Many postwar (’46-’48) domestic cars were really carry-overs from the pre-war era. Oldsmobile’s big metamorphosis occurred in ’49 with modern (read: less frumpy) designs and an all-new overhead valve V8 engine. In ’47, however, we still had yesteryear designs such as today’s find, a Club Sedan that appears to be a Dynamic 76 – the seller doesn’t elaborate and the VIN isn’t provided. Older-era looking or not, this aero-inspired fastback coupe is a looker – it’s in fabulous condition! Cypress, Texas is where you’ll find it and it’s available, here on eBay for a current bid of $15,200 with two bids tendered so far.
Oldsmobile’s lineup in ’47 was spread across the Sixty, Seventy, and Ninety-Eight series, with body styles including two-door sedans (both fastback Club Sedans and traditional roofline Club Coupes), four-door sedans, and convertibles. Oldsmobile managed a seventh-place finish in the ’47 domestic production race with 194K units, while GM placed four of its five marques in the top seven slots (Chevrolet 1, Buick 4, Pontiac 6, and Oldsmobile 7).
Our subject car is wearing a repaint of its original code 76 yellow finish, so says the seller, and he adds, “ALL CHROME IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, WITH NO PITTING… RARE FENDER SKIRTS AND RARE SUN VISOR.” It certainly makes a visual statement, not only due to its perfection, but the fastback body design is an absolute attention-getter. It seems to me that this was probably a leading-edge design so many years ago, hardly what would have been deemed “Your Father’s Oldsmobile“. From a subjective perspective, I’d ditch the fender skirts but beyond that, what’s not to like?
As mentioned earlier, ’49 marked the beginning of “Olds Rocket V8” power that lasted through the ’70s but in ’47 the “eight” part was there but not the V configuration or the “Rocket” designation. Instead, GM’s middle division made do with a 110 gross HP, 257 CI, flathead, straight-eight doing its thing via a Hydramatic automatic transmission. The seller claims, “Runs and drives great…clean engine bay.”
The interior is special, only in the way a car from this era can be special – and they are. A big, wide bench seat, reupholstered in the original pattern material sits right in front of a beautiful chrome-laden dash/instrument panel. Yes, there’s a radio, and a huge passenger-side clock – such a memorable touch, and seatbelts? Naw, fuhgeddaboudit.
Needs? None that I can determine, except maybe a new owner. From a collectability perspective, this Oldsmobile probably isn’t at the top of that fallen marque’s list but this car should still draw plenty of interest, wouldn’t you agree?
LOVE that dashboard! Toss the dime store steering wheel cover.
The cover is probably there to conceal cracks in the steering wheel.
That isn’t dime store.. it’s a perforated leather wrap. They’re usually very high quality leather, I know because I’ve put them on several of my cars and trucks to have a better grip on the wheel.. and because I thought they looked cool.
In these years the car series were 60, 70, 90 (indicating platform size) and the engines were flathead straight 6 or 8. With the flathead eight this one should be a 78 (if it had the flathead 6 it would have been a 76). In ’49 the 78 model became the 88 with the new Rocket OHV V8.
I love this car. I grew up in an Olds family, my parents’ 1st new car after the war was a ’46 or 7 76 (flathead 6), then later a ’55 98, followed by a ’59 88.
These motors sound nice as well. What a beautiful Olds.
Apparently, a car with a big frowny face was the mood after the war. Okay, many others had goofy styling too, but didn’t people care about that? I don’t ever recall seeing an in-line 8 in an Olds before, I just assumed all post war Oldsmobiles were V8s. I read, this car cost about $2872 new, or about $400 less than my grandfathers ’48 Packard. Caddys and Lincolns were much more. It really is a beautiful car, now I wonder, us old timers sure like it, many rode in the back seat as kids in one but what about the future? I guess time will tell.
@Howard- I will also bet you were standing up in the back seat smoking a cigar. Ah, the good old days!
I don’t think we cared much about the “big frowny face.” The fact that it was brand new after four years of war was what mattered most. Sales manager who worked for my dad had this model in black with red wheels and white wall tires (no fender skirts). It was one of the first new ones I got to ride in and it was beautiful!
Riding in the back seat with a smoker in the car was a killer!! Couldn’t breath but shouldn’t have to worry about that as new owner wouldn’t allow that in the car.
Growing up in the fifties and being a car geek from the get go; grills were the best way I could identify the make. Beautiful car to my eyes. I am a big fan of this era. GLWTS.
There was a classic car mag out in about 1970,that had a picture of a grill from all cars from 1900-1960,and you guessed what make it was.I knew them all,but not any more.
Beautiful car! I’m not a fender skirt guy, but on this car, the visor and fender skirts work. I appreciate that that the seat was upholstered in the correct fabric.
What a great cruiser! Comfortable, easy to drive (and keep up with traffic) and should be dependable as well.
This is a beautiful example of a car that absolutely screams 1947. I think it was the model for almost every car in Warner Bros cartoons. Someone is going to enjoy the heck out of driving this car around on sunny days. GLWTS!
Love the “frumpy” designs of almost every ’46 – ’48 make (maybe not Studebaker).
And yes, ditch the skirts.
I’m going to be different because I think the skirts look great on this Olds, but my favorite Olds convertibles is the ’46-47 Ninety Eight convertibles. Gorgeous cars!
Those skirts are beautiful. Normally not a fan, but great design.
I was ten years old when my dear Father decided to take me on one of his bi-monthly business trips. I didn’t know that our trip back from Kenosha was going to be us cleaning the Augean stables, in the form of exploring every defunct dealer for the NOS parts in the attic. We were driving a purpose bought Ford pickup and also had three CrossCountry Rambler wagon in our caravan. I can recall thinking that these pieces were useless. He recognized a soon to be booming market. Thyat anticipation of market allowed him to sell our franchises that required seven figure backing and credit lines and seven 12 hour days a week to make a paltry profit, and work for himself until the day he passed. I didn’t appreciate what a dynamic entrepreneur he was until he passed. Those boys from the war really did come back battle hardened, but still had the fun that the early 1950’s engendered the greatest gen. One of my first attics was filled with Buick grille bars still wrapped in paper. Dad kept saying they were “gold”. My recollection is they were heavy.
GM had two, two door, fastback bodies, 1941 – ’48, if I remember right, the big one, and the most graceful, was the Caddy and the Buick Roadmaster, the small one the Chevy and the Pontiac, this Olds and the lesser Buick Special. With the small body, and the 8, this would have been a very well performing car for its time. The 98 Olds shared a body with the Caddy and the Buick Roadmaster and Super, I remember my uncle (a car guy) pointing out that the ’48 Olds 98 looked just like the ’48 Buick Roadmaster 4 door sedan from the rear, with minor exceptions: the Buick had a central turn signal and different tail lights – but the fronts and sides were very different.
My first car was an eight year old ’46 Olds “66” Club Coupe done up in totally oxidized dark green. A lot of sanding, a “Speedy Sprayer” set-up and more rubbing out of the lacquer than I care to remember and I had a nice nickel gray (’37 Buick) over tan (’50 Dodge) car. It was the six and the deck lid said “Hydramatic” but it had a stick shift. Other than a propensity to hang-up on the 1-2 gate if shifted too quickly, it was a fantastic ride even great on long distances including turnpikes (NJ, PA). Typical for the era, around 20 MPG on the road.
Next car was a six year old, 18′-6″ long ’50 DeSoto ’56-’58.
In ’58 I bought my first brand new car, an itsy-bitsy FIAT 600 and I haven’t looked back since. On FIAT number 17 now and well, well over a million miles in small FIATs. My first auto love back during WWII was my Grampa’s ex-boss’ ’41 Crosley. The Crosley’s stable mate, a Darrin-bodied Packard? Mmmm, not so much.
I’m into grills also, but more of a parking light and taillight person.
Example, most of Pontiacs parking lights were under the front bumper in 1967, except for the GTO where they were moved to the grill and the Grand Prix where they were moved to the body, above the hidden headlights.
This is a very nice original car, the price seems to be fair considering how many people are over pricing cars these days, body and interior are straight. The main thing is that the vehicle is original and has not been altered, these cars were reliable and trustworthy and if the price does not go past 20 k would be a worthwhile investment for someone….