1953 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Convertible

This 1953 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Convertible is a gorgeous, 50s cruiser that is absolutely loaded with options and its ready to be your next summer cruiser! With its history dating back to the late 19th Century, Oldsmobile was one of the earliest and oldest American automobile manufacturers. Shortly thereafter, Oldsmobile joined the ranks of General Motors as a brand focused on building higher-quality vehicles, albeit fewer. As Oldsmobile and its parent company GM progressed from its early years into the Roaring 20s and through the Great Depression, one of the biggest things to come out of Oldsmobile during this time period was its Hydra-Matic Automatic transmission, debuting in 1940 and widely considered one of the best fully automatic transmission of the era. While it seemed as if Oldsmobile was beginning to build up some momentum towards the end of the Depression, it was quickly halted by the United States' entrance into World War II, ultimately leading to a complete production stoppage for American vehicle manufacturing for several years. Coming out of the War, the GM marque was poised for a resurgence. However, like virtually all major automobile manufacturers coming out of the War, the models in those first few years were largely re-badged pre-war designs. This all seemed to change for Oldsmobile in 1949 with its debut of Futuramic styling combined with its revolutionary Rocket 88 high-compression, overhead valve V8 engine. Not only were Oldsmobiles great-looking cars, they were also (and continue to be) wonderful driving cars with the V8 along with the highly successful Hydra-Matic transmissions. And, as the old moniker goes, because Oldsmobile was dominating races on Sundays their cars were selling like crazy on Mondays. In 1953, Oldsmobile offered three series of cars, the entry level Deluxe Eighty-Eight, the sportier mid-level Super Eighty-Eight, and the plush, top-of-the-line Ninety-Eight. Notably, for the first time in the GM marque's history, the entire 1953 lineup came equipped with 12 volt electrical systems, a vast improvement over the old 6 volt systems. From the factory, the 98 models were highly trimmed, both inside and out, and were loaded with features. On the outside the '53 Olds 98 were more dressed up, sporting additional chrome trim and brightwork. Under the hood, the Ninety-Eight also came with a hotter Rocket V8 motor that produced more horsepower than the entry level Deluxe 88. Inside the Ninety-Eight was perhaps where the most noticeable upgrades lived including a padded dash, a more deluxe steering wheel and horn ring, and windshield washers, all of which were standard equipment. Sitting atop Oldsmobile's 1953 model hierarchy were the two 98 convertibles, that being the experimental limited-production Fiesta as well as the 2 door convertible coupe which were the rarest and most expensive cars for Olds. In total, Oldsmobile produced a mere 7,521 convertible coupes in 1953 which makes this particular example quite a rare automobile. Powering this '53 Olds 98 is a 303 cubic inch Rocket V8 engine fed by a single Rochester 4 barrel carburetor that together were said to have created 165 horsepower when new. The 303 Rocket V8 is mated to a Hydra-Matic automatic transmission that makes this this 1953 Oldsmobile 98 an easy car for anybody to drive. Exhaust exits the Olds Rocket V8 via a dual exhaust setup that generates a terrific throaty sound out of a pair of tailpipes, each topped with a beautiful polished exhaust deflector. Being that the Ninety-Eight Convertible was a top-of-the-line model for Oldsmobile back in 1953, this particular car comes absolutely loaded with options! With power steering, the overall driving experience is vastly improved since it makes squeezing into a tight parking space feel almost effortless in this 4,000+ pound cruiser. Power brakes is another welcome addition to any classic car, including this one, because they significantly reduce the amount of eff