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Thread: 1968 Oldsmobile Apprehender

  1. #1
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    1968 Oldsmobile Apprehender

    Going through my old car magazines, I found a road test of a police-type Oldsmobile. I've scanned a page below. Note the caption for the top photo ("Fuzz special cornered almost as flat as a Ferrari on the Daytona Sports-Car course.") [Okay, let's hear the comments; I feel like some amusing reading ]

    Anyway, it had quite good acceleration times considering its weight and highway gears:
    '68 Olds Delmont 88 police car
    Engine/hp----------------- 455-cu-in/390
    Torque-------------------- 500-ft/lbs
    Compression ratio---------- 10.25:1
    Rear axle ratio------------- 3.08:1
    Wheelbase---------------- 123"
    Overall length------------- 217.8"
    Width--------------------- 79.2"
    Curb weight--------------- 4,199 lbs
    0-30 mph------------------ 3.1 secs
    0-50 mph------------------ 5.2
    0-60 mph------------------ 7.9
    0-100 mph----------------- 16.4
    1/4 mile-------------------- 15.2 secs
    50-80 mph----------------- 6.1 secs
    50-100 mph---------------- 10.8
    Top speed----------------- 130+ mph
    (Mechanix Illustrated, Feb., 1968)
    Attached Images Attached Images
    '76 Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five Limousine, '95 Lincoln Town Car.

  2. #2
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    Jeez, that things pretty quick for 1968
    Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death...
    – Hunter Thompson

  3. #3
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    stupid question i supose but any better pics ?

    having a picture of a book as your desktop doesnt really apeal

    yeah pretty impresive stats
    TVR, Heres to Peter wheeler and his last creationg of the Scamander.

    Coventry seriously sucks....

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fleet 500
    ("Fuzz special cornered almost as flat as a Ferrari on the Daytona Sports-Car course.") [Okay, let's hear the comments; I feel like some amusing reading ]
    Reduced bodyroll does not neccesarily equate to superior chassis dynamics

    The billycart I had back in 1968 used to corner flatter than any Ferrari

  5. #5
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    There's an awesome country song by Kathy Mattea about this car (or at least an Oldsmobile with the 455), appropriately titled "455 Rocket."

    The lyrics are as follows:

    Mr. Smith had an oldsmobile
    Baby blue with them wire wheels
    I took her home the day that she was adverstised
    He said she leaked when, it would rain
    And sounded like an aeroplane
    But I knew she was a jewel in disguise

    She had a 455 Rocket
    The biggest block alive
    I couldn't hardly wait just to take my turn
    She was made for the straight aways
    She grew up hating Chevrolets
    She's a Rocket, she was made to burn

    Whose junkpile piece of Chevelle is this?
    You boys come here to race or just kiss?
    Don't you wanna know what I got underneath my hood?
    I know she might sound like she's missing
    But buddy, she could teach you a lesson
    In just a quater mile, and I'll smoke you good

    In my 455 Rocket
    The kind the police drive
    I couldn't hardly wait just to take my turn
    She was made for the straight aways
    She grew up hating Chevrolets
    She's a Rocket, she was made to burn

    I'm telling you and I ain't ashamed
    I cried when that wrecker came
    As we skid I thought I heard the angels sing (sounded like the Beach Boys)
    We hit the curve and began to sail
    Took out most of the safety rail
    Even the cop asked me
    "Man, what'd you have in that thing?"

    I had a 455 Rocket
    The very kind you drive
    You oughta watch yourself when you take that turn
    'Cause she was made for the straight aways
    She grew up hating Chevrolets
    She's a Rocket, she was made to burn
    Lord, she's a Rocket she was made to burn
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    Last edited by Timothy (in VA); 09-18-2006 at 07:39 PM. Reason: Added pictures
    UCP's biggest (only?) fan of the '74-'76 Mercury Cougar.
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  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by nota
    Reduced bodyroll does not neccesarily equate to superior chassis dynamics
    Yeah, yeah, I know... we've been through that before. But you would rather drive a flat-cornering car than an excessive-leaning one, right?
    '76 Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five Limousine, '95 Lincoln Town Car.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Timothy (in VA)
    There's an awesome country song by Kathy Mattea about this car (or at least an Oldsmobile with the 455), appropriately titled "455 Rocket."

    The lyrics are as follows:
    Hmmm... I haven't heard that song. Thanks for posting the lyrics.
    '76 Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five Limousine, '95 Lincoln Town Car.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by matek
    stupid question i supose but any better pics ?

    having a picture of a book as your desktop doesnt really apeal

    yeah pretty impresive stats
    Well, here are two more photos from the same article.

    It should be possible to find better pics on the Internet. Maybe someone from an Oldsmobile club owns one of those police Delmonts.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    '76 Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five Limousine, '95 Lincoln Town Car.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fleet 500
    Yeah, yeah, I know... we've been through that before. But you would rather drive a flat-cornering car than an excessive-leaning one, right?
    I guess it depends on what is defined as 'excessive' lean. Flat is good - as long as this doesn't compromise bump-absorption or stability through restricting suspension travel (which is often the case) or (even more often) overly cripple ride quality. But a suspension tune that allows a bit of roll isn't neccesarily a bad thing either - albeit without the dreaded front-end kneel. On balance I prefer a chassis setup which enables maximum wheel travel and thus is able to keep the wheels planted, and the body mass steady, in all road conditions - instead of bumping & jouncing over (as against through) one road defect to the next

    ____________

    Btw not specifically about Oldsmobiles, and perhaps not to your taste, but the great Radio Birdman (ancestral punk band from Melbourne) had a rockin' song called 455 SD. I saw them doing it live back in the '70s - fantastic stuff!

    (short sample) http://web.mit.edu/london/www/radiob...R2Track3lp.mp3

    Got a dream machine from the Promised Land
    Got a '71 Trans Am
    Got a Hurst T-stick in my hand
    Borg Warner 4 speed says I can

    Do the standing 1/4 mile in 12.5
    Run it through bring tears to your eyes
    Edelbrock high rise manifold
    Zero to 70 in seven point 0

    Hit the road late at night
    Deserted highway cold moon light
    Gotta keep driving, we gotta stay young
    Drive on in the risin' sun

    455-SD Energy 455-SD Mystery

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by nota
    Btw not specifically about Oldsmobiles, and perhaps not to your taste, but the great Radio Birdman (ancestral punk band from Melbourne) had a rockin' song called 455 SD. I saw them doing it live back in the '70s - fantastic stuff!

    (short sample) http://web.mit.edu/london/www/radiob...R2Track3lp.mp3

    Got a dream machine from the Promised Land
    Got a '71 Trans Am
    Got a Hurst T-stick in my hand
    Borg Warner 4 speed says I can

    Do the standing 1/4 mile in 12.5
    Run it through bring tears to your eyes
    Edelbrock high rise manifold
    Zero to 70 in seven point 0

    Hit the road late at night
    Deserted highway cold moon light
    Gotta keep driving, we gotta stay young
    Drive on in the risin' sun

    455-SD Energy 455-SD Mystery
    Radio Birdman are awesome! Saw them about a month ago and they rocked! Pics -> http://www.flickr.com/photos/uc_mitc...7594232546729/
    Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death...
    – Hunter Thompson

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2ndclasscitizen
    Radio Birdman are awesome! Saw them about a month ago and they rocked! Pics -> http://www.flickr.com/photos/uc_mitc...7594232546729/
    Geez are they still going?!?!

    Last time for me was iirc somewhere around 1974-76 when they were the regular 'friday nite special' down at this really small & dingy joint the Tiger Room near Richmond Town Hall .. almost next door to the cop shop, can you imagine

    Great band though (A1 live) I used to have a few of their LPs, long since stolen

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by nota
    Geez are they still going?!?!
    Just recently released a new album (it's called Zeno Beach). Have to say though that clearly someone in the band is good at voodoo, judging by the look of their singer
    Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death...
    – Hunter Thompson

  13. #13
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    Fleet 500 R U a police car fan? I sure am!

    Checkout this webpage with old police adds.
    http://www.denniswolfe.com/Taurus/br...e_91police.htm
    Last edited by DSM GUY; 09-27-2006 at 07:36 PM.
    "I am more impressed by a fast, clean, car cruising slow,,, than a riced out, slow car, driving fast."
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