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Ransom Eli Olds was the Founder of the Oldsmobile Car Company. He was born June 3, 1864 in Geniva, Ohio and Died August 25,1950.
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Olds Claimed to have made his first Steam Engine in 1894.
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The Pirate was Olds' first Gasoline Powered car.
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Ransom founded his company in Lansing, Michigan in 1897
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Ransom sells Olds Motor Vehicle Company to Samual Smith. A copper and lumber magnate. Ransom became the V.P. and the G.M.
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Oldsmobile's Curved Dash Cars were the first mass produced car.
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The 1910 Limited Touring was a high point for the company. The Limited retailed for US$4,600, an amount greater than the purchase of a new, no-frills three bedroom house. The car is best remembered for winning a race against the famed 20th Century Limited train.
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Oldsmobile was a pioneer in introducing a four-speed semi-automatic transmission called the "Automatic Safety Transmission" which is now the Conventional Clutch Pedal.
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For the 1940 model, Oldsmobile was the first auto manufacturer to offer a fully automatic transmission, called the Hydramatic, which featured four forward speeds. It had an gas pedal and a brake -- no clutch pedal. The gear selector was on the steering column.
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The last pre-war Oldsmobile rolled off the assembly line on February 5, 1942.
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Oldsmobile once again was a pioneer when, for the 1949 model, they introduced their Rocket engine, which used an overhead valve V8 design rather than the flathead "straight-8" design which prevailed at the time. This engine produced far more power than the engines that were popular during that era, and found favor with hot-rodders and stock car racers.
