Ah, the Golden Hour, the hour just before sunset (also just after sunrise, if you are an early riser). It is a great time of day for photographing Curbside Classics, like this 1946 Oldsmobile 70-series that I discovered beside a cornfield in rural Indiana on a late summer evening last year.
During the Golden Hour, the Sun is low in the sky, and the resulting light is both redder and more diffuse than midday. The low setting sun acts as a spotlight, creating strong contrasts, shadows, and highlights. Shooting cars during the Golden Hour either requires advance planning and coordination or, as in my case, a degree of luck.
While on a recent trip to southern Indiana, I was enjoying a late evening drive back from New Harmony (a quant, quirky town that could easily fill an entire blog post). As the sun was setting and we were driving home, I spotted out of the corner of my eye this Curbside Classic (a spidey sense-like ability that continually amazes my relatives).
I immediately recognized the fastback shape as a World War II era GM “Sedanette,” a body style that has long fascinated me.
When GM launched their fastbacks in 1941, they must have looked like they came from the future. Consider that only a mere 10 years earlier (1931), Ford was still selling the Model A. GM sold both two and four-door fastback sedans, through every brand from Chevrolet up to Cadillac. Many of the higher-end models, like the featured Oldsmobile, could be ordered with flattering two-tone paint jobs that I feel are particularly effective at highlighting the sloping and tapering fastback roofline.
This model sports the optional De Luxe equipment package, which included such niceties as a plastic steering wheel (plastic was then a new and novel material), De Luxe dashboard, and an electric clock (although the clock hands seem to have gone missing on this one).
That wonder material of plastic was also used in the hood ornament, shown above catching the late July sunset.
But perhaps the most important option on this car is the Hydra-matic drive, Oldsmobile’s industry-leading automatic transmission. Simply put, it was the only true fully automatic transmission on the market.
Back in 1946, (before everything became either Eighty-Eight, Ninety-Eight, or Cutlass), Oldsmobile model designations packed real meaning. The first digit (then as now) indicated the series, while the second digit indicates the number of cylinders in the engine (either six or eight).
The six-cylinder only 66 series represented the entry-level A-Body model. The 70-series represented the mid-range B-Body “Dynamic Cruiser” model, available in both 76 and 78 forms. At the top of the line was the inline eight-powered C-Body Series 98. Had latter-day FWD Oldsmobiles followed this convention, they would have been more accurately designated the Eighty-Six and Ninety-Six, but Detroit has never been known as sticklers for details with their model names.
From my research, it is impossible to tell the 6-Cylinder 76 model from the 8-cylinder 78 without lifting the hood (hence the ambiguous title of this article). Given that the six outsold the eight by about 3 to 1, it is reasonable to assume that the six is what is likely under the hood of the feature car.
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Looks like a solid car. I’m always glad to see an old car ready to roll instead of rotting away, and I always liked the GM fastbacks from the ‘40’s and early ‘50’s. Several years ago I saw a Chevy of this vintage nicely restored and for sale. A little out of my price range, but still a beautiful old car. Let’s hope this Olds gets the same treatment.
Any chance anyone looking at this story can share with me the location of the car?? I really want to get one of my own. I love the fastback very pretty. If anyone has any information.
The extra beehive lights look to have been added early(-ish?) in the car’s life, somehow the really old ones seem to be a darker red than ’60s/70s and newer ones,
Olds did something a little bit different on their early postwar cars – they hid the parking lights in the bumper guards, making the front look a little cleaner. Made them vulnerable, though.
One of my first automotive memories. My father had a 1947 “66” which was originally equipped with hand controls intended for disabled returning servicemen. Remember him installing one of those add-on self cancelling directional signals that operated on the lights in the bumper guards. His did not have either the front or rear beehives. Yes, my mom broke one of the lenses practicing parallel parking while she had her learner’s permit. I still have the thick, round spare tire cover that we used use to stabilize the Christmas tree base. The stamped steel base remains bolted to the cover.
The automotive opposite of Mazda’s “smile” front end styling.
Yup.
Olds made its share of growly-looking cars, like this ’50 98.
The later ones with teardrop headlights like this one are positively ghoulish.
Someone in my town had one of these when I was a kid, though that one was a two tone green.
Something about this car says Barney The Dinosaur to me, all it needs is a purplish paint job.
What a great find! While it’s difficult backing up with 21st Century high trunks blind spots – these Fastback styles look next to Impossible to drive! Perhaps that’s why fastbacks lost favor after WWII and didn’t come back until the ‘60s?
I always wondered where Olds had the parking lights, had assumed it was an option. This CC must have the optional “directional lights”.
Actually fastbacks were fairly popular right up through the end of the Chevrolet Fleetline models in 1952 – the Wiki entry for this car shows substantial production figures 1949-52. During my childhood in Indiana in the 50’s fastbacks were common. Three of our neighbors had Fleetlines, two and four models, and we and my grandparents had “bathtub” Nashes. I suppose it was of some disadvantage having the sloped backlight and no sightline of the rear fenders but people seemed to cope.
I think fastbacks went out of favor more because they were viewed as old-fashioned by the mid-50’s. Ironic because, as you say, they made their way back in the 60’s as a style leader – Dodge Charger, Plymouth Barracuda, Mustang, Chevrolet Impala 2-door fastback hardtops, etc. And back again today. If you live long enough, style seems to come full circle every few years.
Love that shape. GM at its peak!
Perhaps the beehive lights were added to install turn signals? I don’t believe they were standard equipment on all models until the ’50’s. Maybe someone on here may know better than me, though.
Likely true. I think ’57 was the first year they were required, based on the California Vehicle Code.
One of my favorite eras and shapes! The patina on this one is “just right,” too.
We get a lot of ‘golden hour’ photo ops out here on the prairie with nothing but corn or beans to block the sunset. Here’s my ’50 8N taking it in after raking the hay field earlier this year.
I like these fast back sedans and we didnt get any new, but theyve turned up used since then, I saw a Cadillac version yesterday in hotrod condition but still quite nice.
Looks like a driver now, except for no plates. I like these old fastback sedans, this one has stood the test of time quite well.
A fabulous car! I share your ability to spy old cars that are hidden in plain sight to mere mortals. In all my years of semi-professional car spotting, I have never come across one of these 1940s Oldsmobiles.
Poignant, very well taken photos Tom Halter.
Says the car, “I was once a bit of glamour, you know, not a model, but passable for that in a smaller world. Cadillac enough for my modest owners. I’m a bit old now, in need of work, but hey, that’s why you can see me here – you never know, do you?”
Except, given the value of the old girl, we do.
For me, just as she is, she is a really, really sweet car. I reckon I’d have seen her, spidey-like, too.
I think this car looks just great, as-is. All it needs is a set of plates (preferably of 1946 vintage). I was born in 1948, and well remember all the old GM fastbacks. However, even in the early ’50s, at the onset of my automotive awareness, I don’t remember seeing many two-door Olds fastbacks. Most of the Oldsmobiles I saw at that time were four-doors, either tourbacks or fastbacks. There seemed to be more Buick Special two-door fastbacks. Maybe the more upscale nature of ’40s Buicks made them worth the extra money to more people. By the mid-50’s, there was no appreciable pecking-order difference between a Special/Century and an 88. The Fleetline Chevies and Torpedo Pontiacs, however, were commonplace as both two- and four-door sedans. I loved them all, and still do.
“.. only a mere 10 years earlier (1931), Ford was still selling the Model A…” [from 1941]
And go back 5 more years, 1926, and Model T was still around! Though just one more model year, 1927.
Tune it up, make sure the brakes are good, replace all the fluids, rebuild the carb, replace the tires, and drive it!
I’d bet the car’s never been apart in 72 years. And to all outward appearances, doesn’t look like it needs to be taken completely apart.
It’s great that no one junked it or scrapped it, either.
Great pics of an early Hydra-matic. This is really only the third model year for Hydra-matic, which first appeared on the 1940 Olds, with WWII putting the kibosh on the ’42-’45 models. Olds was quite the innovator in this period, with the Rocket V-8 debuting in ’49. Just think, in 1949 Olds had a powerful, overhead valve V-8 with a proven, fully automatic transmission. Meanwhile, over at Chrysler, tired sixes still ruled the day with only gimmicky semi-automatics being an alternative to a 3 on the tree. Wouldn’t be until ’54 when Poweflite would become available, and not on Plymouth until nearly the end of the model year.
GM was really innovative in the post war period, which I think set it up to be the colossus it became in the ’50’s. The ’49 Ford saved the company and made it a relevant brand going forward, while Chrysler slept until the Forward Look.
If anyone has any information on where to find this car or one exactly like it please contact me. I saw one for sale and it sold before I could get it. I really want one . Thanks for any consideration
Here is mine, 1946 series 76
Reminds me of a black ’47 Olds 76 or 78 that a guy had in his salvage yard (Gil’s Auto Salvage, just outside of Summerville, GA) back around 1990/91! I was there several times in search of parts for a ’48 Chev that I was restoring then. Always meant to ask the guy what he might take for the Olds…..it appeared complete, nearly zero rust & straight!
Sadly, both the owner of the yard (Tony Gil) & the business have been gone for many years now. Tony was a great guy, honest & great to do business with. From what I’ve heard, all the cars, including the black ’47 Olds I referred to, were sent to the crusher. Such is life.
i just bought a 1947 oldsmobile in running condition, doesnt stop…it had a frame off restoration, and its been on a rotisory?…2 door coupe with a straight 8 automatic…mice have eaten the interior….but its a slick lookin mfr…and i live in ontario canada
I believe that to be a six cylinder car. The 8 cylinder models had an 8 badge on tbe trunk lid.