Oldsmobile Model 43

Oldsmobile Model 43
1915 Oldsmobile 43
Overview
Manufacturer	General Motors
Production	1915–1916, 1921–1922
Chronology
Predecessor	Oldsmobile Model 42

The Model 43 was an entry-level four seat passenger car produced by GM's Oldsmobile Division in 1915 and 1916, then again in 1921 and 1922. It replaced the Model 42 also known as the "Baby Olds", while the most significant improvement was a longer wheelbase shared with the Buick Series C. Until GM assumed control of Chevrolet in 1917, the previous Model 42 and the Model 43 were GM's entry-level cars which led to the interrupted production of the Model 43 as Oldsmobile was promoted as a higher content product. It was also known as the "Oldsmobile Four" and competed with the Chevrolet Series H as an entry-level model until GM bought Chevrolet. It was the junior level product to the upscale Oldsmobile Light Eight. It was Oldsmobile's last four-cylinder car until 1977 with the Oldsmobile Starfire.^[1]

History

The Model 43 was equipped with a side-valve, in-line 192 cu in (3,146 cc) four-cylinder engine developing 30 bhp. The Model 43 had a wheelbase of 121 in (3,084 mm) and was offered as a touring car for 1915 and a 2-door roadster, with very little change for 1916. One advancement that was introduced on all Oldsmobiles for 1915 was the relocation of the steering wheel to the left side of the passenger compartment and the handbrake and gearshift now centrally located inside the passenger compartment.^[2]

3,500 Model 43s were manufactured in 1915 and 1916, and due to the introduction of the Chevrolet Series 490, the Model 43 was replaced by the Oldsmobile Model 53 that had been introduced in 1913, pushing Oldsmobile upscale. Amanda Preuss drove coast to coast on the Lincoln Highway in 1916, setting a record in a Model 43. Retail prices listed were US$1,095 ($33,308 in 2023 dollars ^[3]) for either a touring sedan or 2-door roadster for customers who wanted something different from the Ford Model T.^[2]

In 1921 the Model 43A returned, and was marketed as a larger, more upscale entry-level model to the Chevrolet, as management noticed that removing an affordable model affected overall sales at Oldsmobile dealerships, competing for customers who were buying the Ford Model T starting in 1908. Pricing remained competitive with the touring sedan, roadster or coupe listed at US$1,325 ($22,634 in 2023 dollars ^[3]). The new cars had a shorter wheelbase but a larger engine than the previous Model 42. With a displacement of 224 cu in (3,671 cc), the four-cylinder produced 44 bhp (33 kW). The leather cone clutch had given way to a single-disk dry clutch and, in addition to wooden spoke wheels, there were also steel disk wheels as an option. In addition to the open roadster and touring car versions, the Model 43A was also available as a 2-door coupé and 4-door sedan with a closed interior.^[2]

Production was continued in 1922, but the engine output fell to 40 bhp (30 kW). As Chevrolet found its place in the market as GM's entry-level product with the Chevrolet Series FA in 1917, Oldsmobile management focused on larger and more upscale cars as a junior model to Buick. In two years, 28,706 Oldsmobile Model 43As were built, making it by far the most successful model at the time.^[2]

References

1. Georgano, N. (2000). Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile. London: HMSO. ISBN 1-57958-293-1.
2. Kimes, Beverly (1996). Standard catalog of American Cars 1805–1942 (third ed.). Krause publications. pp. 1061–1088. ISBN 0-87341-478-0.
3. 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.