Do any 1933 Olds 8 convertibles exist?

[sftamx1]

I've had parts of one for years, and got to thinking if any 1933 Oldsmobile 8 cylinder convertible coupes exist, in stock form. I also find it unusual that Pontiac offered both a roadster and a convertible coupe in 32-34, while Olds only offered the convertible coupe!

[rocketraider]

With only 317 F-series (6cyl) and 267 L-series (8cyl) produced, and figuring 1% survival if that many, there may well be only one or two left.

 

Check with the National Antique Olds Club and Olds Club of America. If there are any in existence, those groups would know. Might even find a sale for your goodies.

 

On another Olds forum, fellow in TX has gotten hold of a 1939 70 2-door sedan with Sunshine Turret Top option. One of 17. It unfortunately has suffered the indignity of a previous ignorant owner who started street rodding it. Body is salvageable but it's had its firewall smoothed and been subframed w/SBC running gear- which just happened to eliminate its serial number and other important numbers.

 

C'est la guerre. 🙄

[58L-Y8]

14 hours ago, sftamx1 said:

..."I also find it unusual that Pontiac offered both a roadster and a convertible coupe in 32-34, while Olds only offered the convertible coupe!"

Because Pontiac was the next price step up the Sloan Ladder of GM brands, it continued open roadsters as a price-leader as well as the convertible coupe to give their customers more choices to 'move-up' to a better car.  Pontiac shared the A-bodies with Chevrolet so the combined total production for both was still enough for Fisher to justify building them. 

 

The long-term trend take rate illustrated by the 90% open tourings/roadsters versus 10% closed sedans/coupe of 1920 that had completely reversed by 1930 was the death knell of the touring and roadsters.   The reference by those still seeking open-air motoring decided a folding top needed roll-up, weather-tight side windows to complete the package. 

[sftamx1]

Ben P, that appears to be a 6 cylinder model as the 8 has a totally different grille.

[sftamx1]

Thanks Ben P. At least there is one survivor!

[rocketraider]

I can't find my NAOC membership directory but it would list 1933 owners by bodystyle. 

 

The maroon car picture appears to have been taken at an OCA National Meet. We were at a Crowne Plaza hotel in Springfield IL in 1998. Between an ugly board meeting and judging an outrageously large class of 60s big cars I barely got to visit the prewar cars that year.

[Graham Man]

 

 

 

 

 

My friend restored this Oldsmobile, beautiful car...

[rocketraider]

What up with the Thompsons? 🙂

[Buffalowed Bill]

There is or was one that used to show up at cruise night in the Seattle area. It is a beautiful car, but it was a restomod. The owner had purchased it in it's present configuration. When I offhandedly mentioned how rare the car was, and asked the him if he had ever considered restoring it, he just blew me off. 

[JimKB1MCV]

What up with the Thompsons? 🙂

 

  Don't know whats up there but I see Thompsons or toy plastic look-alikes at shows and in online pictures more often than I'm comfortable with. 

  For one thing it feeds the mis-conception that every pre-war sedan is a 'gangster' car and it feeds the 'cool toy' image of

firearms at a time collectors and recreational shooters are feeling the regulatory noose tightening on the hobby.

  Maybe its just me. 🙄

[rocketraider]

2 minutes ago, JimKB1MCV said:

What up with the Thompsons? 🙂

 

  Don't know whats up there but I see Thompsons or toy plastic look-alikes at shows and in online pictures more often than I'm comfortable with. 

  For one thing it feeds the mis-conception that every pre-war sedan is a 'gangster' car and it feeds the 'cool toy' image of

firearms at a time collectors and recreational shooters are feeling the regulatory noose tightening on the hobby.

  Maybe its just me. 🙄

I assure you it's not. I have several hobbies considered "unacceptable" by the uninformed who don't like things and think no one else should have them either.

 

Whereas we see something like these 1933 Oldsmobiles as beautiful and finely crafted, uninformed see a threat to their existence. 🙄 Whether it's innate or taught, it's still uninformed.

 

The world would be better with more old cars and fewer uninformed people!😺

 

For the record I didn't think the Tommy-gun display was cool either, because of the gangster stereotype of 30s cars. That's why I posed the question. Era-correct, possibly. Tasteful, meh.

[knee-action]

Hate to be a nit-picker, but I'm pretty sure Pontiac did not offer a roadster in 1934. Cabriolet yes, roadster no. 

[sftamx1]

20 minutes ago, knee-action said:

Hate to be a nit-picker, but I'm pretty sure Pontiac did not offer a roadster in 1934. Cabriolet yes, roadster no. 

 

http://www.earlytimeschapter.org/1933.html

Looks like 1933 was the last true roadster for Pontiac. Did Chevrolet have its last roadster in 1934? 

Edited April 19, 2021 by sftamx1 (see edit history)

[knee-action]

Chevrolet offered a roadster in the Standard series in 1935. That was the last one. 

[JustDave]

Hello there

just what parts do you have for the 33 olds.    Dave

 

[sftamx1]

I sold most of it over the years, I still have a grille shell and grille in storage. 

[chistech]

My extensive research of the 32’ Olds model year has shown an average of a 1-2% survival rate. Of the 249 wood wheeled deluxe 6cyl roadsters produced, I’ve come up with a total of 3 known. The wire wheeled version at 333 produced, faired much better than the average as we’ve uncovered about 9-11 units in various stages, either restored, un-restored, or hot rodded, with one going to have wood wheels put on it (owner preference, but not a true wood wheel car). The 8 cylinder roadsters, are virtually non existent with only one wire, and one wood wheeled deluxe versions known. I know most of the owners yet some cars are only known by pictures as I’ve been unable to contact their owners. There are no standard (5 wheeled) roadsters known. The L8 cylinder models were first produced in 32’ with 33’ being the second year. Olds had anticipated better sales of the 8’s in 32’ and had produced more 8 cylinder bodies (indented firewalls) than orders received. Many late production 6 cylinder models were delivered with those 8 cylinder bodies as a result. The depression further hindered sales numbers. Olds was GM’s worst performing division in sales. By the way, Olds called their cars convertible roadsters yet they had crank up windows or what most refer to as convertible coupes or cabriolets. Olds still called them roadsters but added “convertible “ to their terminology.

[padgett]

"Truth in marketing" is an oxymoron.