The Pontiac GTO, which debuted in 1963, is regarded by many as the original muscle vehicle. Some contend, however, that the GTO was just instrumental in popularizing the idea—the original muscle cars were really constructed in the 1950s.
In fact, the 1950s saw the introduction of the first cars with large V8 engines that were smaller than full-size. The 1957 Rambler Rebel and the 1955 Chrysler C-300 are two examples. The Hudson Hornet (1950–1954), however not a V8, is also a fantastic example because, with only slight changes, it was exceptionally powerful and dominated stock car racing.
But there’s another vehicle that beat the Hornet to both the high-performance market and NASCAR success. I’m talking about the Oldsmobile 88, which debuted in 1949, one full year before the Hornet (and 14 years before the GTO). And unlike the Hudson, the 88 featured a V8 engine.
While technically a full-size car, the 88 combined the slightly shorter body of the Oldsmobile 76 with the V8 engine of the range-topping 98. In short, the 88 had the best power-to-weight ratio of the Oldsmobile lineup.
135 horsepower was produced by the 303 cubic inch (5.0 liter) engine, which may not seem like much by today’s standards. Still, it was one of the strongest mills available at the time and helped the 88 win the NASCAR Strictly Stock division’s first race in 1949.
In 1950, the Oldsmobile won its second title, and it continued to be competitive until 1952. Over half of the races it participated in were victories, making it the inaugural “King of NASCAR.” Thus, even though the Pontiac GTO receives more attention than the Olds 88, the latter is still a name to keep in mind when discussing muscle cars.
But if 135 horsepower is not enough for you, this 1950 two-door Club Sedan has something special under the hood. And it’s probably potent enough to put it on par with performance vehicles from the golden era. Don’t let the stock appearance and somewhat mundane Crest Blue paint fool you; this Oldsmobile 88 hides a massive big-block under its V-shaped hood.
Waiting for a new owner at Gateway Classic Cars, this 88 underwent a rotisserie restoration and looks spotless from every angle. But whoever performed the refresh decided to drop the factory Rocket V8 engine in favor of a 455-cubic-inch (7.5-liter) monster. Our host claims it’s also of the Oldsmobile variety, so it’s probably a second-generation Rocket. Yup, this mill remained in production with various updates through 1990. That’s a whopping 41 years.
In 1964, the Generation II was unveiled. After a span of four years, the mill expanded to 455 cubic inches and was incorporated into eight Oldsmobile vehicles. The Cutlass, Vista Cruiser, 442, Hurst/Olds, Toronado, 88, and 98 were among the vehicles on the list. The most powerful model had 400 horsepower available, while the base model only produced 275 horsepower.
The power output of this particular machine is unknown, although by the looks of it, a lot of aftermarket parts are installed. Actually, it was most likely rebuilt with race-inspired parts by a different company, thus its horsepower should be in the neighborhood of 350 or more. With a simple swap, this otherwise unremarkable classic becomes a true sleeper.