Scarce 1953 or 1954 advertising postcard of Oldsmobile’s legendary dream car: the F-88 roadster, an experimental, high performance, two-passenger sports convertible - of which only one has survived! The F-88 was only displayed at the 1953 or 1954 Motorama (the Detroit auto show). This postally unused view of it has a penciled note on the reverse saying “This is a postcard from the car show we went to. This car is a new one. They are not for sale.”

Oldsmobile’s advertising for the card on the reverse says “The Last Word in Convertibles! Meet a beautiful dynamo on wheels! It’s Oldsmobile’s experimental convertible…the fabulous F-88! General Motors’ stylists have incorporated scores of striking innovations in this spectacular sports car. Low-poised fiberglass body! Natural pigskin upholstery! Unusual rear deck design! Sparkling interior trim, plus a special 250 hp. 'Rocket' Engine!”

One of the most significant concept cars ever designed by General Motors, the lightweight F-88 was intended to compete with the similarly sized Corvette and would have outperformed the Ford Thunderbird. Unlike the Chevrolet Corvette, which only had a 6-cylinder engine, a 2-speed automatic transmission and no windows, the sleek F-88 design had a Rocket 88 V8, a 4-speed hydromatic transmission, power windows and door latches, bullet tail lights, large vertical exhaust outlets for its “Rocket” V-8, and a prominent wide-mouth grille.

Four of the cars were built; the only surviving one set a world record when it was auctioned in January 2005 at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona for $3,240,000.00. Bought by John S. Hendricks, founder of the Discovery Channel, it will be displayed in its own room at the Gateway (Colorado) Auto Museum which Hendricks is building. One of the most historically significant vehicles of its era, considered by many automotive historians to be a great expression of automotive design from the Golden Age of the 1950s.

Designed by legendary automotive stylist Harley Earl, it’s believed the F-88 would have outsold the Corvette and changed automotive history; however Chevrolet, which produced more General Motors’ products than any of the other divisions, convinced the GM board of directors to kill the Oldsmobile project. That, combined with initially lukewarm Corvette sales, ensured that the F-88 never went into production. A hard-to-find, classic automobilia or roadside America collectible in excellent condition!