Weighing in at around 35lbs, Jetfire’s bolt-on kit was based around a Garrett T05 turbocharger, which attached to the engine’s intake manifold as a carburettor normally would. Together they developed a small diameter turbo and associated system exclusively for a new, high performance F-85 coupé variant called the Jetfire. Oldsmobile partnered with the Garrett Corporation – then, a leading manufacturer of industrial turbochargers – and Burrell began working alongside engineers in Garrett’s newly-formed AiResearch department – a specialist division set up to develop turbochargers for the automotive industry. Gilbert Burrell, Oldsmobile’s head engine designer, found what he was looking for in turbocharging – something that had never before been seen on a production passenger car. Although performance was markedly better than that of cars like the Beetle, Oldsmobile’s engineers saw room for something even more powerful – they just needed to figure out a way to achieve it without increasing engine displacement, or decreasing smooth running and driveability in any way.
In Power Pack guise, that number was increased to 185hp through 10.25:1 compression and a 4-barrel carburettor. In basic form with 8.8:1 compression and a 2-barrel carburettor the engine made 155hp. Most important to this story however – Oldsmobile had the F-85.įrom its 1961 debut the F-85 was made available in two specification levels, both of which used a small 215ci (3.5L) aluminium V8. Plymouth had the Valiant, Ford had the Falcon and Studebaker had the Lark. To meet the market, stateside manufacturers were left with little choice but begin rolling out new ranges of compacts with smaller physical and mechanical dimensions. USA’s motoring landscape momentarily changed in the early 1960s when new car buyers began being drawn towards smaller, more fuel-efficient European vehicles – like the Volkswagen Beetle – instead of the biggest gas guzzler they could get their hands on.
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