1949 88 Club Sedan fastback

[Tford]

Can anyone give me the location for the Rocket 88 emblem location on a 49 fastback trunk lid? Trying to think of a way to determine the location, I see there are trunk lid support areas that the emblem couldn’t fasten through so I reckon it has to go through the single thickness trunk lid areas. Maybe if someone has one they could measure from the “O” (in Oldsmobile) letter pins and/or the top left trunk lid handle Phillips screw to give 2 distances to the top emblem pin hole. I’ve tried to attach a picture or two to illustrate what I’m talking about. Here’s the emblem front/back showing the pins….

Edited April 22, 2022 by Tford (see edit history)

[Tford]

And here’s the trunk lid undersides showing the flat spots and “O” pins..

[Tford]

And here’s the trunk lid handle latch screw…

[Tford]

Hmm, car must be rarer than I thought with few examples out there….

[The 55er]

I've done a little research on your trunk lid since Oldsmobiles from the 50s to the early 60s are some my favorite cars. I have searched some books, magazines, periodicals, and videos from the internet and I can't find a single picture anywhere of a 1949 88 Club Sedan fastback with a Rocket 88 emblem on the trunk lid. 1950 88 Club Sedan fastbacks yes, but no 1949s. Other 1949-1950 88 models, the sedans, hardtops, convertibles clearly display the rocket. I consulted the Oldsmobile parts book and the Hollander Interchange and both show the trunk lids on the 1949-1950 Club Sedan models have different part numbers and do not interchange. I don't know what the difference is, maybe the inner structure? I really don't know. Anyway the bottom line is that it's quite possible that the 1949 Club Sedan trunk lids never had the emblem installed. Also I wouldn't base how rare a specific car is on the fact that no one else that has visited these Forums in the past 2 weeks has a car absolutely identical to yours and can positively answer your question(s). The world of antique & classic cars includes an enormous amount of people from all over the world but only a relatively limited number of folks are regular readers of these Forum threads. I must admit with a 1949 Olds 88 fastback you have a really, really cool car there (I am envious!) and I wish you all the best with it. 

[Tford]

That’s great to know! The emblem was in the trunk when I bought the car and I wondered since it was a one owner car and I could see no “repaired” holes in the trunk lid denoting where it might have been and further examination shows no real flat spot in the general emblem area that doesn’t have a single thickness skin (the inner stiffener structure panels you allude to). I think this might have been a case of him buying up stuff he thought was applicable since the car was filled with extra stuff like side/rear stainless strips, windshield, rear glass and several engine components like carbs, H2O pumps and fuel pumps. It is missing an “88” on the back passenger side but I believe that’s because it had a crunched fender that was replaced and possibly with a 50 fender and the missing 88 was never replaced but the replaced side strip is the thinner pointed 50 style….I can see why folks put 50 rear taillight stainless/chrome on a 49, those are pretty snazzy, but I’ll keep my original ones! I didn’t really think the car was that rare, just adding to the text to see if someone helpful would respond, and they did! Again, thank you very much! 

[The 55er]

You're welcome, way back in 1973 the first car I ever bought with my own money was a 1949 Olds 88 4-door sedan, I drove that car for 13 years so I am sort of familiar with them. BTW that one definitely had a rocket 88 emblem on the trunk lid!

[Oldsfan]

There was also an ornament package specifically for '49 3507 & 3507D (club sedan) and 3508 & 3508D (town sedan) models. It came with a template. It is listed in my '52 body parts book. 

 

https://oldsobsolete.com/products-page/oldsmobile-parts-for-sale/1949-oldsmobile-parts-for-sale/1949-1950-oldsmobile-rocket-88-trunk-emblem-nos-557891/

 

Maybe with a little bit of money this seller could be persuaded to make you copies of the template.

[Tford]

Worth a try! Thanks! Not like I probably won’t be buying more stuff from them during the resto!

I just joined you guys! With a chance meeting at a Murphy gas station in Lubbock, I met the current president, go figure!

Edited May 6, 2022 by Tford (see edit history)

[Tford]

On 5/4/2022 at 1:04 PM, The 55er said:

You're welcome, way back in 1973 the first car I ever bought with my own money was a 1949 Olds 88 4-door sedan, I drove that car for 13 years so I am sort of familiar with them. BTW that one definitely had a rocket 88 emblem on the trunk lid!

Hah! We sound about the same age, 73 saw me in a 68 barracuda 340S glassback, a year or so later when the gas crunch hit, it was sold for a 73 Subaru GL! But I made enough to pay off my 5 year credit union loan my dad helped me secure and the Subaru was paid for! But my car buddies never let me forget showing up my senior year in that car….”Where’s your Mopar!”😂

[Tford]

On 5/4/2022 at 9:02 PM, Oldsfan said:

There was also an ornament package specifically for '49 3507 & 3507D (club sedan) and 3508 & 3508D (town sedan) models. It came with a template. It is listed in my '52 body parts book. 

 

https://oldsobsolete.com/products-page/oldsmobile-parts-for-sale/1949-oldsmobile-parts-for-sale/1949-1950-oldsmobile-rocket-88-trunk-emblem-nos-557891/

 

Maybe with a little bit of money this seller could be persuaded to make you copies of the template.

This was a great idea, but upon contacting them a couple times, was finally told the template was not with the part…😢