Oldsmobile

Elements: Space age Oldsmobiles

Nearly every american car company exploited the jet and space age in the 1950s and ’60s, but I’m not sure any other brand was as overt about it as Oldsmobile. When they introduced their new “high tech” overhead valve V8 in 1949, they branded it the “Oldsmobile Rocket”. From there, they ran with it. There were globe badges, jet flourishes, and names like Starfire and Jetfire. Here are some of my favorite “jet age” Olds details from that era.