1940 Oldsmobile Series 70

Until its demise in 2004, the Oldsmobile Company - founded in Lansing, Michigan in 1897 by Ranson Eli Olds - was America's oldest manufacturer of automobiles. A tragic fire in March of 1901 at the Olds Motor Works plant destroyed most of the company's products. The sole surviving prototype automobile was a single-cylinder 'curved dash' runabout on which, of necessity, the firm's immediate attention would be focussed. It was a durable, reliable, and rugged vehicle that helped encourage public confidence in the new-fangled 'horseless carriage'. It would become America's most popular car in the early 1900s and the range would grow to include four-cylinder, six-cylinder and V8-engined models by the time America entered World War I. The company had become part of General Motors in 1908 and survived the economic turmoil of the early 1930s, establishing itself as respectable transportation by the time America entered World War II.

In 1940, the antepenultimate year of passenger car production prior to WWII, Oldsmobile introduced a fully automatic four-speed transmission – the Hydra-Matic – which the company hailed as 'the most important engineering advancement since the self-starter.' The following year, the company enjoyed its most successful year to date, with nearly 240,000 cars sold.

The Oldsmobile G-Series 70

Oldsmobile introduced the G-Series 70 for the 1939 model year and was positioned between the bottom-of-the-line F-Series 60 Six and the range-topping L-Series 90 Eight. It received a 120-inch wheelbase chassis shared with the L-Series and powered by the reliable straight-six from the F-Series. Several of its body styles were shared with the larger L-Series including the four-door sedan and four two-door models.

Oldsmobile dropped letter designations in 1940 in favor of names. The 'entry-level' F-Series became the Special, the top-of-the-line L-Series became the Custom Cruiser and the middle-range L-Series took on the Dynamic moniker. The Dynamic continued to reside on its 120-inch wheelbase which was now four inches shorter than the Custom, but the engine was unchanged and the body style offerings also continued unabated. Nearly 80,000 examples of the Oldsmobile Dynamic rolled off the assembly line in 1940, making it the company's best-seller for the second year running.

Both the Series 60 and Series 70 were powered by an L-head inline six-cylinder engine with four main bearings, a single downdraft carburetor with automatic choke, a 230 cubic-inch displacement, 6.1:1 compression, and developed 95 horsepower at 3,200 RPM. It was mated to a three-speed column shifted manual transmission with synchromesh and a single plate clutch. Hydraulic cast iron drum brakes provided the stopping power.

The two-door business coupe was priced at $865, the club coupe at $900, the two-door sedan at $915, the four-door sedan at $960, and the convertible at $1,045. The most popular body style was the four-door sedan with 42,467 examples produced, followed by 22,486 of the two-door sedan, 8,505 of the club coupe, 4,337 of the business coupe, and 1,070 of the convertible.

Oldsmobile produced 78,865 examples of the Series 70 for 1940 accounting for approximately 41 percent of the total production. This was higher than the 69,957 examples of the Series 60 and 43,658 examples of the Series 90.

The 1940 Oldsmobile F-Series Special Series 60 was priced from $800 to $1,040 and the L-Series Custom Cruiser Series 90 listed for $1,070 to $1,220. The Series 60 had a 116-inch wheelbase and an overall length of 197.75-inches, and the Series 90 had a 124-inch wheelbase and a length of 210.75-inches. The 257 cubic-inch L-head inline-8 powering the Series 90 produced 110 horsepower.

The Special, Dynamic, and Custom Cruiser model lineup would continue through 1942 when World War II brought an end to civilian production. When production resumed for the 1946 model year, the company's models included the Special Sixty Series, the Dynamic Seventy Series, and the Custom Cruiser Ninety Series. The 60 and 70 series were powered by a 238 CID inline-6, and a 257 CID inline eight-cylinder engine was optional on the Series 70 and standard on the Series 90. The Series 60 had a 119-inch wheelbase, the Series 70 a 125-inch wheelbase, and the Series 90 rested on a 125-inch wheelbase.

by Dan Vaughan

Sedan

The Dynamic 'Series 70' was the middle series offering from Oldsmobile. It was positioned between the Series 60 and the upscale Series 90. Five body styles were available on the Series 70 120-inch wheelbase platform. Base price of the Olds 70 Series was $963 without optional equipment and accessories.

This 4-Door Sedan was given a body-off restoration which included an engine rebuild, but the original interior was left untouched.

Station Wagon by Mid-State Body Company
Chassis number: G392457
Engine number: G159096

The G-Series 70 was introduced for the 1939 model and was given a wheelbase that measured 120 inches. It shared this platform with the top-of-the-line L-Series 90 Eight. They were available in a variety of body styles including four two-door models and a four-door sedan.

For 1949, the letter designations were dropped in favor of names. The G-Series became the Dynamic and nearly 80,000 examples were produced that year.

This particular example is a Station Wagon that was only offered by Oldsmobile on the bottom of the line special 60-Series. It had the same wheelbase and dimensions as the Chevrolet Special Deluxe Wagon. The production of wagons, as was the custom at the time, was outsourced to outside body companies. One such company was Mid-State Body Company in Waterloo, New York.

This Oldsmobile appears to wear a one-off custom station wagon body. It was found in a barn in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania where it rested from 1958 until 1988 when it was discovered by J.W. Norman. The barn was slated for demolition when Mr. Norman spotted the unique vehicle and quickly struck a deal for the car. In the years that followed, it was given a restoration that took about two decades to complete. As much of the original wood was retained as possible. The parchment type interior panels were also salvaged where possible.

This wagon is powered by a 230 cubic-inch L-head six-cylinder engine with a single Downdraft carburetor and offering nearly 100 horsepower. There is a 3-speed manual transmission and 4-wheel hydraulic drum brakes.

by Dan Vaughan

Business Coupe

For the 1940 model year, Oldsmobile introduced the Hydra-Matic Drive.

This particular example is a Business Coupe, which was the lowest priced body style. Instead of a back seat, this style had storage space behind the front seat. This was an ideal choice for the businessman who often carried around sample cases.

This particular example was re-purchased by the dealer who sold it new. Currently, it has just 17,000 miles and is totally original. The car is powered by an L-Head six-cylinder engine displacing 230 cubic inches and offering nearly 100 horsepower. It has a wheelbase that measures 120 inches and had an original base price of $865. Total production reached 4,337 examples.

by Dan Vaughan

The Oldsmobile G-Series 70 was introduced in 1939 and would remain in production until the onset of World War II. The new G-Series had the previous L-Series chassis and was powered by the smaller F-Series powerplant. The L-head, 230 cubic-inch unit offered 95 horsepower and 180 foot-pounds of torque. The wheelbase measured 120 inches and was 197-inches long. The body styles were similar to the L-Series cars and included a convertible, business coupe, club coupe, and 2- and 4-door sedan. Sales were strong, with most buyers purchasing the 4-door sedan (of which 38,145 units were sold).

For 1940, the Series 70 remained on a 120-inch platform and was powered by a 95 HP, six-cylinder motor. The five body styles were still available.

For 1941, the Series 70 Dynamic Cruiser was available as the 76 which used a straight-6, and the 78 which had a straight-8. The Model 78 was retired after the 1949 introduction of the new Oldsmobile 88, which was based on the Series 70. It also brought with it the new Rocket V8. The Model 76 remained in production until 1950.

by Dan Vaughan