The Oldsmobile F-88 was a concept car created by Oldsmobile in 1954, with initial sketches by Bill Lange. It used the chassis of the Chevrolet Corvette, shared its 102-inch wheelbase, and was built in fibreglass like the Corvette and the Pontiac Bonneville Special.
Oldsmobile F-88 at a glance
| Maker | Oldsmobile Division, General Motors |
|---|---|
| Year | 1954 |
| Type | concept car |
| Designer of first sketches | Bill Lange |
| Chassis | Chevrolet Corvette |
| Wheelbase | 102 in (2,600 mm) |
| Body | fibreglass |
| Engine | 324 cu in (5.3 L) Super 88 V8 |
| Carburettor | four-barrel with a small, flat air cleaner |
| Rear axle | 3.55:1, Corvette-derived |
| Interior | 1953 Oldsmobile console with added tachometer |
| Present owner | Gateway Colorado Automobile Museum |
Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Oldsmobile F-88.
History of the Oldsmobile F-88
A Corvette with an Oldsmobile heart
The F-88 was made in 1954 to show what Oldsmobile could do with a small two-seater. Its first sketches were drawn by Bill Lange, and the car was built on a Chevrolet Corvette chassis with the same 102-inch wheelbase. Like the Corvette and the Pontiac Bonneville Special, the body was made of fibreglass. Under the bonnet sat the 324 cubic inch Super 88 V8 with a four-barrel carburettor and a small, flat air cleaner, driving through a Corvette-derived rear axle with a 3.55:1 ratio.
Details and afterlife
Inside, the console was modified from the 1953 Oldsmobile unit, with a tachometer added and the fascia of the gauges customised; the instrument panel of the F-88 was later used on a Cutlass. The car was sold to John and Maureen Hendricks for more than three million dollars and is now displayed in its own showroom at the Gateway Colorado Automobile Museum. Rumours suggest that a second F-88 was destroyed in a fire between display shows.
Design and features
- Corvette chassis: a short 102-inch wheelbase shared with the Chevrolet two-seater.
- Fibreglass body: the same lightweight construction as the Corvette.
- Super 88 V8: a 324 cu in engine with a four-barrel carburettor.
- Custom interior: a modified 1953 Oldsmobile console with a tachometer.
Oldsmobile F-88 versions
- F-88 (1954): the single surviving show car.
- Second car: reportedly destroyed in a fire between shows.
The F-88 took its engine from the Super 88 and its chassis idea from the Corvette. More models are in the Oldsmobile collection.
Video: 1954 Oldsmobile F-88
Video by ib2fast2 on YouTube.
Sources
- Oldsmobile F-88, English Wikipedia: chassis, engine, interior, owners
