User:Tony Patt/sandbox/Oldsmobile Golden Rocket

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Oldsmobile Golden Rocket
Overview
ManufacturerOldsmobile (General Motors)
Productionone prototype built[1]
Model years1956 (concept car)
DesignerHarley Earl
Body and chassis
ClassSports car
Body style2-door fastback
LayoutFR layout
Powertrain
Engine324 cu in (5.3 L) Rocket V8
TransmissionHydra-Matic automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase105 in (2,667 mm)
Length201.1 in (5,108 mm)
Height49.5 in (1,257 mm)
Curb weight1,134 kg (2,500 lb)[2]
Chronology
PredecessorOldsmobile Cutlass (1954)

The Oldsmobile Golden Rocket was a two-seater[3] show car built by Oldsmobile specifically for the 1956 General Motors Motorama. The radically styled fiberglass concept, designed to resemble a rocket on wheels, was revised several times and displayed at various other auto shows,[4] most notably at the 1957 Paris Motor Show where it generated much fanfare, 18 months after it was first revealed.[1] The car was featured in the promotional short film Design for Dreaming along with the rest of the 1956 General Motors lineup.[5]

Overview[edit]

Exterior[edit]

Like most contemporary Space Age show cars, the Golden Rocket was heavily influenced by the themes of aviation and space exploration. Its distinctive sleek aerodynamic body was made entirely from lightweight fiberglass and finished in metallic bronze paint.[3] Bullet-shaped chrome pieces similar to Dagmar bumpers were integrated into the front fenders in place of headlights as well as rear fenders, giving the car an overall rocket-like appearance. Other notable features include a wrap-around windshield, which had already become a common design element by the mid-1950s, subtle tailfins and a split-window fastback roof design presaging the 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. It rode on unique "dotted-line" whitewall tires.[6] A later photo taken inside the GM Design Center in Warren, Michigan shows the car sporting a blue paint scheme.[7]

Interior[edit]

The leather upholstery was finished in blue and gold. When a door was opened, the two-piece roof panel rose automatically in a similar manner to the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL's gull-wing doors. The seats were raised up by three inches and swiveled outwards by 45 degrees, enabling easier access to the passenger compartment.[1] One of its most pioneering innovations was the button-controlled tilt steering wheel, making it one of the first vehicles with such feature.[2] The speedometer was placed at the center of the foldable two-spoke steering wheel.[8] The center console and control levers were inspired by an aircraft cockpit.[9]

Powertrain[edit]

The car was powered by an Oldsmobile Rocket 324 V8 engine tuned to crank out 275 horsepower. Other details are currently unavailable.[9]

Current status[edit]

It is unclear whether if the Golden Rocket still exists today. A common practice of General Motors in the 1950s was to destroy show cars after they fell out of usage in order to avoid liability concerns;[10] however, the Golden Rocket is still unaccounted for with no confirmation it was crushed, thus the possibility it may have survived. The car was reportedly located somewhere in New Jersey, however the rumor still remains unconfirmed even after an extensive investigation.[11] Motorama historian David W. Temple believes that the Golden Rocket, along with other lost show cars, will likely never resurface again.[12]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Chapman, Giles (2009). Illustrated Encyclopedia of Extraordinary Automobiles. London: Dorling Kindersley. p. 171. ISBN 978-075-665-562-4. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  2. ^ a b "1956 Oldsmobile Golden Rocket". Car Styling. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
  3. ^ a b Padeanu, Adrian (February 17, 2016). "Concept We Forgot: Oldsmobile Golden Rocket". Worldcarfans. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  4. ^ Bowman, Bill. "1956 Oldsmobile Golden Rocket Concept". GM Heritage Center. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  5. ^ "1956 Motorama: Design for Dreaming". GM Heritage Center. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  6. ^ Jive-Bomber (October 20, 2011). "1956 Oldsmobile Golden Rocket!". The Jalopy Journal. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  7. ^ "1956 Oldsmobile Golden Rocket (images)". Car Styling. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  8. ^ "1956 Oldsmobile Golden Rocket". Old Car Brochures. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  9. ^ a b Wilson, Bill (March 30, 2014). "The 1956 Oldsmobile Golden Rocket: A Concept for the Jet Age". Bold Ride. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  10. ^ Barry, Keith (December 9, 2010). "GM Motorama Concept Car Returns as an EV". Wired. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  11. ^ Temple, David W. (December 19, 2014). "Lost Dreams: Mysteries of the missing GM Motorama cars". Old Cars Weekly. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
  12. ^ Advani, Sabu (2015). "Motorama: GM's Legendary Show & Concept Cars". Speedreaders.info. Retrieved February 18, 2016.


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