Oldsmobile 88 Custom 1954
General description :
For nearly as long as there have been automobiles, there have been people customizing them to suit their own personal style. From basic accessories to make motoring more enjoyable and safe, to today’s sophisticated tuning and restyling firms, the automobile has long been a canvas for self-expression. Customizing cars is a universal language, and people around the world are always working to make their machine faster, stronger or a unique expression of their taste. America’s obsessive car culture has spawned a vast array of styles and trends, the most distinctive and influential were the hot rod set that began building cheap Ford roadsters in the 1940s and 50s.
The hot rod has taken on countless forms over the years, ranging from the early days of dry-lakes roadsters and drag cars, to the wild, boundary pushing “Kustoms” of the 1960s. From the late 50’s onward, car builders experimented with radical restyling of existing cars. Starting mostly with 2-door 1940s and 1950s American coupes, the suspension would be lowered, body lines smoothed, roof chopped, bodies dropped over the frame and any variety of different head and tail lights grafted onto the body. As the 1960s wore on, custom car builders were driven by creativity, competition, and quite possibly nitrocellulose lacquer paint fumes.
One such example of the height of the Kustom movement is “Joanne’s Dream”. This remarkable automobile started life as a 1954 Oldsmobile Super 88 coupe and was completely transformed in period. Before its radical transformation, this Olds was used as a daily driver in the early 1960s while in the possession of Tom and Joanne Archer. It was Joanne’s dream to build a custom show car and the Olds served as the perfect staring point. Rather than simply applying a lick of paint and some pin stripes, Tom went completely nuts and transformed the 54 Olds into a totally unique and truly individual kustom car. Barely recognizable as the donor Super 88, the now-fully restored machine features a unique roof line and a handmade El Camino-style pickup bed. Starting at the front end, the modified 55 DeSoto grille is the first thing you notice, along with the quad headlights which were lifted from a 1957 Plymouth and grafted into the Olds fenders. The original hood was stamped with louvers and smoothed to be free of trim and badges. Corvette-inspired coves behind the front and rear wheel arches were custom made and fitted to the body and 1959 Plymouth Belvedere trim graces the body sides. The roof line was of course heavily chopped and 1961 Corvair air ducts were integrated into it.
In the rear, the wild looking custom bed features red oak planks in the floor, 1958 Corvette taillights in the top of the fenders, and 1963 Impala tail lights below. Six (count ‘em!) exhausts exit from the rear, through side mounted lake pipes, and through stacks cut in the bed just behind the cab. The detailing is simply astounding and everywhere you look you find bits and pieces that were lifted from other cars and seamlessly integrated into this incredible piece.
Under the louvered hood is the original 371 Rocket 88 Olds engine, which was dressed with a number of speed parts. A Weiland dual-quad intake, Offenhauser finned alloy valve covers adorn the engine, and accessories such as the power steering reservoir, generator, pulleys and heater motor have been chrome plated.
Joanne’s Dream was discovered in 2008 as a hulk sitting behind a Fort Worth, TX hot rod shop. Alan Lewenthal had never seen anything like it, and soon began to discover this was a rare survivor from the golden age of the Kustom car scene. Following extensive research, a painstaking restoration was handled by Marquis Auto Restorations of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Restoring a custom car of this type required specialized skills and knowledge, and the countless bits of trim and detailing that were sourced from other cars had to be identified. Traditional methods such as lead filler were used to restore the body to its former glory and it now presents in truly stunning condition, finished in its original lurid purple over white paint scheme, and period correct reverse chrome wheels. 1962 Impala bucket seats are trimmed in white upholstery as is the Impala center console (with unique shift lever) and custom rolled dash pad. Even the bed sides are trimmed in matching white vinyl. The entire restoration carefully returned this car to the show quality standard it enjoyed when it was a star on the auto-show circuit in the mid-1960s.
National Geographic produced a documentary for their program Dream Car Archaeology which followed the restoration process, and in January 2009 at the Chicago World of Wheels show, the car was awarded a prestigious George Barris Elegance Award, a Best In Class and a named Most Outstanding Radical Custom Hardtop. We can’t imagine what Joanne’s reaction was when she first saw her Olds Super 88 fully transformed. But we’d like to believe it was a dream come true.
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/5758-1954-oldsmobile-88-custom/
1954 Oldsmobile 88 Custom is listed sold on ClassicDigest in St. Louis by Mark Hyman for $139500.
Car Facts
Car type : Car Make : Oldsmobile Model : 88 Model Version : Custom Engine size : 0.0 Model Year : 1954 Location : Missouri
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About Oldsmobile
Ah, Oldsmobile, the very name conjures up images of classic American automobiles and the open road. Let's embark on a leisurely journey through the annals of automotive history with this venerable brand.Our story begins in 1897 when a man named Ransom Eli Olds founded the Olds Motor Vehicle Company. He wasn't the first to build cars, but he was a pioneer in mass production techniques. In 1901, Oldsmobile introduced the "Curved Dash" Olds, widely considered one of the first mass-produced automobiles in the United States. It was simple, reliable, and affordable, making it accessible to the masses.
Fast forward a few decades to the 1930s, and we encounter one of Oldsmobile's most iconic creations, the Oldsmobile Rocket 88. This was a car that not only looked cool with its sleek design but also packed a punch under the hood. The Rocket 88 featured a powerful V8 engine, earning it the nickname "the first muscle car." It was a true American classic, a car that epitomized the spirit of the open road and the freedom of post-war America.
As we approach the 1950s, Oldsmobile continued to innovate. The Oldsmobile Fiesta, introduced in 1953, was notable for being one of the first cars to feature a fully wraparound windshield, a design feature that would become a hallmark of the era. It also showcased the brand's commitment to luxury and style.
But perhaps the zenith of Oldsmobile's excellence came in the 1960s with the Oldsmobile 4-4-2, a car that was both sporty and practical. The 4-4-2 stood for 4-barrel carburetor, 4-speed manual transmission, and dual exhausts. It was a muscle car for those who wanted power without sacrificing comfort. It was the embodiment of the American muscle car era.
Then there was the Oldsmobile Cutlass, a car that became an American institution. It was a family sedan, a sports car, and a luxury car all rolled into one. The Cutlass was reliable, comfortable, and versatile, making it one of the best-selling cars in American automotive history.
Sadly, as the years went by, Oldsmobile faced challenges, and the brand that had once been a symbol of American automotive innovation and excellence ceased production in 2004. It marked the end of an era.
But the legacy of Oldsmobile lives on in the hearts of car enthusiasts, collectors, and anyone who appreciates the classic American automobile. It's a brand that gave us some of the most iconic cars in automotive history, a brand that embodied the American dream of freedom, mobility, and style.
So here's to Oldsmobile, a name that will forever be associated with the golden age of American automobiles and the enduring spirit of adventure on the open road.