• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Other Areas
  • Cars in Our Collection
    • Featured Cars
  • Events
  • Gift Shop
  • Cruisin’ – THE Classic Car Blog
  • Events in the Area
  • Get Involved
(308) 234-1964

Classic Car Collection

Over 200 Classic Cars in Kearney, Nebraska

← Back to Search

November 9, 2015 by

1920 Oakland Touring

1920 Oakland Touring, 34C

Owner:  Bernie and Janice Taulborg Collection

Original cost: $1,165.00

Number made: 35,356

Engine, etc.: 6 cyl., 41 bhp; L-head; 3-speed; 115 in. wheelbase  (Notice “NO SKID” tread on tires.)

Oakland Motor Company, Pontiac, Mich., 1907 – 1931

In 1907 the Edward P. Murphy Oakland Motor Company was formed and based in Pontiac, Michigan. Their first vehicles were powered by vertical 2-cylinder engines. The company switched to 4-cylinder engines the next year and over 5,000 vehicles were produced.

Murphy sold half of Oakland to General Motors in 1909. He died a few months later and General Motors acquired the rights to the rest of the company.

In 1916 a powerful V8 offering 71 horsepower was made available. The engine helped Oakland have very strong sales with 25,675 cars produced that year. By 1917 Oakland production rose even further to 33,171 putting the company in 8th place in car production in the U. S.

The new Model 32 6-cylinder was introduced in 1916 and received a boost in horse power with OHV’s in 1917. The OHV Six would become Oakland’s only model until the close of the 1923 season. The V8 was discontinued in 1918.

Oakland automobiles sales continued strong into the early 1920’s when things changed. The company was plagued with quality control problems and their vehicles started to accumulate a reputation for being unreliable. Fred Hannum, GM general manager, instituted a quality control program to improve matters. It worked well and sales increased.

The company used 4-wheel brakes, centralized controls and automatic spark advance in 1924. As a marketing tactic, it pioneered a new nitro-cellulose lacquer paint in a shade of blue and promoted it as the “True Blue Oakland Six”.

In 1931 General Motors created the Pontiac Motor Division to fill the price gap between the Oakland and the more expensive Oldsmobile. The Pontiac nameplate became so popular that sales declined for Oakland and Pontiac replaced the Oakland.

Source: Standard Catalog of American Cars, 1805 -1942. Beverly Rae Kimes, et al. 3rd ed. Krause Publications, 1996.

http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z16193/Oakland-Six-Series.aspx  (1926 model; includes Oakland history)
https://www.uniquecarsandparts.com/lost_marques_oakland.htm
http://classiccardatabase.com/specs.php?series=2549&year=1920&model=15341
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland_(automobile)

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Footer

Contact info

3600 East HWY 30, Suite B
Kearney, NE 68847
(308) 234-1964

Come on, Be Social.

View Classic Car CollectionKearney’s profile on Facebook View CCCKearneyNe’s profile on TwitterView classiccarcollection’s profile on InstagramView ClassicCarKearney’s profile on YouTube

Follow us on Facebook →

Classic Car Collection

TripAdvisor

  • TripAdvisor Eyes Logo on Green Background
Kearney Visitors Bureau Nebraska

Meet Bernie Taulborg: The man who donated 131 cars

Copyright © 2023 · Website by Luke Decker

Handcrafted with on the Genesis Framework