Possible origin of the 1997-2004 'Rocket O' emblem

[human]

While I've been waiting for my '64 Dynamic 88 convertible, I've been looking at pictures of a lot of Oldsmobiles from that era and spotted an interesting detail on the trunk lids of 1963 Dynamic and Super 88's. They have an odd, asymmetrical rocket on the passenger side of the trunk lid that looks suspiciously familiar, especially when you add an oval around it as I did in the image below:



The more I look at it, the more convinced I become that this quirky, one-year emblem was the basis of the Aurora-inspired final iteration of the venerable Oldsmobile rocket emblem.

The other emblems on the '63 and '64 models looked a bit like an airplane's wings and tail, framed inside a horizontal hexagonal surround. In 1965, the hexagonal surround was rotated into a vertical position to become the more familiar vertical rocket emblem, which ran in its original form through 1976. The emblem got a rectangular surround beginning in the 1977 model year and remained pretty much unchanged until it was replaced by the 'rocket oval' in 1997.

Daily Driver: 2011 Impala LT
Weekend Toy: 1995 Aurora

[tigger]

IIRC, the '61 and '62 used tat styling of the rocket as well. The '61 had 88 centered on the rocket, the '62 had 88 at the bottom of the rocket, and the '63 had only the rocket...

[aurora57k]

If you look at the O emblem, you can also see the letters o l d and s. The s is the hardest to see. Therefore my belief is that the O emblem was updated to it's final version to also spell Olds. I can also see Olds in the emblem for the 88 pictured above.

[tigger]

Haha, yeah, I read that article too!



They had to jump a gap for the "O" and "D", and cross a line for the "S". You can make a lot of letters following those guidelines, haha!


There's no Knights Templar/Masonic thing going on here. Don't read too much into it. That logo came from a focus group in a time when Olds was trying to change their image, that's all...

[aurora57k]

Yeah, I read the GM site also.... Wait no Knights Templar? I joined the wrong site...lol

[lanceslambos]

Ya'll crack me up. I love a good conspiracy, but the rocket has been Oldsmobile's thing from the very get go. Correct me if I'm wrong, as I am not producing any proof here, however I believe the word rocket was used in a 19th century car ad in a newspaper thereabouts 1898-99. Because, as you know - 1/3 steam powered hp could rocket past a 1 hp horse all day long. (not really)