1956 Oldsmobile 98

This 1956 Oldsmobile 98 began life as a hardtop coupe that was purchased by the seller in 2012 and subsequently underwent a multi-year build by Pro Design Hot Rods of Santa Ana, California. Known as “Oldssled,” the car was first shown at the 2020 Detroit Autorama and has subsequently won the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association’s 2020 Custom of the Year and 2023 West Coast Challenge awards. The car is finished in House of Kolor metallic dark blue over tan pleated leather upholstery, and power comes from a 354ci Chrysler Hemi V8 paired with a Turbo 350 three-speed automatic transmission. Equipment includes a boxed and smoothed frame with RideTech air suspension as well as a 9″ rear axle, an Autotrend EFI system with six two-barrel throttle bodies, a ceramic-coated exhaust system, Sparc Industries wheels, a padded Carson-style removable hardtop, quarter panel side scoops, nickel-plated brightwork, a C1 Corvette-style front grille, 3D-printed headlights, a chopped windshield, a recessed Continental kit, and a custom center console and dashboard with a Classic Instruments gauge cluster. This custom Oldsmobile is now offered with build documentation and a clean California title in the seller’s name. Delivered from the factory as a hardtop coupe, the car was stripped to bare metal and the roof was removed by Pro Design Hot Rods during the build. It was subsequently fitted with a custom single-piece front clip, a shortened and narrowed hood, a filled cowl, lengthened quarter panels with quarter panel air scoops, a shortened decklid, and a custom recessed Continental kit. The bodywork is finished in a metallic dark blue from House of Kolor with ghost scallops on the hood, fenders, trunk, and Continental kit. Additional features include custom nickel-plated bumpers and brightwork, a custom Corvette-style grille, recessed 3D-printed headlights, a chopped wraparound windshield, lake pipes, rear fender skirts, 3D-printed 1956 Packard-style taillights, and recessed custom Oldssled badging. The tan Carson-style removable padded top features a glass rear window. The car is not equipped with door or quarter windows. The Sparc Industries wheels were designed to resemble 1956 Oldsmobile hubcaps, and they are mounted with gold-line radial tires. The frame was smoothed and boxed during the refurbishment, while the suspension features a RideTech air system as well as custom front control arms, dropped spindles, and a linked rear setup. The cabin features front bucket seats and a rear bench upholstered in tan and terracotta-colored leather with pleated inserts, which also extend to the headliner and custom door panels. Contrasting leather trims the dashboard, door tops, parcel shelf, and leather floor coverings. Equipment includes custom billet aluminum front armrests, pedals, and dash-mounted starter and light control knobs as well as a metal center console that houses a billet shifter and a controller for the air suspension. Matching two-tone leather upholstery extends to the trunk, which can be seen in the gallery. The custom two-spoke steering wheel features a horn ring and is mounted on a tilt steering column ahead of an Oldssled-branded Classic Instruments gauge cluster with a 140-mph speedometer and an inset 8k-rpm tachometer. The six-digit odometer shows five miles. The 354ci Chrysler Hemi V8 is said to have been rebuilt and ported before being installed, and it features an Autotrend EFI system with six two-barrel throttle bodies as well as finned valve covers and custom-machined air cleaners and pulleys. Wiring and fuel lines are hidden behind a smoothed firewall and inner fender wells. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a Turbo 350 three-speed automatic transmission and a smoothed 9″ rear axle. The frame and undersides are finished in body-color paint, and the custom ceramic-coated dual exhaust system exits through both the lake pipes and twin outlets in the rear bumper. A collection of photos taken before and during the build can be seen in the gallery along with design sketches and car show awards.