1953 Oldsmobile 98 Fiesta Convertible
One defining event of 1950s American car culture was GM’s traveling Motorama, a no-holds-barred display of dazzling technology and stunning styling. A series of dramatic styling exercises captivated the public, but most were not for sale. For 1953, the “General” made an exception, offering three of the previous year’s “dream cars” in limited-production numbers, for the lucky few who could afford the startling price tags and who had the influence to secure one.
Scarcest of these was the Oldsmobile Fiesta, a stunning design that pioneered several features at Oldsmobile, including a wraparound windshield, “spinner” wheel covers, and attractive two-tone paint schemes in exclusive colors. Each Fiesta came well equipped with leather upholstery, power steering, power brakes, power windows, and a power seat.
New in 1953, the Fiesta joined the Cadillac Series 62 Eldorado and Buick Roadmaster Skylark as top-of-the-line, limited-production specialty convertibles introduced that year by General Motors to promote its design leadership. It featured a cut-down belt line, a wraparound windshield that was 3 (76) inches lower than the standard 98’s windshield, and special “spinner” hubcaps, which became a trademark on later Oldsmobiles. Virtually every Oldsmobile option was standard except air conditioning, regarded as unnecessary at the time in a convertible.
This Fiesta convertible received a professional frame-off restoration with NOS parts. One of 458 built during the one-year-only production and owned by the same family since 1955. It is powered by a 303ci Rocket V8 engine paired to an automatic transmission. Raven Red and Polar White exterior with a power top and a panoramic windshield.
Fitted with continental kit, ‘flipper’ wheel covers, whitewall tires, power steering, brakes, windows, seat, top and windows, the interior is Raven Red and Polar White leather that matches the exterior colors set off by darker Red carpets and a Polar White vinyl top, an unusually harmonious color scheme that other Fiestas — frequently finished in bright fruit hues of apple red, orange and lemon yellow — can only aspire to emulate. It looks good, even ‘right’, from every angle.
It was the most expensive Oldsmobile, more than twice the price of next-most-expensive model. The Fiesta was a limited-edition model that was only offered in 1953. Just 458 were produced. The car had a signature wrap-around windshield, leather upholstery and all the accessories offered in the lower-priced models as standard equipment. In addition, the car had a padded dashboard, windshield washers and 10 more horsepower than the regular Oldsmobile 98 models. The basic design was first tested as a “concept car” at the famous General Motors Motoramas at which the company tested new designs for future GM cars. The Fiesta was one of three limited-edition convertibles GM offered in 1953. In addition to the Fiesta, it offered a Cadillac Eldorado Special convertible and the Buick Roadmaster Skylark sport convertible. Of the three, the Fiesta was the most expensive by more than $700.
