Oldsmobile Expert - 1976 Olds Cutlass S

[EmTee]

2 minutes ago, STEVE POLLARD said:

It reminds me of my Monte Carlo SS - Sportiness and luxury, all in one package. 

Yes, but Olds was higher in the GM pecking order. 

[Frank DuVal]

2 hours ago, K8096 said:

It’s got bucket seats & a console and is better colors.

I like the Firethorn Poly waaaaaaayyyyyy better than silver! Still too many silver and gray cars on the road today. 

 

Back in 1977 I was up for a company car and the powers to be said they found a silver Malibu for me. Nope I said, any color  but that, and I will pay the difference. I found a blue and white two tone on the lot and paid the extra $100 or so (because it had a clock and AM/FM too). Pretty gutsy for a young guy just starting at the company! But I know what I like, and silver it isn't!

[STEVE POLLARD]

I found this photo on the Oldsmobile Club of Wisconsin web site....

 

[Frank DuVal]

Perfect, you can see the two different header panel/grille varieties. 

[Pfeil]

11 minutes ago, Frank DuVal said:

Perfect, you can see the two different header panel/grille varieties. 

Yeah, and as EmTee says " I like them both!" my feelings are I would like to have both.

[rocketraider]

There wasn't enough difference in an S and a 442 by then to make any difference, unless the original order was a 455. Strictly a handling and appearance package, and if you knew how to check the boxes you could get the handling without the tape stripes.

 

The "Osborne Plaid" was the standard S cloth interior option, for both coupe and sedan.

 

I'll put it this way. If I were in the market for a nice Colonnade this car would be at top of my list.

[Twisted Shifter]

 

HEY!    That IS my father's Oldsmobile!

[STEVE POLLARD]

2 minutes ago, Twisted Shifter said:

HEY!    That IS my father's Oldsmobile!

Tell your father it's a beauty !  

[JamesR]

I like that Cutlass, Steve. They were great looking cars. Very original and low mileage cars have an amazing appeal about them. Mid to late '70's cars are becoming much more popular among collectors. A car as popular as the Cutlass was in the '70's deserved to be more popular among collectors a long time ago.

[STEVE POLLARD]

Hey James, I always like the style of them.... we had a neighbor that had a 442, not sure of the year ( 1976, 1977 ? ) it was a sharp looking car !

[Twisted Shifter]

Take a look at the "cars for Sale - not mine" forum. New Olds Cutlas listing. Not a 2-door, but a pretty sharp, original owner, low mile example.

 

[EmTee]

OK, @STEVE POLLARD we're all waiting to see pictures of this beauty in your driveway! 

[rocketraider]

6 hours ago, Twisted Shifter said:

Take a look at the "cars for Sale - not mine" forum. New Olds Cutlas listing. Not a 2-door, but a pretty sharp, original owner, low mile example.

 

😍 Put a set of Super Stock II, either argent silver or chrome version, on it and you have a looker!

 

As well as one of the nicer cars of the 1970s...

 

*edit* just realized that's a base Cutlass AF29 sedan. Shares header panel and front bumper with 1974 442 and Hurst/Olds.

 

Probably good thing it's on other side of the country!😁

[Steve Moskowitz]

Steve, if everything checks out on this car and if the seller will accept a best offer I would negotiate the best price.  This is a real nice car (I sold hundreds of them as a dealer).  The great thing about this car is it will stand out at any show of similar cars as you will not see that color combo often if at all at a show today.  It looks like it was well cared for and would make you a nice and reliable car.

 

One of my jobs at Olds was to compare warranty data on engine issues for all of GM accept Chevrolet.  The Old's engines consistently had lower failure rates and thusly lower expense to the division. 

 

If YOU love the car it does not matter what any of us think...go for it.  Buy what you love and you will never regret it.

[pfloro]

Having owned an '84 Toronado for 28 years and 200,000 miles, I can state from personal experience the excellent reliability of the Olds 350. My Toronado had the Olds 307 which was a de-bored 350.  Except for a timing gear set @ ~150,000 miles, the internals were never touched.  It had some blow-by and probably reduced compression at 200,000 miles but The Queen Mary still ran smoothly and burned no oil. 

 

I mentioned the timing set replacement with "your" car in mind. Although the mileage is very low, the plastic (nylon) tipped cam gear is 46 years old. With time and many, many heat cycles, those plastic teeth must be worn, brittle, and some may be sitting in the oil pan.  It's not a big job and an all metal set will bring peace of mind. My Toronado was experiencing sluggish performance @ 150,000 miles. It was due to the cam gear which was missing almost all of it's plastic teeth. The slack in the chain caused retarted valve & ignition timing. Replacing the timing gear set brought a noticeable improvement...!   I selected a double roller set but that was not really necessary...

 

Good Luck,

 

Paul

Edited October 22, 2022 by pfloro (see edit history)

[STEVE POLLARD]

2 hours ago, Steve Moskowitz said:

The great thing about this car is it will stand out at any show of similar cars as you will not see that color combo often if at all at a show today.

I think that's what attracted me to this car - the color ! Will keep you posted, I asked the owner over on the Olds site if it was still available......

 

Thanks for all the input !

[Pfeil]

 

With a 2.41 rear axle and those high velocity primaries on the QJet (one of the best carburetors ever made) I bet I could get over 25mpg steady state at 65mph. 

I'm curious and maybe Steve, rocketrader, or Joe would know. Wouldn't the gauge cluster be on that option list??  

Edited October 22, 2022 by Pfeil (see edit history)

[CHuDWah]

1 hour ago, Pfeil said:

 

With a 2.41 rear axle and those high velocity primaries on the QJet (one of the best carburetors ever made) I bet I could get over 25mpg steady state at 65mph. 

I'm curious and maybe Steve, rocketrader, or Joe would know. Wouldn't the gauge cluster be on that option list??  

 

Maybe because it's standard, not optional?  If you blow up dash pic, you can see speedo and gear indicator on left - fuel, temp and oil gauges on right.  Interesting that it has gauges not lights for temp and pressure (probably has a charge light somewhere), but is that enough to make it optional?  I'd guess an optional cluster would include a tach and/or clock.

[Pfeil]

55 minutes ago, CHuDWah said:

 

Maybe because it's standard, not optional?  If you blow up dash pic, you can see speedo and gear indicator on left - fuel, temp and oil gauges on right.  Interesting that it has gauges not lights for temp and pressure (probably has a charge light somewhere), but is that enough to make it optional?  I'd guess an optional cluster would include a tach and/or clock.

I've seen many of these cars and most of them have idiot lights.

Edited October 22, 2022 by Pfeil (see edit history)

[CHuDWah]

2 minutes ago, Pfeil said:

I've seen many of these cars and most of them have idiot lights.

That's why I said it's interesting that it has temp and oil gauges rather than lights.  I looked up the 75 Cutlass owner's manual (couldn't find a 76) and it says lights for temp and oil.  Gauges may have been standard in 76 or standard on S but not other trims - either would explain why they don't appear as an option on the window sticker.

[Pfeil]

1 minute ago, CHuDWah said:

That's why I said it's interesting that it has temp and oil gauges rather than lights.  I looked up the 75 Cutlass owner's manual (couldn't find a 76) and it says lights for temp and oil.  Gauges may have been standard in 76 or standard on S but not other trims - either would explain why they don't appear as an option on the window sticker.

What does Steve say. He's sold hundreds of them.

[CHuDWah]

5 minutes ago, Pfeil said:

What does Steve say. He's sold hundreds of them.

*sigh*  Not being Steve, I dunno what he says, especially since he hasn't said it.  I just stated an opinion, which should be obvious from the way I phrased it.  Take it or leave it, your prerogative.  Either way, I don't care enough to pursue it.

[STEVE POLLARD]

20 hours ago, Twisted Shifter said:

HEY!    That IS my father's Oldsmobile!

Twisted Shifter - is the Cutlass still available ?  I left a post yesterday on the Olds forum asking about it...

 

Thanks !

Edited October 22, 2022 by STEVE POLLARD (see edit history)

[Walt G]

In the Olds Club in Wisconsin photo the gray one with white top on the right side - our family bought one when it was 2 years old but was silver with a dark blue top. Had the 350 V8. My mom worked for a Cadillac agency in Hempstead , NY and the Olds came in on a trade. Nice car drove well but I found that in wet weather the rear wheels would spin on the pavement. I was not trying a burn out but depending upon the road /wet /possible ice conditions the traction was not to great. Didn't loose traction all the time but enough for me to remember it now. I liked the car we had , cloth interior was really well done also and wore well.

[Twisted Shifter]

2 hours ago, Walt G said:

In the Olds Club in Wisconsin photo the gray one with white top on the right side - our family bought one when it was 2 years old but was silver with a dark blue top. Had the 350 V8. My mom worked for a Cadillac agency in Hempstead , NY and the Olds came in on a trade. Nice car drove well but I found that in wet weather the rear wheels would spin on the pavement. I was not trying a burn out but depending upon the road /wet /possible ice conditions the traction was not to great. Didn't loose traction all the time but enough for me to remember it now. I liked the car we had , cloth interior was really well done also and wore well.

Could well have been the tires that caused the traction problems. I have owned El Caminos and Rancheros and, with proper tires, never had traction problems in the rain even with their notoriously light rear weight. Never encountered icy conditions, though, so that certainly could cause slipping.

[John_S_in_Penna]

My parents had a 1975 Oldsmobile Cutlass,

and they never reported its being treacherous

in wet weather or in snow.  In fact, they lived in

a snowy climate (sometimes 100 inches a year)

and on a hill.

 

They kept that Cutlass longer than any other car

up to that time, and eventually I drove it regularly.

I found it entirely satisfactory in those conditions.

[Walt G]

We tried several different brands of tires and there was never any really noticeable elimination of the problem . Just seems the rear end was to light.

[rocketraider]

Car still available as of this morning.

 

U21 Rallye-Pac gage package was extra cost option. Owner may have added it; those years it's a simple swap provided the connector pins don't break.😁

[Stude Light]

Here's a 1974 Cutlass you can pick up for $20.....well, if you're feeling lucky.

https://www.reoldsmuseum.org/events/car-raffle/

Drawing is Nov 14th so you don't have to wait too long. Less than 1900 tickets sold currently.

[rocketraider]

Reminds me I need to send the REOTM some money...

 

That's a nice enough AF37 base Cutlass, but with black interior and no A/C not the most practical car here in the hot and humid Southeast! And way too nice to drive in winter!

[STEVE POLLARD]

10 hours ago, rocketraider said:

Car still available as of this morning.

I made contact with the owner...... will be speaking to him tomorrow...🙂

[STEVE POLLARD]

19 hours ago, STEVE POLLARD said:

I made contact with the owner...... will be speaking to him tomorrow...🙂

I spoke with the owner...really nice, very honest with everything that has been done with the car. Both sides of the vehicle has been painted and clear coated.... the trunk and hood is original. There was surface rust issues on the doors - no rust thru, that resulted in the paint work. The car was judge 983 / 1000 points at a National Olds meet a few years back ( deduction was due to the added duel exhaust system and a crack in the trunk weatherstripping ) The price is very negotiable .....   still thinking this over...

 

 

 

[Steve Moskowitz]

What's there to think about?   

[STEVE POLLARD]

Being that the car has been painted and if I was to show it, what category would it fall under ?

[rocketraider]

It would remain in its current class in OCA judging. A Best of Class in junior moves the car into Senior, which I believe stays with the car even if it changes ownership. Once it earns a Best of Class Senior it moves to Preservation Senior and retains that status as long as it meets a minimum score on the OCA 1000-point scoresheet.

 

With the paint work, IDK where it would fall in AACA. "I" would consider it eligible for HPOF since the paint work on the sides was done to preserve the car. But I am also not an AACA class expert.

[rocketraider]

1 hour ago, Steve Moskowitz said:

What's there to think about?   

You had best think fast before our Fearless Leader develops designs on it! Be glad it wasn't sold new in Merrillville!😆

[EmTee]

17 hours ago, STEVE POLLARD said:

There was surface rust issues on the doors - no rust thru, that resulted in the paint work.

I had the same issue with my wife's '77 Century.  The way the body rolls inward toward the rocker panels exposes the lower body to debris thrown by the tires.  Since the car was driven year-round, salt & stones thrown by the tires would strip the paint from the lower portion of the body behind the tires.  I had to sand and repaint that area every couple of years.

 

Since you won't have to worry about winter driving with this car it shouldn't be a problem.  Hope you and the seller can come together on price; it seems like a nice example of a car that was extremely popular at the time.

[Pfeil]

3 hours ago, EmTee said:

I had the same issue with my wife's '77 Century.  The way the body rolls inward toward the rocker panels exposes the lower body to debris thrown by the tires.  Since the car was driven year-round, salt & stones thrown by the tires would strip the paint from the lower portion of the body behind the tires.  I had to sand and repaint that area every couple of years.

 

Since you won't have to worry about winter driving with this car it shouldn't be a problem.  Hope you and the seller can come together on price; it seems like a nice example of a car that was extremely popular at the time.

I could never understand how designers had cars built that way. They could have flared the fender at the bottoms of the wheelhouse. One of the reasons I said in my earlier post of adding wheel arch and rocker molding, however the curved in portion of the fender/door extends upward beyond the bottom of the doors and exposes the paint to rocks, gravel etc. There were some cars that had extended rocker molding like 64-67 Bonneville, 75-79 Cadillac Seville, and even some, not all 75-79 X bodies (Omega, Nova, can only get rocker molding, Buick Skylark and Phoenix can get rocker molding and corresponding bottom door molding. That molding fit the doors along with rocker molding to prevent this potential rock pelting. see below;

 

[Frank DuVal]

4 hours ago, EmTee said:

Since you won't have to worry about winter driving with this car it shouldn't be a problem. 

I had the dealer repaint that area on my company car (77 Malibu 4 door) after driving it from April to July.... But of course I put as many miles on it in that time period as this collector car will get in the next 10 years or more!

Edited October 25, 2022 by Frank DuVal (see edit history)

[STEVE POLLARD]

21 hours ago, rocketraider said:

You had best think fast before our Fearless Leader develops designs on it! Be glad it wasn't sold new in Merrillville!

No, I don't want our Leader doing that .... lol     I'll be talking with the seller again tomorrow( I have a few days off ) to go over a few things....