1958 GM Delco Oldsmobile "Trans-Portable" radio
Automobile/portable radio
Thermoplastic cabinet, chrome-plated face
4 3/8 W x 2 1/8 H x 6 5/8 D inches / 111 W x 54 H x 168 D mm
10 transistors (Delco, 3 x 2N149, 3 x 2N217, 2N150, 2N278, R-62?, R-64?)
Four 1.5v AA cells /automotive battery
Manufactured by Delco Radio Corp.
This Oldsmobile and the Pontiac "Sportable" were the first of the GM Delco "Trans-Portable" models, both marketed in 1958. In 1959, GM would offer a second Oldsmobile Trans-Portable, a second Pontiac "Sportable" model, and a Buick "Transistor Portable". All of this is detailed in xrhonda91's article found on AntiqueRadios.com, "The Evolution of the Delco Auto-Portable Radios."
From images I've looked at of 1958 Oldsmobile dashboards, it seems that this Trans-Portable was offered merely as an option to regular dashboard radios. In most of the photos of the various Oldsmobile models, the dashboards have regular dashboard radios. I did find two models with the Trans-Portable installed: The Olds Dynamic 88, and the Olds 98 (see photos below). I don't know whether the Trans-Portable option was offered only on these two models, or on several other models as well, or possibly on all models. In the Olds dashboards using this option, this Trans-Portable WAS the car's dashboard radio -- it could be removed from the dash and used as a portable radio (see in-house advertisement photo below).
In the following year, Trans-Portable models employing round tuning dials were incorporated into a dashboard that had push-button tuning working off the Trans-Portable radio. All of these radios were powered by the car's battery when seated in the dashboard. The most commonly-found Trans-Portables are the '58 Olds, the '59 Olds, and the '59 Buick models. As portable radios, the Buick and the '59 Olds look the most like portable transistor radios. The '58 Olds, with its deep body and typical automotive slide rule dial, looks exactly like what it is: a radio removed from a car's dashboard. That's kind of cool, like having part of a '58 Olds dashboard in your home.
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