Long before catchy slogans became part of our culture, especially in motoring circles, who could forget the “Hey Charger! era, “…meat pies, kangaroos, and Holden cars…”, “..Some car, that Simca”, our American cousins’ grandfathers got more than their fair share, especially in the grey, early post war years.
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Initially, most post war family sedans were carry-over models from before Pearl Harbour, when they entered the fray in a serious way.
Engines were most often big lumpy sixes with a sprinkling of equally ordinary V-8s, both versions most often being of the dated ‘flat head’ design. It’s always open to fierce debate, but generally agreed that the game changer was Oldsmobile’s Rocket 88, in the late 1940s.
Their new ‘Futuristic’ bodies were one thing but it’s what’s under the hood (sorry, bonnet) that was the real clincher!
Their new overhead valve V-8 looked the part, and had potential written all over it. With a capacity of 303.7 cubic inch, it put out a leisurely 135bhp at 3,600rpm, with a compression ratio of a mere 7.25:1 being dictated by the readily available low grade fuels of the day.
In 1949 the new Oldsmobile 88 won six out of nine NASCAR races, in 1950 the 88 won its division in the first and longest Carrera Panamericana, and in 1951 the 88’s cleaned up almost half the NASCAR Grand Nationals….the horsepower race was on in spades!
Clearly the engine was light,tough,flexible and strong helped in no small way by its five bearing crankshaft, with eventual compression ratios of up to 12:1 being possible as appropriate fuel octanes became available.
The 88s were the ones to chase for the opposition, and even ‘in house’ were out selling other Oldsmobile models two to one! And the then popular slogan “Make a date with a Rocket Eight”, didn’t do the marketing boys any harm either!
