Origin of model names Ninety Eight and Eighty Eight

[Laurence]

What is the source of the model names Ninety Eight and Eighty Eight?

[rocketraider]

Sometime around 1940, Oldsmobile began using 60, 70 and 90 as series designations. They offered both inline flathead six and eight cylinder engines, and either engine could be installed in any series. Hence, a series 60 with a six-cylinder engine was a 66, with an eight it was a 68. Same with Series 70 and 90- 76, 78, 96, 98. Ninety-Eight stuck as Olds' designation for its top-line cars after the V8 was introduced, though in truth 1941 was the only six cylinder series 90. The name was used 1941-1997.

The 88 came around in late 1949 when they dropped the new Rocket V8 engine from the Ninety-Eight into the lighter series 70 car. That year, series 70 with the inline flathead six were called 76, and renamed series 80 when equipped with the OHV Rocket V8 engine. Series 80 + V8 = Eighty-Eight.

And wal-la! the original factory hotrod. There's some traffic over on the Buick forums claiming the 1941 Century was the first, but I kinda doubt the heavier Century could have hung with a HydraMatic-equipped Rocket 88.

[Buicks Rule]

Glenn,

The problem is that word "first." 15 years after the Olds 88 the GTO folks will claim that Pontiac was first with that concept with the 64 GTO. GM does seem to discover this concept about every 10 years.

In 49, the Olds 88 was one of the hottest factory built cars available.

In 41, the Buick Century gets to claim that title.

As Earl said, in 36 Auburn and Buick might go for it.

And, what about the 33 Auburn V-12?

The 49 88 would be 13 years newer than the 36 Century and 8 years newer than the 41. The 49 88 should win in a race between them--it's a newer car--it should win. But that Buick straight 8 might surprise you. 165 hp and compound carburetion when set up correctly is pretty close to the 49 Rocket in power. The straight 8 might also have the edge in torque.

The 49 Olds would outrun a 49 Buick.

But run that 41 Century against a 41 Olds--most likely a different picture. Same for 36.

In any model year, there were 'hot' cars from various manufacturers. Who was the actual first to stuff a big engine into a moderate sized car-Buick did it in 36, as did Auburn. Someone probably did it earlier than that.

[Laurence]

RR and Buick...thanks.

RR, I have a dummmmmb question. You mentioned, "ometime around 1940, Oldsmobile began using 60, 70 and 90 as series designations." Was 80 series an existing series, or was 80 excluded for some reason? Laurence

[rocketraider]

Heehee- I knew I'd get things stirred up with that musclecar comparison <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />. Wait til the 55 Chevy or Hemi guys see it <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />. The concept has always been the same no matter who did it- stuff the most powerful engine you have in the lightest car you have. Power to weight, baby, says it all.

Agreed- a 41 Century would have blown the doors off a 1941 8-cylinder Olds. The Olds flathead straight-eight was an "adequate" engine, but it was certainly no barnburner.

Laurence, digging further into my books I see that Olds began using the numeric series designations in 1939, and they had a one-year-only Series 80 before moving to 90 for the topline cars in 1940. No explanation given, but in those years, higher numbers generally meant a more prestigious car. Prior to 1939, the cars were usually given alphabetic series designations.

[Sgt Art]

Which is basically what BWM and Merc-Benz still do with their various numbering series of cars. 325, 325i, 525, 530, etc.