Make a date with a Rocket 88

Two classic cars with 303-cubic-inch V-8 engines, the kind that were winning NASCAR races back in 1950, have found a new home at the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum.

The Rocket 88 Oldsmobiles - a shiny black convertible with red leather interior, and a pale yellow coupe with sun visor and a gray striped broadcloth interior - arrived in November.

The cars have the original engines and transmissions and they've been rebuilt and completely refurbished - everything was taken off and given a from-the-ground-up restoration.

The shiny silver hood emblems are rockets and "Oldsmobile Rocket" is painted on the sides of the valve covers on the engine.

"The new rocket V-8 came out in 1949 and was the most powerful engine out there," said Museum director Bill Adcock, who calls himself a car nut. "Everybody wanted that Rocket V8."

And the museum did, too.

Their arrival at the museum happened like this: William Ettlich, of Folsom, Calif., near Sacramento, called the museum about a year ago and asked if Adcock would be interested in three iconic 1950 Oldsmobiles, all different.

One was a coupe, one a convertible and the other a woody station wagon (because it's got wood on the side). His kids didn't want them. Was the museum interested?

"Are you kidding me," said Adcock. "These were the iconic Oldsmobiles."

Ettlich was not the original owner of the cars, he was just a hobbyist and loved cars. He thought what a better place to have them rest than in the one and only museum dedicated to the Oldsmobile name.

They came up with an agreement. The coupe was gifted to the museum for 2014, the convertible was gifted for 2015, and the woodsy wagon will be gifted to them for 2016.

After professional evaluations, the convertible, with 84,000 plus miles, was appraised at $83,000 plus; the coupe, with 66,526 miles, is valued at $38,000 plus.

Facts about 1950 Rocket 88s

•1950 Oldsmobile 88 Convertible Coupe

The 1950 convertible coupe attracted 9,127 buyers. It was the second year of production for the Rocket V-8 engine.

Convertible body was built in Lansing, then shipped to Fremont, Calif. for final assembly.

Weight: 3,915 pounds

Original price: $2,315

•1950 Oldsmobile 88 Holiday Coupe

The Holiday Coupe was one of only 1,366 sold in 1950; there were 11,316 of the deluxe versions produced. The fresh air vents under the headlights were only used in 1950.

Coupe body was built in Lansing, then shipped to Linden, N.J. for final assembly.

Weight: 3,697 pounds

Original price: $2,183

Source: R.E. Olds Transportation Museum