1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 88 - the First Muscle Car

In 1949, a new era in the U.S. automobile industry began. This was the beginning of the horsepower race, the super cars and eventually the muscle car. The 1949 Olds Rocket 88 was the first step to what would become the first sustained march into the muscle car era. Within a few years, the big engine little car concept would become an industry wide trend.

In 1949 Oldsmobile basically kept the new body style they put out in 1948. A couple of months after the unveiling of the 49 Olds they brought out a "hard top convertible. This was the first time this body style became available on production cars with Cadillac and Buick each bringing out their versions. The hardtops debuted only on the top of the line models so the Rocket 88 didn't get a hardtop until the next year

The Olds OHV V-8 engine was the big news in 1949 though, when they, along with Cadillac, produced the first OHV V-8s, in a sustainable quantity according to the Oldsmobile V-8 History website. In 1917 to 1919, Chevrolet produced a 265 CID OHV V-8, but production ceased in 1919. The engine that Olds came out with in 1949 was an over-square design. That is to say, the bore was greater than the stroke. Thus, breathing was enhanced through the use of larger valves, while reduced piston travel led to decreased friction. "Slipper" pistons nestled between the crankshaft throws, hydraulic valve lifters were employed in the interest of quieter operation, and five main bearings promoted smoothness. It had 303 cubic inches and was rated at 135 horsepower according to the Auto Editors of Consumer Guide writing in HowStuffWorks.

The Olds engineers wanted to name the engine "Kettering" after Charles Kettering who was so instrumental in building the engine, but couldn't because Kettering was still alive, so they settled on the name "Rocket" according to Gibson Butler, who worked on the engine, at Auto History Online.