Naming standards were in flux at Oldsmobile during the late 1930s and 1940s. From 1932 through 1938 Oldsmobile had two series: "F" and "L". Series F came with a straight-6 engine and Series L came with a larger body and a straight-8 engine. Series F was renamed Series 60 in 1939 and Series L was replaced with the Series 70 and 80, with the Series 70 and 80 being powered by the straight-6 and the straight-8 respectively. The Series 60 used the GM A-body and the Series 70 and 80 used the B-body. In 1940 the even larger C-body was introduced to Oldsmobile and it alone was powered by the straight-8. In order to differentiate it from the previous year's Series 80 it was named Series 90. The series were also given namesfor the first time that year with the Series 60, 70, and 90 being called the Special, Dynamic, and Custom Cruiser respectively.
1941–1948
In 1941 both engines were offered on each series so to differentiate between the two the second digit was used to denote the number of cylinders, so the Dynamic 70 was replaced with the Dynamic 76 and 78. In 1942 sales literature started referring to the Series 70 as the Dynamic Cruiser 76 and 78. In 1948, when the Series 60 was renamed the Dynamic the "Cruiser" tag was dropped from the Series 70 and it was once again named the Dynamic 76 and 78. The Dynamic 76 was produced in Australia with fewer than 120 thought to have been produced during 1947
1949–1950
The all new post-war Futuramic styling that had been introduced to the C-body Oldsmobile 98 in 1948 was brought to Oldsmobile's B-bodies in 1949. The wheelbase was now. The 78model was retired with the 1949 introduction of the Oldsmobile 88, which shared its new Futuramic B-body platform with the 76 but was equipped with the new overhead valveRocket V8. Due to the new styling the 76 was renamed the Futuramic 76. The Futuramic tag was abandoned after only one year and so in 1950 the car was simply known as the 76. The Series 70 was retired after the 1950 model year. The 76 was available in the following body styles:
