Automobiles
There Goes the Last Merry Oldsmobile
by Johnny McDonald

The oldest automotive brand has ended its 107-year reign.

The old lyrics, "Come away with me Lucile in my merry Oldsmobile," have faded away and now the assembly line in the Lansing, Mich. plant has stopped production. General Motors told its dealers, "That’s it."

The ranks of loyal Olds buyers had diminished since 1990. The remainder will be scarfing up Oldsmobiles while they’re still available.

Over the years, Oldsmobile introduced the curved dash, first fully Hydra-Matic transmission, the turbocharged, fluid-injected Rocket 88 and muscular 442 engines, the front-wheel Toronado and Cutlass Supreme convertible. Lee Petty won the first Daytona Speedway race in 1958 in an Olds.

Oldsmobile became a division of General Motors in 1941 and joined Cadillac and Buick in a reorganization in 1984.

Original designer Ransom E. Olds came from a family who made stationary gasoline engines, and he was brought up in a world of machines, mechanics and engineers.

In 1897, he formed the Olds Motor Company and went into full production. The car was a one-cylinder, chain-driven vehicle — and not too distinguished-looking. But in 1900, Olds added a feature that made his car unforgettable: a curved dashboard.

Although the general appearance was still that of a powered buggy, the smoothly rounded dash created an air of elegance that was complemented by the sweeping line of the steering tiller.

It was the first low-priced, mass-produced automobile in the world. The production techniques were quite primitive compared to the systems that Henry Ford developed, but Olds did conceive his car as an assembly-line project.

Once Olds had completed his designs, they were contracted to other manufacturers, who made the components. The final assembly was performed in his small plant in Detroit. The Dodge brothers built his engines and Henry M. Leland made the transmissions.

It was from Leland that Olds learned the basic idea of parts standardization, and this resulted in the rapid and accurate assembly of cars that could be sold reasonably. This also was the system Henry Ford developed so brilliantly.

Now, GM has asked Oldsmobile dealers to decide about their franchises. They were given the option of selling franchises back to GM.

So far, only 880 Oldsmobile franchises remain out of 2,200. Those dealers must give GM 30 days’ notice before ending their relationship with Olds.

Key Oldsmobile slogans:

• 1902 — The Oldsmobile is the Best Thing on Wheels. Nothing to watch but the road.

• 1944 — You can always count on Oldsmobile.

• 1946 — The Drive that shifts for itself!

• 1949 — Make a Date with the "88."

• 1961 — Sized right...powered right...priced right.

• 1965 — Pick the Rocket to fit your pocket!

• 1992 — The Power of Intelligent Engineering.

Collections: "Fabulous ’50s, Hot Rods and Drive Ins" will be featured at the San Diego Automotive Museum through Aug. 30...The fifth annual auto show on the lawn in Balboa Park will be June 5.

Racing: The next SCRA sprint car show at Barona Speedway is June 26. The Barona drag strip’s next summit series program is set for June 19.