The Series 60 “Special” was Oldsmobile’s entry-level full-size car from 1939 through 1948. It used the GM A-body platform, shared with Chevrolet and Pontiac, and started with a flathead six-cylinder engine; for 1941 the six-cylinder version took the name 66, a nod to the new U.S. Route 66.
Oldsmobile Series 60 at a glance
| Maker | Oldsmobile Division, General Motors |
|---|---|
| Production | 1939–1948 model years |
| Class | full-size entry-level car |
| Platform | GM A-body |
| Name | Series 60, the “Special” |
| 1939 engine | 216 cu in straight six, 90 hp |
| 1939 wheelbase | 115 in |
| 1941 wheelbase | 119 in |
| 1941 engines | 238 cu in six in the 66, 257 cu in eight in the 68 |
| Gearbox | three-speed column shift or four-speed Hydramatic |
| Body styles | coupes, sedans, convertible and wood-bodied station wagon |
| Later name | Dynamic from 1948 |
Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Oldsmobile Series 60.
History of the Oldsmobile Series 60
1939–1940: a new entry model
From 1932 to 1938 Oldsmobile sold two series, F with a straight six and L with a straight eight. The F was replaced in 1939 by the Series 60, which took the GM A-body, and the L by the Series 70 on the B-body. The Series 60 was trimmed as an entry model and shared many parts with Chevrolets and Pontiacs. In 1939 it came as a business coupe without a rear seat, a club coupe with two folding jump seats, a two-door sedan and a four-door sedan, all on a 115 in wheelbase with a 216 cu in six of 90 hp. The Automatic Safety Transmission was available in 1939, and the fully clutchless Hydramatic arrived for 1940. That year added a convertible and a wood-bodied station wagon, of which 633 were built at $1,042, and the series was given the name Special.
1941–1948: the 66 and 68
In 1941 both engines were offered in every series, so the second digit showed the number of cylinders: the Special 60 became the Special 66 with a 238 cu in six and the Special 68 with a new 257 cu in straight eight of 110 hp. The wheelbase grew to 119 in, a column shift and wider, running-board-less body let three people sit abreast in front, and a four-speed Hydramatic was optional. The range ran from a three-passenger business coupe to an eight-passenger wood-bodied station wagon at $1,176. Production stopped early in 1942 for the war and resumed afterwards; the Series 60 stayed at the bottom of a three-series range until 1948, when it was renamed the Dynamic.
Design and features
- GM A-body: the same basic platform as Chevrolet and Pontiac, with better standard equipment.
- Straight six: a 216 cu in unit in 1939, replaced by a 238 cu in six in the 66.
- Hydramatic: a fully automatic gearbox offered from the 1940 model year.
- Wide cabins: the move to a column shift and no running boards let three sit in front.
Oldsmobile Series 60 versions
- Series 60 (1939–1940): the original Special with the 216 cu in six.
- Special 66 (1941–1948): the six-cylinder version with a 238 cu in engine.
- Special 68 (1941–1948): the same body with a 257 cu in straight eight.
- Wood-bodied station wagon: 633 built in 1940 at $1,042.
The Series 60 was the cheaper stablemate of the Series 70, and it was renamed the Dynamic in 1948. More models are in the Oldsmobile collection.
Sources
- Oldsmobile Series 60, English Wikipedia: models, engines, body styles, prices
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