I dont know a whole lot about the oldsmobiles, but i have seen a 56 88 like below running around my town and im really starting to like the 54-57 oldsmobiles. This one i saw is an "88" and when i look around on here and on the web i see Olds "holdiay" 88 and "Super 88" and "Rocket" 88, what are the differences and what not? just curious, i have no idea and would like a little bit of teaching. Thanks --Luke
Luke here's a quick history lesson http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldsmobile 56 Olds cool car google Classicoldsmobiles.com good forum for questions & answers and cars for sale etc.
Through the years that you're interested in, Olds offered three models: 88, Super 88 and 98. The Super 88 had a bit more trim and a spiffier interior than the 88, but was basically the same car; the 98 had a longer wheelbase and longer deck. Rocket 88 was a term Olds used to describe their V8 engine. Holiday was a name for the hardtop body style. The blue car above is a '56 98 Holiday.
thank you 50fraud! thats a cool one swade. What kind of trim differences are there between the 88 and super 88?
Luke here's my 56 Olds 88 Holiday coupe, Holiday is what Olds called hardtop's got the 56 in Billings Montana stopped at this Flying J in North Dakota sold the Olds before i got home
Not much. Same side trim, grille, lights. Only the "88" or "Super 88" badge was different. The rest was interior stuff.
zz iron- that thing is sweet! looks like a fun project. 50 fraud- ohh ok, cool. And today so many interiors are custom im sure its hard to tell, or easy to make a regular 88 a "super" 88?
If you start looking for one, make sure the '56 has the original motor. The '56 324 was a hot rodders favorite to pick from and many have been replaced with SBCs. That motor is what makes the '56 for me (so much so that my '33 coupe is getting one). I like the styling too, but the motor really makes it a complete package.
Oh ok, thats good to know. im not looking to but one at the moment, but that is some good info. So many hot rodders took them out and put them in there coupes?
the super88 trim was a little different then the 88 trim, the super 88 trim continued into the door as where the 88 stopped at the qtr......................john
Here is the 56 Holiday Super 88 I am getting in a few weeks. It's got a Rocket 324/auto (not sure what tranny yet) and original 65,000 miles.
Its usually small stuff. <STRIKE> I think super 88 the trim rounds at/on the door.</STRIKE> (98 is the one where it rounds.) Regular 88 meets past the door, and goes back past the quarter panels. I think holiday is hardtop. And Im not sure what rocket is, but im guessing its performance.
Mine is a very plain "88", manual steering, brakes end no radio, I have only seen "88"s that were post cars. Also the windows( front and rear ) seem to fit only BOP sedans. I also have A "Super 88" parts car, some of the Trim is a little fancier, but it to has Manual steering and brakes. Its front and rear windows are the the same as a 56 chevy ( alot cheaper) and those are available new. Although the "98"s are much longer many parts will interchange, like the whole front clip, and the rear end. I personally love my Sedan, but If I was looking for one , the "Super 88" hardtop would be my first choice. There are pictures on my profile.
The easiest way to tell the difference between '55 and '56 olds' is that the headlight bezels similar but different. The '55s are smooth, where as the '56 have a peak. and '57 just look totally different.
should of kept the 88, the floors were solid as a rock it was on craigslist for $200 in Billings another adventure that's the fun part catch & release then you can get another one
My sister has a 56 Olds 88 that is collecting dust in her garage, just waiting for the day when I can take it off her hands!
I like my 55 2 door sedan a lot. But gotta rebuild the engine. Thinking of a 700r4 to replace the hydramatic. The 56 and 57 are my favorites, but the 55 makes me happy enough.
Since I own 3 1956 Oldsmobiles, one which has been restored as you can see by my avatar is a 98 4 Door Holiday Sedan and one I am restoring now which is a Super 88 4 Door Holiday Sedan and the third I have a parts car a Super 88 4 Door Post car. I had to chime in. There were 13 models made for 1956 over three classifications. The 88, Super 88 and the 98. The 98 was 9" longer and had the most trim and standard options. It had the ninety eight script on the trunk and had different tail lights that were concaved at the top where in the 88 and Super 88 models the rear tail light was completed round or oval shape. The 98 rear fender trim extended from the back up lights which had chrome trim which the 88 and 98 does not. It never met the back door or front door in the 2 door model as the 88 or Super 88 rear fender trim extended from the door and stopped short of the back up light area which had no trim surring either the back up light or delete plate since that was an option for the lower models. On the 88 and Super 88, the front fender had a plain 88 on either side for the 88 and a 88 with concentric circles around it for the Super 88. This same emblem though smaller was used on each front door panel for the Super 88. Not all 88's or Super 88's had those emblems on the front fender though. The 4 door hardtop tops and all hardtops were called Holidays in the 88, Super 88 and 98 has the script Holiday about the front fender trim instead for all the 4 door models. Not all 2 Door hardtops had the Holiday script. The Super 88 and 88 had the number 88. However there is one sure way to tell the difference between an 88 and super 88 if all the trim is still on the car and that is the rear trunk emblem surrounding the trunk lock was different for all three models. The 98 had a horizontal and vertical bar through the cirrcular emblem covering the lock with a flip latch that also cover the latch. The Super 88 did not have this flip latch just a half vertical bar and the 88 had just the horizontal bar. The 88 unless the buyer paid extra for an upgrade was powered by just a 2 barrel carburetor, the term Super 88 refers to the added engine power, a 4 barrel carburetor which the 98 had as well. A parts or shop manual will show you all 13 models. Only the Super 88 and 98 had convertibles and the 98 convertible was called a Starfire which the scrift was above the front fender trim and there were no wagons. I could go on and on, but I hope that helps. I will attach a few pictures showing the different rear trunk trim. The rear trunk may or may not have had the rocket 88 emblem for the 88 or Super 88 but it was never on the 98.
In short: for 1956 the models range from lowest to most $$$$ for starters you have 2 models, and 88 and a 98 The 98 has longer wheel base, resulting in a longer trunk lid and rear quarters Easy to tell a 98 from an 88 by the side trim and the taillights They share front clips "Holiday" means that is a hardtop The "STARFIRE" was the top of top line Oldsmobile and came only as a convertible 88 2 door post 88 Sedan 4 door post super 88 2 door post super 88 4 door post 98's came in 2 and 4 door posts aswell and are rare to come across 88 Holiday Coupe (2 door hard top/ base) 88 Holiday Sedan (4 door hard top) 88 Holiday Convertible 98 Holiday coupe and Sedan 98 Contvertible 98 Starfire Convertible (Fully loaded with options) As for the "Rocket" that applies to any Oldsmobile starting with 1949 as that was/is the name of the V8 engine: a Rocket, and for 1956 would have been a 324 cu for both the 98 and 88
I only own two of those cars of the pictures I showed. The 88, Beige and Terra Cotta one in the middle photo I found online. It is not mine. I like the color scheme of that car and if I can do it someday I may restore the parts car, which is Beige and Citation Bronze in the 3rd photo and use the same colors instead of the Bronze color. My second car is being restored now and it was the same color as my 98, black and white which is why I bought it. When done I will have both the Super 88 and 98 4 door Holiday Sedans in the same color scheme. That is if I can keep the 98. I may need to sell it to finish the second car. It took me 18 plus years to do the first one and it is two years now on the second and I may need to sell to help finish it. I bought the parts car for the motor since the one in the car I am doing was unrebuildable. Turns out the block was cracked in the parts car and I had to find another motor which I did with an ad here. I am attaching the photo of the car I am doing now in the condition I found it. Btw, here is the correct list of models for 1956 I got out a book of cars for the 13 models, no 2 door post for the 98 was listed: 88- 2 door hardtop 88- 2 door post 88- 4 door hardtop 88-4 door post Super 88- 2 door hardtop Super 88-2 door post Super 88- 4 door hardtop Super 88-4 door post Super 88- convertible 98- 2 door hardtop 98- 4 door hardtop 98-4 door post 98- Starfire convertible
That blue car on the trailer is for sale? got some cash looking hard for a 56 98 please let me know thanks- also where it located
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