1947 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser Convertible, 98🇺🇸

Concluding its life on the road as the official parade vehicle of a small midwestern town, this Oldsmobile sat derelict until found by a collector some time in the early 2000s. This collector had been searching for the most solid, restorable example of this model he could find. The subsequent restoration was to a high standard. When completed  resplendent in Havana Beige paint with tan cloth and maroon leather upholstery it earned a senior first place award from  the Antique Automobile Club of America.  

In 2009, the car passed to its next owner. By middle 2021,  that owner had made the decision to consign the car to the RM Sotheby’s auction in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The NB Center purchased the car at this sale. This car has proven a very reliable and comfortable tour car.  

Company
General Motors

Make
Oldsmobile

Model
Custom Cruiser, model 98

Body Style
Convertible, 2-dr,  6-pass

Body Manufacture
Fisher Body

Model year
1947

Wheelbase
127 inches

Length
216 inches

Engine
Inline-8, L-head, 257 cubic inches

Horsepower
110 hp

Transmission
3-speed HydraMatic Automatic

Original Base Price
$2,040

Brand Production
194,388

This Car Production
3,940

Auto manufacturers were still struggling with material shortages and upgrading factories to return to  full capacity in 1947. After nearly four years with no new automobiles available to purchase, when civilian automobile production resumed in 1946, sales quickly outstripped supply. The situation did not improve much in 1947.   While the cars available were little changed from the shortened 1942 model year and in the case of Oldsmobile this meant styling that went back to 1941, the public did not care, they wanted new cars.

In this frenzied market Oldsmobile hit the ground running. Their Hydramatic automatic transmission, debuted in 1940, provided a level of driving comfort and convenience that other brands, except Cadillac, had a hard time matching. All of this in a car priced squarely in the middle of the market where it had the most value appeal.

Oldsmobile easily sold everything they could produce and easily maintained their seventh place position in the industry. But they were not putting any effort into year-over-year improvement of the cars. 1946 and 47 cars were nearly identical. Entirely new cars were coming starting in 1948. The 98 series for 1948 would foreshadow the look of all Oldsmobiles in 1949. Those new cars would vault Oldsmobile up the production ranking as sales rocketed. But, for now the 1947 cars were place holders.