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Designer of Rocket engine, wrote this:
In the post World War II period, there was tremendous interest
in rockets. Werner con Braun, the brilliant scientist/engineer, was brought to America with many of his associates. They had
successfully developed the German V-2, used against the British Isles during the waning months of the war in Europe. This interest coupled with Oldsmobile's success in weaponry and shell manufacture inspired
Skinner to name our new power plant the Rocket engine. We, in Engineering, thought the name stunk! How wrong we were! However,
as everyone knows, the choice of name was excellent.
Butler, was a member of the postwar engine design group at Oldsmobile. He
participated in the creation of the first Rocket V-8 engine. Oldsmobile eliminated
the need for a rocker shaft with sheet metal rocker arms. Another improvement was a lighter weight cylinder block and cylinder
head casting.
The Rocket's Power Wins Grand National
The Oldsmobile Rocket 88 with its big V-8 was considered the fastest car on the road back then.
In 1954, Gober Sosebee won the Grand National (Strickly Stock) in a 1954 Olds Rocket 88.
In May, 1954, Buck Baker also won in a 1954 Olds Rocket 88 (Strickly Stock).
Rocket 88 as State Patrol Car 1954
In 1954,the Oldmobile Rocket 88 was the official State Patrol car in California and was used in
the California Highway Patrol tv series,according to Russ Lindenlaub who owns an authentic replica.
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Facts about the Rocket Engine
The Rocket engine was used as an irrigation pump engine; GM developed a toroidal
combustion chamber diesel engine in 1953 using the Rocket engine. This was the first successful over square.
First V-8 Overhead Cam
The Oldsmobile Rocket V8 was the first post-war OHV V8 at General Motors. In short, the Rocket Engine basically changed the landscape of
America. Cars could go further faster, roads had to accommodate those driver needs. Small towns had to put up
more gas stations. The 1950s has once again proven itself to be the Golden Age of America and all because our cars went
fast.
Chevrolet uses Rocket Engine as Standard
Chevrolet, Pontiac, and Buick 90-degree V-8 engines used the Oldsmobile Rocket
engine as a design standard.
My Rocket 88 (1950s song) goes to
Top Ten
In 1954, Ike Turner's song My Rocket 88, a song that one
of Ike Turner's bandmembers, Jackie Brenston, recorded at Sam Phillips Studio hit Number One on the R&B chart.
Ike Turner never received full credit for his song. Read lyrics to My Rocket 88 I haven't found the song online yet. If you can find it, please contact
me so I can place a sound track here. Thank you. webmaster@vintageozarks.com
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