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"Stunning, Subtle and Strong" would only begin to scratch
the surface when it comes to the adjectives needed to
describe this tediously restored 1950 Olds Rocket 88
Coupe! In fact and rightfully so, "Rod and Custom
Magazine" dubbed this beauty as the "Understatement Of The
Year" with a four page feature spread in October of 2009.
Literally thousands of hours where spent transforming this
car into arguably the finest 50 Olds in the country. The
rest is best told using the builders reference...
Builder Reference Material
"At
first glance, one might think that this 1950 Oldsmobile
was just another Olds with shiny black paint. You really
had to be there during the build to understand and
appreciate the thousands of hours that went into
fabrication, metal and paintwork. The end result is
nothing less than a work of art that resulted in EXTREME
Fit and Finish.
The
restorer liked his car exteriors looking basically stock
but with modern performance and amenities. He also wanted
to throw in a few 60's era custom touches like chrome
window frames and tuck & roll upholstery. The theme of a
little old school with a little modern high tech was used
throughout the construction. It also had to be
bullet-proof.
The
exterior trim, chrome and body lines were maintained.
Yankee Rocket mirrors and 1949 front gravel shields were
added because, they just look plain cool. The original
look of the dash was also kept. The knobs were all
modified so that they now operate the heater/air
conditioning and electric windshield wipers. The radio
face holds the LED gearshift indicator and the the clock
housing now has a tachometer. All gauges were converted
from 6 volt/mechanical to state of the art electronic
while maintaining their original location and appearance.
Other amenities include Tilt Wheel, Cruise Control and Six
Speaker Stereo.
The
drive-train consists of a GM 502 cubic inch motor with an
electronic controlled GM 4L80E overdrive transmission. The
nostalgic Hilborn Fuel Injection is also computer
controlled. The front suspension is a Mustang II type with
power rack and pinion. The rear-end is a FAB 9" housing
with Limited Slip Differential. It is held in place by a
ladder bar set up with four coil over shocks. Disc brakes
are on all four corners. All suspension pieces are held in
place with Grade 8, 150,00-PSI tensile strength fasteners.
Building and fabrication details are shown in the included
build book." (see photos)
In
closing, during our extensive documentation of this very
rare and extremely well done Resto-Mod, we often found
ourselves in awe of the clearly understated craftsmanship
and extreme quality. Subsequently, we have posted over 140
high-resolution photos and narrated 15+ minutes of HD
video that is viewable on a TV size screen, allowing you a
front row seat to the incredible beauty within... |
