A New Date For The Rocket 88

Rodney Palla Pays Homage To Grandma Silvia With Her ’51 Oldsmobile Coupe

- Rob Fortier

Oldsmobile’s swell sales slogan for 1951 may have been a less-memorable “Ride the Rocket and Save!”, but it was the auto manufacturer’s pitch a year prior following the release of their all-new line of V-8 models in 1949 “Make a Date with a Rocket 88!” that definitely struck a chord with the American public.

Whether or not Rodney Palla’s grandmother, Silvia, purchased her 88 Club Coupe in 1951 based on a catchy jingle, or the fact that the new Oldsmobiles were the hot ticket with those OHV Rockets underhood, we’re not sure. But she did leave it for her grandson, Rodney, with the conditions that he put some new tires on it (as it’d been sitting in a barn since 1977) and not cut it up!