painted "Corporate GM Blue" on every model line it was equipped in. (These cookies are not usually set for administrative users, since comments they submit while logged in are associated with their user ID number and user profile information rather than a manually entered name and email address.). I have a pretty good handle on Ford Design evolution, but not so much on GM, especially OHV. There may be more than one of these cookies, particularly if you access several password-protected posts with different passwords. However, the only badging identifying it as such was a simple "88" underneath each taillight. & Tm. They were all painted Bronze and had V and G stamped on the cylinder heads. 49 rocket 88 was my first car back in 1964. Particularly enjoyed your succinct descriptions of the engineering factors behind certain design choices. Each of those engines had its own peculiarities, but they were all in the mold of the Oldsmobile Rocket engine. A popular modification made to the 403 to increase power was to swap on early Oldsmobile 350 heads to boost compression. PLEASE DON'T SUBMIT COPYRIGHTED CONTENT YOU AREN'T AUTHORIZED TO USE! The desire to raise compression ratios had prompted Kettering and his staff to develop tetraethyl lead as an octane-boosting gasoline additive in the early twenties (as discussed in greater detail in our article on the 1970-1981 Chevrolet Camaro), but the research staff had been working to raise compression ratios even higher. Additionally, the 403 had windowed main webs, which reduced the internal strength of the block in the crankcase area. Collectible Motor Car of Atlanta. . Compression was up again in 1956 for 230hp (170kW) and 340lbft (460Nm) in the 88 and 240hp (180kW) and 350lbft (470Nm) in the Super 88 and 98. (. The idea of keeping the brand names on a model-specific basis is not illogical (although again its contrary to current brand management philosophy), but it would present all manner of practical problems, not least that it would invite the ire of people who had previously paid money for a sales franchise for that brand. Liberation is a trademark of Red Hat, Inc. registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and certain other jurisdictions. In 1985, roller lifters, floating piston wrist pins, and swirl port intake runners were added. Assuming your car has its original engine, its the version Oldsmobile called the Skyrocket, which was differentiated from the base Rocket by its four-barrel carburetor and gross ratings of 330 hp and 440 lb-ft of torque. Presumably this says something about the cars place in the culture. 1955 OLDSMOBILE 88 CORE ENGINE ASSEMBLY 8-324 V-8 879042. The difficulty presented by an OHV layout is finding a way to operate the valves. I would certainly agree that the Rocket V-8 was overshadowed pretty quickly, in part because Oldsmobile didnt pursue the competition or performance avenues to the same extent Pontiac did in the late 50s. Engineers today are wrestling with questions very similar to those faced by their counterparts of 70 or even 90 years ago. In 1962 and 1963 Oldsmobile built a turbocharged version of the 215, designated Turbo-Rocket. Many were shared among other divisions, but each design was unique: GM later standardized on the later generations of the Chevrolet design: Northway sourced Oldsmobile Flathead V8 (1916-1923). The Olds 88 was also one of the fastest automobiles in America at the dawn of the 1950s, and it was the car to beat in NASCAR racing, winning 10 out of 19 races in the 1950 season. Yes, the Hydra-Matic had a parking pawl, which was engaged by selecting reverse with the engine off. Will drop by again. One by one, every other American manufacturer brought out its own OHV V8 engine: Chrysler and Studebaker in 1951; Lincoln in 1952; Buick and Dodge in 1953; Ford and Mercury in 1954; Chevrolet, Pontiac, Plymouth, and Packard in 1955; and AMC in 1956. The cylinder head is little more than a cover for the top of the cylinder, which is why L-head engines are commonly called flatheads. But it DID have a fairly illustrious season on the track and in road racing. During that period, Oldsmobile Motor Group draftsman Gilbert Burrell began working privately on concepts for new cars and new engines. It used a 4.126in (104.8mm) bore and 3.975in (101.0mm) stroke. The B-body Oldsmobiles rode a 6-inch (152mm) shorter wheelbase and were 11 inches (279 mm) shorter and 3.6 inches (91mm) narrower than the C-body 98 and weighed 250 pounds (227 kg) less. In practice, owners who did not regularly drive hard enough to engage the front and rear carburetors experienced problems with the linkage and carburetor throats becoming clogged, and some J-2-equipped cars had the front and rear carburetors removed and blocked off. The present mindset (with which I dont necessarily agree, mind you) is that all brands must either be Youthful or Aspirational or if possible both, so a brand whose name begins with Old and which is best known for decades of middle-of-the-road respectability isnt off to a good start on either front. wider bore provides a greater surface area on which the forces of combustion can act, improving power This was the only engine offered in 1923, when the Model 47 continued alone. The Cadillac engine and the Chrysler FirePower had more power out of the box and as much or more potential. (4,705 cc) displacement of the original prototypes once higher-octane fuels became widely available, raising compression ratios to maintain the same output with lower fuel consumption. It has been purported that there is a 403 Oldsmobile block and cast that has solid main webs that may have been equipped in vehicles such as the Pontiac Firebird equipped with a towing package, but there are currently no clearly documented surviving examples. You can hide the "Support Ate Up With Motor" box and prevent the loading of its embedded content by going to the "Consent Management" tab and switching the "Allow PayPal Button" toggle to "OFF." The 1950 Oldsmobile Rocket 88s were considerably cheaper than the 49s, although that was largely because Hydra-Matic, which had been standard equipment on all 1949 V8-powered cars, reverted to being a $185 option. They call mine the black ace and they have a club division in the oldsmobile club of america. The introduction of the "Rocket 8" V-8 for the 1949 Oldsmobiles was perhaps the pinnacle of his achievements, incorporating in its overhead-valve design such features as five main bearings,. Sending my 53 olds to Dallas for overhaul. Yup Oldsmobile, Cadillac, and Pontiac plus some GMC vehicles, some 1954-on Chevrolet pickups, 19501954 Lincolns, a bunch of independents (Hudson, Kaiser, Nash), Rolls-Royce, and Bentley, among others! Required fields are marked *. In MY1950, total production was 407,889, of which only 33,257 were the 76, so 374,632 (91.8%) had V-8 power. Because the high-octane fuels necessary to take advantage of really high compression ratios were not yet available, Burrell ordered the displacement of the production engine (known internally as 8-90) increased to 303.7 cu. The image file itself contains no personally identifiable information, but the loading of that file may be used to help identify and/or track you. The wahFontColor and wahBgColor cookies, which are set if you alter the site's color scheme, normally expire after about 14 days, but you can remove them immediately by clicking the "Restore Defaults" button on the sidebar. The second generation of Oldsmobile V8s was produced from 1964-1990. Both the Cadillac and Oldsmobile design teams were strongly influenced by the work of GM research chief Boss Charles Kettering, who had been working on high-compression engines since the end of World War I. This motor is blue which makes me think its been gone through. It also used the .921in lifter bore size of the Toronado Rocket. Bore was up to 4.125in (104.8mm) for the largest first-generation Rocket, the 394cuin (6.5L). From 1950 until 1974, the 88 was the division's most profitable line, particularly the entry level models such as the 88 and Dynamic 88. In development, the high compression ratio combined with the charged load created problems with spark knock on hard throttle applications, which led Olds to develop and utilize a novel water-injection system that sprayed metered amounts of distilled water and methyl alcohol (dubbed "Turbo-Rocket Fluid") into the intake manifold air-stream to cool the intake charge. Get a Oldsmobile crate engine for cars like the cutlass, 88, 98, or the 442.GTO. Hoo, boy, you better run away right now). The Oldsmobile Cutlass, Rocket 88, and other classic models remain very popular among car collectors and Oldsmobile fans. The output of the 307cuin (5.0L) wasn't particularly high in terms of horsepower. With a 4-barrel carburetor and 10.75:1 compression, the Olds 215 made 195hp (145kW) at 4800rpm and 235lbft (319Nm) at 3200rpm with an automatic. This 1955 oldsmobile deluxe 88 is a 2 door holiday coupe.. 2 tone twilight blue and polar white colors with ivory and blue interior. The icing on the cake was that fuel consumption was reduced by about 10% compared to the old L-head engine. It had the same 0.921in (23.4mm)-diameter lifters of the first-generation Oldsmobile engines, rather than the standard 0.842in (21.4mm), which let engineers increase the camshaft's ramp speed for more power, 385hp (287kW), without sacrificing idle or reliability. Deciding Burrells ideas had promise, Wolfram and Skinner organized a new advance design group to develop a new overhead-valve (OHV) V8 engine and assigned Burrell to lead it. Each engine in this generation is quite similar with the same size block and heads. It depends on your goals. Our sources for this article included the Auto Editors of Consumer Guide, Encyclopedia of American Cars: Over 65 Years of Automotive History (Lincolnwood, IL: Publications International, 1996); John R. Bond, Car of the Year: The 1949 Cadillac, Motor Trend November 1949, reprinted in Cadillac Automobiles 1949-1959, ed. The company produced its first V8 - an L-head design . Richard A. Lentinello (Bennington, VT: Hemmings Motor News, 2002), pp. A long piston stroke gives more torque, which means better engine response at low speeds. So this sedan was delivering big torque with a healthy dose of Streetside Classics - Atlanta (877) 828-8754 Lithia Springs, GA 30122 (406 miles away) 6 These limitations hurt both power and fuel economy. Full instrumentation is standard Olds had not yet succumbed to the allure of warning lights. The 324 was shared with GMC trucks. Original revolutionary Hydra-Matic SUPER DRIVE 3-speed automatic transmission, spare tire, and a couple of extra chrome wheel covers. Vintage lovers are ready to spend any amount of money to get hold of a Rocket 88 of 1949. The Ford/Mercury flathead V8 was of course a popular choice up until the early part of the decade (and had been since its introduction in 1932) but the introduction of the new overhead valve V8s Cadillac and Oldsmobile in 1949 and Chrysler and Studebaker in 1951 were a game-changer for the performance crowd. Naturally, GM was extremely interested in the potential of high-compression engines for passenger cars, but there were two hold-ups. 76. These taller-deck models are commonly called "big-blocks", and are 1in (2.5cm) taller and 1.5in (3.8cm) wider than their "small-block" counterparts.[1]. 1952 88 and Super 88 V8s used a 4-barrel carburetor for 160hp (120kW) and 265lbft (359Nm), while 4-barrel 1953 versions raised compression from 7.5:1 to 8.0:1 for 165hp (123kW) and 275lbft (373Nm). The original Oldsmobile V8 was to have been marketed as "Kettering Power" after chief engineer Charles Kettering, but company policy prohibited the use of his name. The 1976-1979 Cadillac Seville was equipped with a version of this engine featuring an analog Bendix/Bosch electronic port fuel injection system, making this the first American mass-produced car with EFI as standard equipment.[18]. I was aghast at the ad campaign, This is not your Fathers Oldsmobile. You are correct its even a Studebaker Avanti, not the later Avanti II. SPECIFICATIONS Engine: OHV 90-degree V-8, cast-iron block and heads Displacement: 303-cu.in. From 1961-1963, Oldsmobile manufactured its own version of the Buick-designed, all-aluminum 215 cubic inch (3.5L) V8 engine for the F-85 compact. [1] 400cuin (6.6L), 425cuin (7.0L), and 455cuin (7.5L)[1] V8s have a higher deck height (10.625in (27.0cm) versus 9.33in (23.7cm)) to accommodate a 4.25in (108mm) stroke crank to increase displacement. The cookies normally expire in about 10 days, and are not set at all if you do not access any password-protected content. Generally, getting up to 1819 mpg on the highway was not unusual for early 50s Oldsmobiles even with Hydra-Matic, although that required a lot of steady-speed cruising at reasonable legal speeds. Even in markets where fuel is substantially more expensive than in the U.S., fuel efficiency is widely regarded in purely economic terms. The first generation of Oldsmobile V8s ranged from 1949-1964. I came here to pick up some information for a book Im writing and was pleasantly surprised to find more than I bargained for. These a11y cookies normally expire after about seven days, but are removed immediately if you restore the applicable settings to their default values. 50,000 cars were imported in 1952, US brands comprising some 90% of that total. Ate Up With Motor's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy may be revised from time to time. The 303 was produced from 1949-1953. Features Power Transmission: 4 Automatic Hydra-Matic Production Figures Handling 1949 Averages Revisions to the engine for 1986 included roller lifters with a slightly smaller camshaft (.435"/.438" lift and 194/210 duration at .050"), new heads with smaller, swirl-port intake runners, floating piston pins, and larger piston dishes for lower compression (8.0:1 v. 8.4:1). Base price for the Deluxe Club Sedan was $1,982 in 1950, and 16,388 were sold. Many of the other listed cookies are associated with the Google Analytics service, the Google AdSense advertising service, and/or other Google advertising and measurement products, which are subject to the Google Privacy Policy; see their "How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services" page, the "Information for Visitors of Sites and Apps Using Google Analytics" section of the Google Analytics "Safeguarding your data" help page, the "Technologies" section of their Google Privacy & Terms site, and the "Our advertising and measurement cookies" section of the Google Business Data Responsibility site (which includes a detailed list of cookies associated with Google advertising and measurement products) for more information. The Oldsmobile V8, also referred to as the Rocket, is series of engines that was produced by Oldsmobile from 1949 until 1990. This is not an official website of any automaker or automotive brand! I received some information from Harvey Crane. Submitting a comment signifies your acceptance of our. 1967 Oldsmobile Delta 88. Man! In the spirit of trying to improve a fantastic article. The other members may be able to help you decide whether a price is fair, and in some cases, they may even know the specific car (Ikes 53? [20] Parts peculiar to this system include a toothed disc between the harmonic balancer and the crank pulley, the "adjacent sensor" (an early form of crankshaft position sensor), a special distributor, an engine temperature sensor, and a rudimentary computer mounted inside the car, under the dashboard. Two-barrel carburetion was standard; all high performance 324s came with four-barrel carburetors. Put the petal to the metal and go man go! The original Oldsmobile Rocket V8 soldiered on until 1964, eventually reaching 394 cu. Biggest mistake I still think about that automobile. A few years later, the Chevrolet engine started taking over the flathead Fords role as the cheap-and-easy hot-rodder choice. Power was 81 hp at 3000 rpm. Offenhauser 3200 49-53 Olds Rocket Dual Quad Intake, Small Port $889.99 Ships Free . 26-31; Roger Huntington, 1965 Engines, Motor Trend Vol. The commonest type was the Super 88 4-door sedan, Hydramatic equipped. Simplified diagram of the cylinder of a flathead (L-head) engine. Call me a square,[I am a square], I say you dont denigrate a proud heritage. All other trademarks and/or service marks are the property of their respective owners. Its taken economic downturns, the occasional oil embargo, and mounting signs of environmental calamity to get Americans to take a real interest in how much fuel they use; even then, that interest never seems to last for long after the latest crisis has passed. A pushrod layout is more expensive than a flatheads valve gear and the extra mass of pushrods and rocker arms hurts mechanical efficiency. You see, this 1957 Golden Rocket 88 Holiday two-door hardtop, with the J-2 setup and only a few more than 30,000 actual miles, is owned by his daughter and son-in-law, Jan and Tom Hummer. The Generation II V8 ended production in 1990. Neither of GMs new OHV V8s had an exceptionally high compression ratio at first Oldsmobiles was 7.25:1, Cadillacs 7.5:1 but that was mostly a reflection of the low octane of the gasoline of the time. In short, the flatheads breathing ability is only mediocre. The 307 "Y" produced 148hp (110kW) and 250lbft (340Nm) in 1980-1984 models and 140hp (100kW) and 250lbft (340Nm) in 1985-1990s. in. Not a lot of people collect or preserve those cars anymore, and many succumbed to rust or the crusher a long time ago. The LG8 was a modern 307cuin (5.0L) High-Output derivative of the LV2 produced from 1983 to 1987. 88. If you change certain aspects of the site's appearance using the accessibility sidebar, it may set these cookies to manage and remember your settings. Logging in sets the wordpress_logged_in_xx, wordpress_sec_xx, and/or wordpress_xx cookies, which store the user's login credentials to allow access to the administrative dashboard and other administrative functions; there may be multiple iterations of each cookie. 4-barrel models used 9.25:1 compression in 1957 and 10:1 in 1958 for 277hp (207kW) and 400lbft (540Nm) and 305hp (227kW) and 410lbft (560Nm) respectively. This very open and flat chamber was fuel efficient and had lower than average emissions output. It shared the same compression ratio of the Toronado Rocket at 10.5:1. (At present, this setting does NOT affect the payment or donation buttons that may appear on portions of the site's administrative dashboard, nor does hiding the box affect any cookies that may have already been set). Particularly by 50s standards, the flathead Ford wasnt an outstanding engine, which I think even a lot of loyalists would have readily admitted, but you could get them by the cartload and there was a huge, well-entrenched aftermarket for them.

Are Guys Embarrassed When They Can't Get It Up, Kristen Saban Adam Setas Wedding, Articles O