When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Hello everyone, my friend has a very old Oldsmobile maybe a 1927 but not 100% sure that we would like to have as much info on as possible, it a Roadster with 2 spares in the front fenders and an extra seats that open in the back of the car and behind that with an old style moving trunk behind that. I can probable supply some pictures later on but for now I took the only picture of the build plate under the hood (attached). Thank you all for the help
Francis, that would definitely be a cool Oldsmobile! I'm sure someone can give you some info off of the build plate. Make sure you post some more pictures.
With regards to year of manufacture, OLDS vehicles were produced w/ four wheel brakes beginning 12-8-1926, prior years they would be two wheel brakes. I can't say if during this period a four wheel vehicle produced after 12-8-1926, but within the calendar year 1926 would have been considered a 1927 model year or a 1926 model year - something to consider anyways. Does it have four wheel brakes or two wheel brakes?
The car is in need of a full restore but according to him he has all the parts for it, found something that look a little like it on the web but not exactly... I will post some more pictures as soon as I go visit him again
There exists some pertinent information for you to peruse in this thread - have a look. Note the call out of both engine number & chassis number. You can find additional useful information in this thread which might assist you moving forward.
GM purchased 60% of Fisher body in 1919 then in 1926 GM purchased Fisher Body in its entirety (integrated entirely as an in-house coachbuilding division of General Motors).
I don't know how to read the significance of either the JOB NO. or the BODY NO. I do know there was a time prior to GM's purchase of Fisher when data plates were labeled 'Fisher Body Works' as opposed to 'Body By Fisher'. Fisher stood alone for many years building bodies for numerous automobile manufacturers. I suspect 'Fisher Body Works' data plates were installed on most if not all motor vehicles prior to GM's purchase of Fisher in 1926 at which time 'Body By Fisher' was most likely subsumed into GM. Just a guess.
A member of our club has a 27 Landau and it has wooden spoke wheels. Maybe both wooden and steel spoke wheels were available that year. I don't know.
You bring up a good point. Through some modest research, the best I've come up with is the car belongs to the Oldsmobile Series F vehicles. I was keen to search/evaluate vehicles w/ the OP's wire spoke wheels, which appear original. I'd suggest the body style is almost certainly Series F. How that aligns w/ the absent Fisher Body Works, Fisher Body Division or Body By Fisher remains a mystery. Series F vehicles were 1st produced in 1928. Possible they continued to use the OLDS MOTOR WORKS JOB NO. BODY NO. tag post 1926 when GM purchased Fisher. Also, possible there exists an additional Fisher tag located elsewhere on the vehicle - it's almost implied to a certain degree with the express statement on the OLDS MOTOR WORKS tag "CORRESPONDENCE PERTAINING TO THE BODY MUST BEAR THESE NUMBERS". It was a time which saw GM & Fisher yielding to corporate merger so who knows.
I will keep looking but didn't see any other plaque so far... The engine is no help... I was hoping so, also notice the side of the hood those lovers don't move but in the grill I believe the can be adjusted
Also the owner keeps telling me it's a 1927... Maybe early prototype for the F Series, that would be cool... He ounce told me that he had the registration for it and that's why he keeps calling it a 1927.
Last edited by handyman2009; May 2nd, 2024 at 04:11 PM.
The engine is certainly an in-line straight six but Oldsmobile produced a modest variety of these from 1923 - 1930? The body STYLE, from everything I've found, certainly resembles the Series F vehicles. I think this vehicle is a 2-door coupe (as opposed to a roadster) as witnessed by what appears to be a window frame?
No I believe it is a roaster the metal is the window frame and they are up and other pieces are from the convertible parts. Not sure if we can put the windows down to show it's true roadster with rubble seat and rear trunk. Is it possible they made one to show the public before starting production, to me it looks like very early versions of a F Series but that's why I am here as I am no expert just love the look of that car
What appears to me to be hallmark styles of the Series F vehicles. I think this (below) vehicle is the roadster. Many owners embellish wheels. None-the-less, appears to be similar louvers, same placement, same contours, etc.
Coupled w/ the previous (above) image pertaining to production numbers here is the remainder of the Series F vehicles which may or may not come in handy. SOURCE: Setting The Pace: Oldsmobile's First 100 Years (Earley & Walkinshaw, 1996).
Stupid autocorrect... Lol I did saw one like you just posted but it doesn't have the spares in the front fenders and the trunk in the back... Guess those might have been options
Car in question is a 1930 Olds. F series Convertible. The L series first appeared in 1932 with an eight-cylinder engine. Roadsters did not have roll up door glass, they would have side curtains.
As for the little door on the passenger side it is a golf bag door.
Last edited by Ancient Iron; May 3rd, 2024 at 05:54 AM.
That's great info so now we know it is a convertible and not a roadster but what about the firewall plaque that shouldn't exist on a 1930 car as by that time according to some they were all Fisher Body
That's great info so now we know it is a convertible and not a roadster but what about the firewall plaque that shouldn't exist on a 1930 car as by that time according to some they were all Fisher Body
See Post #17. It's highly likely nothing is carved in stone when you're acclimating a merger & acquisition. I'm still somewhat suspect there might exist an additional Fisher body tag somewhere on the vehicle?
The Fisher Body tag would be embossed like the other one I saw on the 1927 and so far I haven't seen anything like that, not saying it's not there but well hidden for now. I will keep looking and keep you all posted, thank you all for the help
Car in question is a 1930 Olds. F series Convertible. The L series first appeared in 1932 with an eight-cylinder engine. Roadsters did not have roll up door glass, they would have side curtains.
As for the little door on the passenger side it is a golf bag door.
Originally Posted by handyman2009
That's great info so now we know it is a convertible and not a roadster but what about the firewall plaque that shouldn't exist on a 1930 car as by that time according to some they were all Fisher Body
I think we're getting closer. Attempting to validate this information I note there is no convertible listed for 1930 - at least by the name "convertible". The 1930 Series F (contained in the book) does list three convertibles; however, they're all identified as having the Viking V-8 and your image (above) demonstrates an in-line straight six banger. Scratching my head. Possible I missed something?
Last edited by Vintage Chief; May 3rd, 2024 at 07:00 AM.
We looked everywhere this afternoon and didn't find any other tags. He is going to look for the paperwork for the car but last time he couldn't find them...
I think I have come up with a pretty solid answer, courtesy of The Cars of Oldsmobile by Dennis Casteele (1981)
It is a 1928 Oldsmobile Deluxe Sport Roadster.
I know it is a 28 because I saw this;
In addition the discrepancy of the car supposedly being a '27 and it actually being a '28 could be explained by the fact that in the early days some states would title a car by the year that the car was first registered in.
Many 1928 model cars were produced in late 1927.
Now here is a pic of a '29 Deluxe Convertible Sport Roadster, but since 28's and '29's were almost the same it looks like a dead ringer for the car in the pics.
As for the question on wire wheels.
You could have either wire or wood wheels in '28.
And you could even get disc wheels.
Last edited by Charlie Jones; May 3rd, 2024 at 07:25 PM.
And, Deluxe models came w/ 6 wheels...makes sense.
What do you make of these things? At first I thought they were to secure the spare wheels, but I couldn't find these devices on other Series F vehicles from any year; or, maybe I didn't look at enough pictures &/or they were hidden in the pictures. However, I'm not sure of their function. It appears a type of solid metal bar turnbuckle stile so-to-speak; almost as if you'd tighten or loosen each one for some reason - to manage the flex of the fender(s) with the wheels in place? Puzzling these things.
Still noteworthy is the cowl data plate tag - OLDS MOTOR WORKS BODY NO. JOB NO. with no mention of Fisher anywhere. When GM initially purchased 60% of Fisher body in 1919 I believe the contract stipulated something to the effect Fisher would retain exclusivity regarding branding & other related items for a period of 10 years. That might, in fact, suggest regardless of the chassis manufacturer, Fisher could elect to use whatever cowl data plate tag(s) they chose (at least up until 1929) - even though GM bought Fisher lock-stock & barrel in 1926. A unique cowl tag for sure since cowl tags were different among the other divisions of GM and other car manufacturers as well during the time period(s) Fisher stood on their own.
I think we're getting closer. Attempting to validate this information I note there is no convertible listed for 1930 - at least by the name "convertible". The 1930 Series F (contained in the book) does list three convertibles; however, they're all identified as having the Viking V-8 and your image (above) demonstrates an in-line straight six banger. Scratching my head. Possible I missed something?
Olds might have called it a "Roadster" even though in reality it is a convertible. There was a thread on C.O. about a 1936 Olds that was a two-door sedan and Olds advertised it as a "Five passenger coupe". Advertising and reality are sometimes two different things.
I think I have come up with a pretty solid answer, courtesy of The Cars of Oldsmobile by Dennis Casteele (1981)
It is a 1928 Oldsmobile Deluxe Sport Roadster.
I know it is a 28 because I saw this;
In addition the discrepancy of the car supposedly being a '27 and it actually being a '28 could be explained by the fact that in the early days some states would title a car by the year that the car was first registered in.
Many 1928 model cars were produced in late 1927.
Now here is a pic of a '29 Deluxe Convertible Sport Roadster, but since 28's and '29's were almost the same it looks like a dead ringer for the car in the pics.
As for the question on wire wheels.
You could have either wire or wood wheels in '28.
And you could even get disc wheels.
Look at the dashboard of a 1928 Olds or a '29 for that matter. they are different than the 1930. Also, the car in question has solid bumpers where the .28-'29 cars had split bumpers. Shame the car was left to the elements like that along with the 1958 Ford retractable behind it.
Last edited by Ancient Iron; May 4th, 2024 at 06:34 AM.
the car in question has solid bumpers where the .28-'29 cars had split bumpers. .
The split bumper was not a year thing.
The split bumpers were on 5 wheel cars. (no side mounts)
The 6 wheel cars (dual side mounts) were equipped with solid rear bumpers.
April 30th, 2024, 01:58 PM
Possible I missed something?
