1937 Oldsmobile Series L Eight

Ransom E. Olds founded the 'Olds Motor Vehicle Company' in 1897 and by 1901 had become the first high-volume gasoline-powered automobile manufacturer. It was the top-selling car company in the United States in 1903 and 1904. It was acquired by General Motors in 1908, and by the time production ceased on April 29th of 2004, over 35 million vehicles were produced.

During the early 1920s, Oldsmobile offered both four- and eight-cylinder. Beginning in 1923 and continuing through 1931, the company offered a single model with six-cylinder power. For 1932, the Series F was a six-cylinder model and the Series L was powered by a 240 cubic-inch eight-cylinder engine with five main bearings, mushroom-type valve lifters, a duplex downdraft carburetor with automatic choke, and delivering 87 horsepower. Although Oldsmobile had used eight-cylinder power in the past, including as early as 1916, this was the first time it with a straight-eight configuration (previous versions had a V-configuration).

The 1932 six-cylinder engine displaced 213 cubic-inches and offered 74 horsepower. Both models shared a 116.5-inch wheelbase with an overall length of 178.75-inches. The engines used a three-speed synchromesh transmission with a single, dry disc clutch and floor shift controls. The synchromesh was a fairly new feature for Oldsmobile, having introduced it on the Model F-31 a year earlier. Stopping power was handled by internal expanding brakes.

The six-cylinder Series F and the eight-cylinder Series L would be the sole Oldsmobile models through 1938. 1932 was the only year they shared the same wheelbase. In 1933, the F-Six rested on a 115-inch platform while the L-Eight had a 119-inch wheelbase. Both had a height of 68.75-inches. The six-cylinder versions were more popular, partly due to the lower prices as the world wrestled with the Great Depression, the six was nearly as powerful as the eight, and perhaps due to the plethora of eight-cylinder models within the GM hierarchy, including Pontiac, Buick, LaSalle, and Cadillac. General Motors even considered discontinuing Oldsmobile, Buick, or Pontiac, but as the 1930s continued, this consideration passed.

Sales began to rebound for 1934 and the 82,150 units sold earned Oldsmobile the sixth place position in U.S. automaker sales. Among the more significant mechanical introductions for 1934 was the 'knee action' suspension system. The Oldsmobile line was completely restyled for 1935 with curvaceous and streamlined bodies, two-piece windshields, long flowing fenders, and a more upright grille. Both the six- and eight-cylinder engine received a redesigned cylinder head which helped boost power in the six to 90 horsepower and the eight at 100 hp. 1936 Oldsmobiles wore only minor styling updates, but the 1937 model year ushered in a complete restyling.

The six-cylinder model continued to outsell the eight-cylinder model, with 137,613 units of the six compared to 42,318 of the eight. The list of Fisher body styles was the same, consisting of two 4-door options and five 2-door body styles. The price difference between the six and the eight was approximately $115. The eight-cylinder business coupe listed at $925, the club coupe and two-door sedan at $985, the convertible at $1080, and the two-door touring sedan at $1,010. The four-door sedan listed at $1035 and the touring sedan at $1060.

The convertible body style used a fully actuated hydraulic folding top. An independent jack could be used to raise the vehicle in case a flat tire occurred.

The most popular body style on the eight-cylinder line was the touring sedan with 30,465 units built. The second most popular body style was the two-door sedan with 5,815 units built, followed by 2,302 of the club coupe, 2,150 of the business coupe, 728 of the convertible, 457 of the sedan, and 398 of the touring sedan.

The 257 cubic-inch eight-cylinder engine had 6.2:1 compression, five main bearings, and produced 110 horsepower at 3,600 RPM. The Series F had a 117-inch wheelbase and a length of 192 inches while the Seris L had a 124-inch wheelbase and a length of nearly 200 inches. The three-speed transmission remained standard but a new safety automatic transmission was introduced near the close of 1937, initially only on the Series L. This was the first column shifter offered by Oldsmobile.

The 212,767 Oldsmobile vehicles produced during the 1937 model year represented a tremendous increase over the 187,638 units produced a year earlier, and higher than the 183,152 units produced in 1935.

1938 was the final year for the Series F, replaced in 1939 by the Series 60 and G-Series 70 - both with six-cylinder power. The L-Series 80 was equipped with an eight-cylinder engine with the same size and output as in 1937. This was the only year Oldsmobile used the '80' designation. In 1940, the eight-cylinder model was the Custom Cruiser Series 90. Buick would continue to offer six- and eight-cylinder models through 1942. Following World War II, Buick produced the Special Series 40, the Super Series 50, and the Roadmaster Series 70, all with eight-cylinder power.

by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2021