“Patina” and “provenance” have been flogged so mercilessly by cable TV auction announcers that they might as well be food words, words that leave me feeling a vague dread as if I’ve done something wrong, words such as “moist,” “tender,” “juicy,” “succulent,” “decadent.” Shiver… Regardless of the tired and lazy words used to describe it, give me a car with a memoir worth reading any day over anything with a chalk mark restoration. Since when does an old car have to be free of flaws to deserve our affection? I prefer to call any car or owner of such a car a member of the 20-footer club. This is in no way a cut down.
The patina *ugh* trend has been, I think, good for the hobby, because your average car person is no longer embarrassed by their car’s flaws, as if they should have been in the first place; this website’s love for the well-loved and well-used car is an example of that.
I’m a card carrying member of the 20-footer club. Using Old Cars Weekly’s 1-6 Collector Car Rating System, the low-3, high-4 lunch table is my purview (notice that Old Cars Weekly also refers to the 20-footer). These aren’t beaters, but any concours guy wearing khaki pants would be as disgusted with my love for the high-4 as I am with food words. That’s why I walked at a brisk pace, no…ran toward this ’64 Cutlass. I just knew that these were my people. This car is PERFECT.
It sat next to a very similar convertible, but the coupe in its Tahitian Yellow may as well have been emitting pheromones. I was lucky not to walk right into cross traffic after seeing the little chips in its paint. Although it too was not a show car, I barely looked at the convertible, and I really, really like deep reds. It just didn’t give off the same vibe.
Lest you think that I’m a rat rod guy or something, I want to reiterate that a 20-footer is different. It’s got to look good from a distance. It can’t be rolling trash. It can’t be held together with baling wire and a prayer. This Cutlass is a classic example: The paint MAY be original, but it’s more likely a repaint from 40-odd years ago that now shows its age.
It looks like some wheel lip trim is missing. If this were a Michigan car, I would have guessed it had corroded and fallen off somewhere on I-475 in 1973, but this car has been more fortunate.
It has a Missouri inspection sticker from 1988. I hear that Missouri also makes a spectacle out of salting its roads, but a car from the Show Me State has a far better chance of showing up in one piece than anything from what was then called the “Water-Winter Wonderland.”
Digression: I’ve mentioned before that the 1964-67 General Motors A-Body may be the best old car ever. At the risk of offending their owners (of whom I am one), they are not really the best at anything, but they’re pretty good at almost everything (except maybe brakes). Their squarish styling still looks crisp today, their powertrains were all durable and reasonably powerful, their suspensions were simple and effective, and their interiors were well-trimmed and roomy(ish). The aftermarket is well-stocked with suspension and driveline upgrades if one feels they need upgrading, but even in factory trim the A-Body is a relatively modern feeling old car.
I drove this 20-footer (40-something-year-old cracked lacquer, pitted trim, etc.) on a hundred-mile round trip to attend the car show where I saw the Cutlass. When I got home, I said out loud, “this is the best old car ever.” And I’ve owned it for 18 years. I still can’t believe how good it is at simply being an old car.
Back to the Cutlass: With apologies for the psychedelic photograph, it has a bucket seat and console interior with a floor shift. The Cutlass came with a very good 330 cubic-inch Oldsmobile small block under the hood, although a Buick V6 was standard in the basic F-85. The floor shifter is most likely attached to a two-speed Jetaway automatic that Oldsmobile shared with Buick and Pontiac, although only Buick and Oldsmobile used a “switch-pitch” torque converter. It’s important to note that the B-O-P two-speed was NOT a Powerglide and was a significantly different design.
The Cutlass Holiday Hardtop was the second-best selling F-85 in 1964, a few thousand units behind the F-85 Deluxe Sedan. This beautiful, perfectly not perfect member of the 20-footer club explains why. Chances are good that its owner drove it many miles on the freeway at the speed limit to get to the show. When they pulled in the garage, chances are also good that they said “this is the best old car ever.” Welcome to the club.
Ooooooooooohhh!!!! The 64 Cutlass is not often enough seen. As one who spent 8 car-crazy-kid years in one (1964-72) I would have run towards this car just as fast as you did.
The seats have been reupholstered in a correct style but with modern cloth where vinyl should have been, and while the console is right, the shift lever is not. These had a thin T-style shifter with buttons coming out of each side – a real one for the thumb (to get it out of park) and a fake one by your pinkie, as shown in the picture.
I am coming around to the idea that the 1964 GM A body may have been one of the most consequential cars of the entire postwar era. The 1960 compacts and especially the Mustang get all the love and all the press, but it was these that convinced America that something less than a “standard sized” car could do front line service for almost anyone in a way that made no compromise other than its size. As you note, these did so many things well and very little poorly, and by the time this body’s run was over, the U.S. market was entirely different than what it had been before. And I would argue that this car (in all four flavors) was a major, major reason for that.
PS – it’s too bad the subject car was backed up to the trees, because it prevented you from photographing one of the coolest rear end designs of its era. I am not sure another Cutlass ever equaled the great design with the sixteen equally-sized segments across the back – perfectly sized for 3 on each end for taillights and the 10 in the middle to spell out Oldsmobile.
I recognize that it could be my familiarity that is skewing my tastes on this, but it would actually be a great question/contest for the best looking rear end on a car of 1964. The Thunderbird would certainly be up there, but I’m having a hard time coming up with another that works so well with the car’s overall design and on its own as this one. It certainly belongs in the top ten.
I agree…I think the perfect Cutlass (for me) would combine the ’65 front end with the ’64 rear end.
Mitchell and his team just got these a bodies so right – all the variants were handsome and all had their own identities. With the “right sized” package, great proportions and well designed running gear, no wonder they sold so well and had such an influential effect on the overall market. That Sklark is a particularly handsome example.
Just wonderful to see this Olds – as you say, “20 footers” are not too precious to be used regularly and smart enough not to have to make excuses for. I drive a 50 year old car every day – I’m keeping it mechanically as good as possible, but have decided against a repaint.
I can thus enjoy it without worrying about one little stone chip destroying my “investment”.
If you drive your stuff at all, it’s going to get bugged, chipped, and tarred. I’d be constantly anxious if I owned a show car, which is probably why a lot of show car people don’t drive their cars that much.
Being the owner of a 20 footer ’68 Plymouth Fury VIP, I am most gratified to not be alone in a love of perfectly imperfect cars. I’d much rather look at something like the Cutlass than any of the over done ’66-’67 A body Chevys which in my local area all start to look alike. Some days I feel like someone passed a law that “all old cars must be hot rodded” a law I happily break while soldiering on with my 318 2barrel Mopars.
Maybe the photo will show up this time!
One last time, I have no idea why sometimes I can attach a photo and other times I can not.
Maybe its something about one of my computer settings.
Try reducing the size of the photo, Patrick.
They need to be less than 1200 pixels in any direction (width or height).
Preview (Mac) and Photos (Windows) have the feature that allows you to resize the photos. Both apps are included in the operating system so no need to download or pay for anything.
Preview: Tools -> Adjust Resize
Photos: … (in the upper right corner) -> Resize
Adjust the photos to less than 1200 pixels in either length or width.
Yes – the first generation of intermediate size cars are good cars that recreated that perfect balance of practical daily use and comfort. There are many admirable rides from many makes. It is difficult not to like any of them.
My uncle bought a new ’64 Cutlass coupe in Fern Mist poly. At the time I had never seen another one. Clean clean styling, too bad the 400 didn’t appear until ’65. Uncle moved to Florida and worked as a contractor on the Disney monorail around ’70 and he kept that Cutlass until the mid 70s.
Always liked these from day one. I would be hard pressed to say which of the three B-O-P ’64 intermediates was/is my favorite. They’re all sweet.
My first car was this. or very close. Got it in 67, when I got my license at 16. Oldsmobile F-85 Cutlass Holiday hardtop. Has to be one of the longest names for a car. Same color with a Brassy gold painted roof, which I likened to the color of an infants main byproduct and took it to the local Olds Dealer, Carlson Olds on Lindbergh, near my home, and had the roof painted a glossy Black. Otherwise, the same. 330 V8, auto trans, Bucket seats. Olds spec wire wheel covers. AM single speaker radio which I changed out to AMFM 4 speakers when a local am FM station changed formats from easy listening to album Rock. Good car, took me and friends on many adventures in High School and into College. Was unfortunately broadsided on Clayton Road at Woods Mill rd. in Dec of 70. That is when my 68 Cougar entered my life.
Patina, a truly abused word now. Every time I see a 50s vehicle, whose body is down to the primer and slight surface rust sprayed in clear and then labeled patina, I want to flog myself with a wiring harness. Then again maybe they are the ones to be flogged.
Yeah, it’s just like barn finds…just an excuse to not clean up your car before you sell it.
Patina…. Provenance…
Shades of Antiques Roadshow, as celebrated on the show Fraiser. Fraiser and Niles are surprised to discover that their father Martin is a fan of antiques and the Roadshow. They turn it into a drinking game, rewarding themselves for each uttered “veneer!”.
Patina or concours – there’s always a clear preference as far as I’m concerned.
But that convertible does look good
My first new car was a 64 Cutlass HT. Midnight blue with a white interior and a 4 speed. Great times with it till I got drafted and had to sell it.
Patina is bull$#it .
This is a very nice survivor .
I’ve always loved the 1964 Olds, I remember them in the show room in West Newton .
-Nate
These “20 footer” cars seem to be the ideal classic cars. They are worn in just enough that you wouldn’t get a heart attack from stone chips and whatnot, but they still look presentable and respectable. If I had the means to own a car I’d definitely go for a classic in similar condition
I appreciate all of this love for the 64-67 GM A-bodies. I’ve owned many but only one very rusty 64 Cutlass. Even in California the 64s seemed more rust prone than 65 and up. I agree that these did almost everything well with brakes being the weakest part. Fortunately brake technology has improved and it’s easy to upgrade them. The two speed Jet-Away will make you wish for a first gear to get off the line but the switch-pitch is a delightful kick in the rear-end. I had high compression 4 barrel 330s and 442s with the 400s. The 330s never got any attention but in my opinion gave me more bang for the buck combining good performance and decent mileage.
In my early days of Skylark ownership, I almost swapped in a Turbo 350. With 2.78 gears in back and that tall first gear, it doesn’t get off the line in any hurry. Instead, I just kept buying cars and I find now that I’m not in that much of a hurry anyway. One less thing to worry about!
One thing that was kind of a learning experience was disassembling the switch-pitch microswitch that’s attached to the carburetor. I don’t think it was ever meant to come apart, but mine wouldn’t kick down to first, so I had to clean the contacts. What a neat contraption! Electromechanical switches were how they did things back then.
Oh, ‘scuze me, did I hear somebody say something about electromechanical switches being how things were done back then?
That is amazing. It looks like Ford used a similar system on the ’65 T-Bird and later Cougars with sequential taillights.
http://www.thuntek.net/cougars_unlimited/tbseqts.htm
My Cougar has that kind of switch stashed down in the left quarter. By about the age of 10 it just wouldn’t spin anymore. So then you would only get the central light to flash. In the early 90s a box came out to take the place. Unplug, plug, and play with a nice and steady sequential signals. A Cougar isn’t a Cougar unless they flash.
Before cheap reliable solid state components mechanical was the way.
Motor actuated flashers were common in HD applications; particularly for alternating lamps.
One type wasn’t much bigger than a common automotive flasher. Its clear plastic cylinder shape housing was about the size of a D-Cell battery. The spinning motor and contact operation could be observed to confirm operation.
Added a sequential turn signal kit to my ‘88 Fiero…always thought they were cool.
Well cared for driver. My kind of car. A genuine “Curbside Classic.”
I would say the best looking A-Body of this generation goes like this:
64- Oldsmobile
65- Pontiac
66- Chevy
67 – Buick but without the fender skirts.
Even though its a slushbox I’d be all over this.
Almost boughts a ’65 Buick Sportwagon….still want one………grew up in a stripper 65 Buick wagon! Love the A bodies
I agree that preservation should be the emphasis of old car ownership. Especially if the car is already in pretty good original shape. That doesn’t mean that areas of the body can’t be touched up or resprayed, or insert panels sewn into the original upholstery to repair it. Missing trim can be replaced with used parts, the idea is to retain the original character of the car.
My Skylark is a 20 footer. Sure, I’d like it to have a showcar paint job. Until the first time I drove or parked it. I was paranoid enough after some recent rust repairs & a partial respray.
My mom’s father was a physician and an Oldsmobile man. I remember this ’64 Olds ever so distinctly, with the console and T-shifter as JPC pointed out. It had stock wheel covers. It was a light blue inside and out. I saw it the most when he would stop at the house and take me and my brother up to Lake Lanier to troll for bass. We moved back to ATL in early 1968 and at some point he traded it (at Royal Olds) for a new ’68 Cutlass in a slightly darker blue. It was bone stock, my grandfather was never in a hurry. It was his last car; my aunt totaled it on I-285 maybe a year after he died. My grandmother had a matching color ’64 Olds Ninety Eight with those super straight lines and fender blades. The first car I remember he had was a ’61 F-85 convertible (black/red) that spent a lot of time in the shop, and I later found out it was because it had an aluminum engine block. That was a gorgeous car, but I rarely saw it because we lived elsewhere. Some of my best memories. I miss my grandparents.
I too love the GM A bodies, ’64 through to ’72, perfect size and wonderful fun drivers. Here’s my 20 footer ’69 Cutlass Holiday Sedan. Just re-did the Rocket 350 V8 top to bottom and it runs great, but the original near rust-free Oklahoma body and interior will stay untouched, chips, dings, tears, warts and all.
That’s a beauty! You don’t see a four-door hardtop too often.
My Dad had the next year (’65) Oldsmobile he bought at Val Preda in South Burlington, Vt, new. It wasn’t a planned purchase; we were moving from Catonsville, Md to Burlington, Vt. in fact we were staying in a motel near our home in Catonsville where right outside my Dad had an accident that totalled his ’63 Rambler wagon (2nd of 2…we also had a ’61 previously). Apparently someone waved him on to go ahead, but a driver in the other lane didn’t get the memo, and he ran right into the side of the Ramber. My Grandmother was staying with us in the motel, and she had to pick pieces of glass out of my Dad’s skin (wonder why in retrospect, shouldn’t the ’63 had safety glass)?
My Dad had to start his new job (why we were moving) without a car…I’m guessing he flew up to Burlington and after work had someone recommend a place to buy a car (he didn’t know anyone (yet) in Burlington, he was hired in East Fishkill NY and had started working there but the job was ultimately up in Burlington, so he likely didn’t know anyone yet till he started working. He bought a green (all his cars were green for years, we have an Irish surname, so sure that’s part of it) new F85 wagon with the 330. It had an AM radio and heater, and automatic, and power rear tailgate window (the ones on the Ramblers were all crank type) with a twist knob on the dash to move it up and down. The tailgate eventually had the “artwork” of our next-door neighbor’s son who scribbled with a permanent black magic marker on the inside of the gate. It also had the “disappearing” ash tray on the front dash (rotated inside the dash) which we played with endlessly. It probably sounds bad by today’s standards, but as kids we spent lots of time in the car alone waiting for our parents to finish shopping, running errands, etc. and I guess we were a trial, so we were left to babysit my youngest (at that time) sister waiting in the car. Probably not so much in the winter, but when the weather was OK, we would talk, play with stuff in the car, and look out the windows, so it seems I remember more about the (inside) of cars my Dad owned when I was of this age….vividly recall the vinyl inside the “wagon” with some circles embossed in it, when I would spend time laying back there on trips (yes, we would ride in the back, not in the seat, it provided some “separation” from siblings who would fight now and again.
The Olds was a good car, but it was kind of a stepping stone, he only kept it until my Dad moved up from midsized Olds to fullsized ’69 Ford he also bought new (I think the only car my Dad bought used was a ’59 Beetle, all the others were bought new). It was his first car with a V8 (and power rear window) and his only mid-size (thinking Ramblers were compacts rather than mid-size). We used it with our Camp O’Tel cartop camper (we had started camping around 1967 or so) which was a neat package, but we soon outgrew it, as my (now departed) youngest sister was yet to be born, in 1970. My Dad would buy his last wagon, a GM (Chevrolet Caprice Classic) in 1978…by then, he’d stopped buying green cars (our ’73 Ranch wagon was metallic brown), I don’t think he bought another green car the rest of his life (green became a much less common color to be offered in cars as time went on, as well).
Yep that’s my 20 footer some day going to clean it up and repaint it but just having to much fun driving it.
Don’t be in a hurry, Daniel. 🙂
Mom’s best friend Kathryn had a very nice ‘64 Holiday. It was white w/black interior, 330 2 barrel & 2 spd auto. Kathryn had bought it new & took really good care of it for the over 20 years she owned it. Sometime around 1986 or so she decided to replace it w/some new crap American compact sedan, it may have been a Ford possibly (I was so annoyed that I didn’t really care) I always wished I had known beforehand that she wanted to sell the Olds. Of course I never saw it again & to this day would still love to find a good example……someday!