Slip behind the wheel of a 1952 Oldsmobile 98 for a tour of the GM Proving Ground in Milford, Michigan.

We enjoyed this original Oldsmobile clip from a couple of angles. First, it features the 1952 Oldsmobile 98, the super-deluxe, top-of-the-line offering from the Lansing division of General Motors that year. Also, the setting is the GM Proving Ground in Milford, Michigan, just northwest of Detroit. Opened in 1924, the 4,000-acre facility is easily one of the most extensive vehicle testing facilities in the world. The Milford PG currently includes 132 miles of specially engineered road surfaces, as well as automobile lab equipment for every conceivable purpose, so it’s interesting to see how the place looked back in ’52.

For 1952, Oldsmobile’s trend-setting 303 CID V8 was sporting an improved camshaft with increased valve lift, good for 145 hp in standard 88 tune, while the Super 88 and 98 models were boasting the new Rochester four-barrel carb, a combination rated at 160 hp. The three-speed synchromesh transmission was standard, but most buyers opted for the GM Hydra-Matic, a $165 extra that year. Other noteworthy options included power steering ($185) and a self-winding watch mounted in the steering wheel ($35). Let’s slip behind the wheel of this 98 and check out the Milford Proving Ground.