Immediately after WWII, demand for consumer goods was intense. Auto companies were shifting from wartime production back to what they did best. They barely had time or talent to produce new designs – such was the urgency of demand – so most cars wore carry-over sheet metal dolled up with new trim. This 1946 Oldsmobile 76 shows off its iconic four-bar grille – an update over the ’42’s clumsy double-decker affair. In fact, Art Deco’s influence was emerging more prominently in industrial design by the mid-40s, giving us tear-drop fenders and repeating linear elements like this grille. But it would be 1948 before Olds dished up much in the way of updated styling. T.J. found this handsome Olds available for $9200 here on craigslist and located in Sheboygan, Wisconsin – thanks, T.J.!
The 100 hp 238 cu. in. straight six was just tuned, and the starter is new. We can credit Oldsmobile with inventing the first true automatic transmission – introduced in 1939 as the Hydra-Matic. Back in the day, paying up for an automatic would have added to the cachet of bringing home a new car; today, cars equipped with automatics frequently sell for lower prices than their manual-shift brethren. The Series 76 was flanked by the smaller 60 and the majestic 98 – with the three differentiated by wheelbase and trim. Electrical systems were still six volts – not much was running off a car’s battery in those days.
The Deluxe interior offered full instrumentation, including a clock. Broadcloth and Bedford cloth upholstery were both available, and the floor mats were constructed with carpet inserts. Dual wiper arms became standard in ’46. This interior needs minor work – the steering wheel is cracked in several places, the door panels are slightly damaged, and the front bench seat is showing its age. Outside, the chrome is pitted in places. The car does come with several manuals – a plus.
When it comes to popularity, the club sedan body style is eclipsed by the convertible; later wagons also draw decent prices. Four doors will be less desirable. And no matter what the configuration, cars produced in the 1940s have seen prices drift down for years now. Reforming the innards with modern components can enhance their appeal – enough so that original examples are ever more difficult to find. The seller’s asking price – even as low as it seems – might be a bit aggressive; what do you think?
Sweet ride. Some cars make us do an immediate double-take and this ranks right there near the top IMHO. It’s obviously been very lovingly cared for and is incredibly well preserved for an 80 year old car. The fact it has four doors would be a plus with those taking the kids and grandkids out to dinner-can you imagine the look on the faces of the folks inside the diner when you drive up? Especially when seven or eight people pile out!
With regards to the price, it’d be worth it to those appreciating the reemergence of the art deco automotive architecture seen here. I’d buy it in half a heartbeat given the right place and time..
Good stuff, Michelle-as we always get from you.🙌🏻
I completely agree with Nevadahalfracks sentiments. Beautiful post war Oldsmobile, and definitely looks like its been very well taken care of over its just about 80 years of existence. Makes you wonder about who owned it in its past. Yet another great find by T.J. and as Nevadahalfrack already said above, terrific write up Michelle, thank you.
-Dave
for some reason the Olds of that era just didn’t have the flare of the Pontiac or Buick Special with that 4-door body style. If there are a ton of bonus points it does go to this Olds care takers since new. It would be an enjoyable ride, hope it remains a non butchered example of the 40s.
one was used in a couple of ‘highway patrol ‘ episodes. great look and a automatic. this car must survive
“Repeating linear elements,” I like that Ms. Rand. The car is a rolling piece of art for sure.
The ’40s started a long string of nice looking mechanically advanced cars for Oldsmobile. V8 engines in ’49 along with the 4 speed Hydromatic transmission all in good looking cars right up to the ’58 model. Used a ’49 V8 and 4 speed automatic in my ’53 Studebaker and prior to that this model’s taillights on my ’32 Ford 5 window.
Oldsmobile was the first company to offer a vehicle for disabled war vets. These cars were called the Valiant Series and
came with such things as Hyrdamatic drive, hand controls for the brakes and gas pedal, and
a host of other features that could adapt the car to that veteran’s disability. And looking back on it, I don’t believe any other auto maker was offering adaptive devices at this or any other time until the 1950s. I went to school with a young man who had Infantile Paralysis and couldn’t walk very well–if at all. So when me and my buddies built
him a ’49 Metro van in ’70 or ’71,
we followed Oldsmobile’s formula by using an automatic
transmission and hand controls
behind that 250 (?) Ford six we used for power. We also used a
PTO to run a Tommy lift so that he could get into and out of the truck by himself. So in hindsight,
Oldsmobile was far out in front
when it came to putting people
with disabilities on the road and giving them a new sense of freedom to boot. All you did was
go down to the dealer, get assessed by the sales department and the technicians,
test drive a Valiant Special at the
dealership where you were fitted
with the nescesary accoutrements to be able to drive
a car safely again. The company
would offer adaptive driving devices for years after the Valiant
Special was first sold in 1946. All you had to do was ask for it. After all, where do you think we got the hand control unit for my
Buddy’s van?
Wow. I did not know that about adapting for vets. Outstanding.
Sadly, not in effect these days without a whole lot of money,and/or begging from VA…:(
My brother was 100% disabled in 1972, Army.
A Dodge 100 van and a ramp at first,then a lift. That was it.
If only he could have driven. Just a little pride,dignity.
He had a ’49 Plymouth sedan he called ‘Captain America’.looked similar,fresh out of high school.
RIP bro.
Best.
Not the more desirable “ Torpedo Back”, but the “Hunchback” version. Not bad, though.
Nice car and that fastback look always did it for me. Following in the mode of yesterday’s truck with the ‘soulful’ look, doesn’t this front face look like a real grumpy frown, despite the beautiful chrome? Sort of like Elmer Fudd after Bugs Bunny has done another number on him.
We had a ’47 model 68 with the non-fastback body the lineage of which is straight out of the press that stamped out the ’41 Chevys. That design is often referred to as “turd cluster.” My father who was an architect designed several luxury homes or nuevo rich dealers and was allowed to purchase a new ’47 at list as a special favor. What an ugly piece of junk which would not start if someone spit on the street
In 1954, I bought a ’46 “66” Club Coupe with faded dark green metallic paint. A lot of sanding and a ’37 Buick Gunmetal Gray/’50 Dodge Dove Gray lacquer job I shot with my Speedy Sprayer (which I still have!) and I had a looker, ‘specially after I put on a set of Goodyear Double Eagle wide whites!
Weird thing was, the trunk lid said “Hydramatic” but it had a 3-speed column shift.
Bought with 63K miles on the clock and it burned a quart every 300 miles. Two 500 mile trips at highway speeds and I didn’t have to add oil ‘tween thousand mile oil changes. Doubt the car had ever been outside Bergen County, NJ., ’til I bought it. Two years and 30K later I traded it on a ’50 DeSoto. Next best thing to a fortune teller as the hood stretched into next week.
Yeah, I know. I killed ’em both. Add to that, one each Saturn SW2 (’00) and an Voyager 5-speed (’84). More dead Indians.
Nice to hear you’re still among us. Still got the Devillibis I acquired in ’64 and an ancient Binks which I used for primer. Used it to paint my ’29 Pontiac in ’69 and again in ’74 after a almost complete re wooding. A holy crusade and monumental fools errrand
“.. hood stretched into next week.”
Love it!
To Will (the really old one): WHERE in Bergen County? I lived in Tenafly in the 1950s.
But I never think of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, without this 1951-’52 hit song coming back to me:
A little Dutch girl in Sheboygan
Was perfect in English at school
But when she’s excited
And when she’s delighted
Her words get mixed-up as a rule
On Saturday night in Sheboygan
There’s dancing to waltzes they play
Even boys who can’t dance
Will all take a chance
Used to hear her say
I warm so easy, so dance me loose
Dance me loose
Dance me loose
I warm so easy, so dance me loose
It shines so bright the moon…
Lots of nice popular records from that time in my youth; but that one, by Arthur Godfrey with the Chordettes, stands out as one of my favourites. Flip that Columbia 78 over, and the other side, “Slow Poke”, is good, too! (just Arthur Godfrey by himself on that one). You never hear late 1940s–early 1950s records on the radio anymore, sadly. And that frantic hideous noise they play now just gives me a headache! How about you?
Here ya go..
https://youtu.be/FjjqymFAFnM?si=Y7NMtzqLh4lGehk8
A great album by an English Orchestra led by Frank Chacksfield gives you the Academy Award Winning songs back to back 1934-1955. Free on streaming or the disc is available. Chacksfield’s rendition of On the Atcheson, Topeka, and the Santa Fe comes through like an anthem, Ditto Buttons and Bows
To Richard Kirschenbaum: Frank Chacksfield’s instrumental hits (e.g., “Ebb Tide”), I remember very well. “On the Atcheson, Topeka, and Santa Fe”, I know from the Johnny Mercer record on Capitol; and I know “Buttons and Bows” primarily from the Dinah Shore recording on Columbia. I haven’t heard Frank Chacksfield’s renditions of these tunes. Is he still around?? — if so, he must be 100-years-old! I do know that Ray Anthony, for example, will be 104 in January. Whenever I see your name, I wonder if you are possibly related to one Brian Kirschenbaum, whom I know.
To Nevadahalfrack: LOTS of fun! I got the 78 rpm copy of that recording for Christmas in 1951, and I still have it. The YouTube video shows the 45. 45s came out in 1949, and 78s were still selling well in 1951. However, by 1958, I had to special-order the 78 rpm copy of a record, because stores only stocked the 45s. And increasingly, I got, “I’m sorry, but that record is not available as a 78”. After 1959, none of the new records could be had on 78s, unless you went to Canada, where they had odd labels such as Quality and Apex and some others not seen in the U.S.. they also had their own versions of RCA Victor, Columbia, Decca, Capitol, London, and others we have here.
To Harrison Reed. The Frank Chacksfield rendition of On the ATSF and Buttons and Bows are readily available on free streaming. You need only type it in. On the ATSF makes an anthem out of a nice ballad, as it does Buttons and Bows under Chacksfield’s conducting. Another great freebee is The Sweetheart Tree but be sure to type in “Living Strings” along with the title. And while we’re at it let’s not forget The Wayward Wind by Gogi Grant which charted #1 in 1956 for 6 weeks displacing Elvis. Another country ballad that becomes anthem like.
In the front grille I think I see where the Star Wars film makers got the inspiration for Kylo Ren’s helmet.
Yeah Whilst, the Valiant Special was Oldsmobile’s way of thanking disabled vets for their service and their sacrifice. And when Buick and Pontiac saw what Olds was doing, it didn’t take long until both of them were
offering adaptive equipment on their own cars as well. Even Cadillac offered adaptive equipment on its cars too. And it
wasn’t long before ALL GM divisions except Chevrolet would
offer this option. This put GM out
front over Ford and Chrysler in the post war sales race as they truly could market a car for EVERY need. And to be fair, Chevy finally did get adaptive equipment when the Power Glide
automatic arrived in 1950. And as for the van we built for my friend, a lot of time and effort went into building it. We did indeed use a set of GM hand controls grafted to a Ford engine
and transmission that allowed my friend to drive the van safely.
Next, we put in a PTO for the Tommy lift that we installed at the rear of the van along with electric servos to open the rear doors for him. We mounted switch gear on the dash board and outer quarter panels so that he could operate everything on the van without outside assistance. In all, we spent maybe $2K to build the van from start to finish. Quite a bit in ’70s
money but well worth it when it came to the freedom it gave him.
Just glad that AI was playing music 🎵 🎶 back then which helped me put in more than my share of the cash needed to build
it. But you’re so right about the VA Whilst, they make you beg for
everything and give you nothing.
And if that A-100 van had a Torque Flight tranny in it, the hand controls I spoke of could’ve
been added along with a crank to
make the van easier to steer and
park. Being disabled myself, I know what it’s like to adapt and
overcome the challenges that are
thrown at you on a daily basis. As of late, I’ve been working on a
self charging mobility scooter that would free the user of range
Anxiety that often comes to those who use a scooter as their main form of transport. All I need
now is a scooter to experiment with, tools, and a place to work.
The complex I live in frowns on folks for even changing a flat tire
on their property. I plan to offer
it in kit form at first to test the market. May not get rich, but that’s not the point. Freedom is!
Hi Ken. That’s awsome. Unfortunately, my brother had severe head trauma, along with C4,5 & 6 spinal damage.
He really could not drive even with all the prosthetics available.
At least,not safely. Not enough fine motor skills and musculature.
Trapped in his own body…
With all the advancements in robotics,etc., he probably would be able to these days.
All the best in your venture!
Jeff
From the head-on view with that down-turned grille, it’s a sad, sad look.
Just sayin……..
To Harrison Reid
Not sure of Brian Reed. There is a famous Rich Kirshenbaum, an advertising tycoon and best selling author. And then there’s me a one book author with one extra c in my last name. My book: The Last Time I Saw Alice features the Odessey of a iconic 50 Nash called “The Mulholland Rocket.” First 2 chapters can be read free on Amazon.
Hello again, Richard! Nice to have a reply from you! Brian Kirschenbaum collects records, to a degree you cannot even imagine! Kirschenbaum, I guess, is a rather frequent German-Jewish name, so there probably are a number of Kirschenbaum families. But you never know when you might discover a relative! You like old cars — Brian likes old records… COULD be a genetic link (smile). Brian is a very nice guy. He has just about every record that ever hit the Billboard Hot-100, plus a great many that never reached the charts (he likes “obscurities”). SOME of those “odd” records that Brian has SHOULD have been hits, and others… well… are perfectly awful and you wonder why the recording-studio ever wasted their time and effort. SOME of the WORST ones actually number among Brian’s favourites. He isn’t alone: a few of them sell for hundreds of dollars (and more) on line, for some reason. I have records aplenty, too, but from an earlier era which is nostalgic for me. However, Brian finds 1946-1954 “pop” 78s rather boring (he can’t help that — he’s only 71, after all — I remember being 71). :)