Setting the Pace by Helen Jones Earley, James R. Walkinshaw (1997, Hardcover)

Both of the authors worked for Oldsmobile throughout their working lives. Sadly, Helen Jones Earley has since died.

This book really does start "at the beginning", in 1880. The story is told through 1997, and sadly, Oldsmobile Division "died" soon thereafter.

The authors discuss the cars, the assembly plants, the shift to World War II ammunition production and other war material. Oldsmobile had a considerable reputation for what would be known as "high tech" engineering and design, as evidenced by the story of their first overhead-valve V-8, and of course the front wheel drive Toronado was the first POWERFUL front drive car produced anywhere. Olds even built jet engine turbines, and the Olds-built parts were superior to those made by established jet engine manufacturers. There is information on the turbocharged aluminum block engine of the early sixties.

There are many wonderful photos and other illustrations of the cars, plants, and people associated with Oldsmobile. The photos alone are worth the cost of the book.

Overall, I'd like to have seen even more detail on the achievements of Oldsmobile in the sixties, but that's more my preference than a complaint about the book.

Appendices are included that detail Oldsmobile presidents, general managers, and many other categories of employees including the chief engineers, along with the years that those people held the position. There is a year-by-year production summary, and even a list of buildings owned and used by Oldsmobile, and what work was done in each building.

A good book about a great company. Too bad that GM mis-management squandered the "high tech" reputation of this once-fine marque.

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