Vehicle Sighting - 1955 Oldsmobile Holiday

[Number_35]

Saw this veteran and figured it was a 5/6/7 GM of some sort - obviously not a Chevy or a Caddy. The logo was unfamiliar, and I'd never heard of a "Holiday". Pontiac? No, those had the big chrome things on the hood. Had to be a Buick or Olds. Was almost sure it was a Buick, except it was missing the portholes on the front fender. Olds by elimination, and confirmed on the 'net. Figured it looked too roundy to be '57, so the 'net helped me decide it was a '55 rather than a '56.

I wish the owner had been there - would have loved to see under the hood.

I like this dash, with its instrumentation - fuel gauge, ammeter, oil pressure, and coolant temperature.

Check out the "GM Power Steering" engraved into the steering wheel:

 

[JavierH19]

A stud.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Our '65 4-4-2 is a Hoilday Coupe. Cutlass was a trim option at the time, and 4-4-2 was the destroked 425 BB Oldsey engine with sway bars and massive 7:75x14 bias ply tires. Basically the Police Special Option.

 

[levi]

Saw this veteran and figured it was a 5/6/7 GM of some sort - obviously not a Chevy or a Caddy. The logo was unfamiliar, and I'd never heard of a "Holiday". Pontiac? No, those had the big chrome things on the hood. Had to be a Buick or Olds. Was almost sure it was a Buick, except it was missing the portholes on the front fender. Olds by elimination, and confirmed on the 'net. Figured it looked too roundy to be '57, so the 'net helped me decide it was a '55 rather than a '56.

I wish the owner had been there - would have loved to see under the hood.

View attachment 76957View attachment 76958View attachment 76959View attachment 76960View attachment 76961

I like this dash, with its instrumentation - fuel gauge, ammeter, oil pressure, and coolant temperature.
View attachment 76962
View attachment 76964
Check out the "GM Power Steering" engraved into the steering wheel:
View attachment 76963

What a cool ride.

 

[eagle14]

Saw this veteran and figured it was a 5/6/7 GM of some sort - obviously not a Chevy or a Caddy. The logo was unfamiliar, and I'd never heard of a "Holiday". Pontiac? No, those had the big chrome things on the hood. Had to be a Buick or Olds. Was almost sure it was a Buick, except it was missing the portholes on the front fender. Olds by elimination, and confirmed on the 'net. Figured it looked too roundy to be '57, so the 'net helped me decide it was a '55 rather than a '56.

I wish the owner had been there - would have loved to see under the hood.

View attachment 76957View attachment 76958View attachment 76959View attachment 76960View attachment 76961

I like this dash, with its instrumentation - fuel gauge, ammeter, oil pressure, and coolant temperature.
View attachment 76962
View attachment 76964
Check out the "GM Power Steering" engraved into the steering wheel:
View attachment 76963

Best I recall growing up in the 50's with a dad who loved Oldsmobiles, the "Holiday" meant it was what GM would later call a "hardtop", i.e., a non-post two door or four door.

 

[PimTac]

Looks to be in decent shape. That two tone white/red is just classic.

Interesting center piece on the steering wheel. I didn’t think power steering was out yet? A good selling point for the ladies at that time.

 

[wpod]

Todays cars are so ugly in comparison.

 

[drtyler]

What a cool car, thanks for sharing!

 

[AZjeff]

If you had to live in your car I'd want that. Amazing survivor.

 

[joemo]

I owned a 55 Olds. It looked different. Maybe 54? According to owners manual change oil every 500 miles and Grease front end.

 

[PF52]

If I owned that car, I wouldn't change a thing except maybe wash the dust off.

 

[Snagglefoot]

When delivering groceries as a kid I saw a similar Buick parked in the weeds behind a house in my hood. A another teenage friend whose dad owned a body shop towed it out and they did a hot rod restoration on it. It was beautiful. Thanks for the post bringing back that memory.

 

[measureman]

just think how Nu finish would make that red pop.

 

[Number_35]

I owned a 55 Olds. It looked different. Maybe 54? According to owners manual change oil every 500 miles and Grease front end.

That's possible - I didn't check for photos of pre-'55 models. It jumped out at me as a relative of a 5/6/7 Chevy.

The 500 mile OCI sounds very short now, but the engine may have not had an oil filter, the oil-bath air filters didn't catch as much dirt as a modern paper element, and of course the leaded gasoline contaminated the oil a lot faster.

 

[RTexasF]

If you drove that car back then you were the affluent "Cat Daddy" on your street.

 

[wag123]

I owned a 55 Olds. It looked different. Maybe 54?.

That looks like a 1954 to me. There are only a handful of subtle differences since the new body style was actually slated to be a 55 and was introduced early. The grill and side trim were different.

 

[PimTac]

Here is the 54 (Wiki)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldsmobile_98


It matches up except it is missing the front badge and Oldsmobile lettering on the hood.

 

[eagle14]

Here is the 54 (Wiki)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldsmobile_98


It matches up except it is missing the front badge and Oldsmobile lettering on the hood.

The pic is of a 1964, not a '54. 63-64 Olds were my favorites for styling...that sculpture on the fenders was terrific.

 

[PimTac]

The pic is of a 1964, not a '54. 63-64 Olds were my favorites for styling...that sculpture on the fenders was terrific.

My fault. The link is to the article and you have to go to the 1954- section.

 

[wag123]

You can clearly see the difference in side trim, grill, and headlamps on this picture of a 1955 compared to the 1954 in the OP's post.
The 88 did not have the "Oldsmobile" lettering on the front of the hood.