(first posted 9/24/2013) OK, right off the bat: I love Broughams. Cadillac, Mercury Marquis, Gran Torino–I can find something positive to say about all of them, never mind the strangled engines, chintzy material quality and indifferent assembly. But just last week I saw perhaps the finest Brougham I’ve found all year, a 1977 Cutlass Supreme Brougham coupe. And there’s a family memory related to this one, folks!
What is a Brougham? A Brougham should be classy and comfortable, with a quiet ride, smooth V8 power and all sorts of power assists and gadgets to keep up the interest level as the vehicle ages. The Colonnade Cutlass Supreme Brougham hit all of those targets with a solid “10.”
There is little doubt that the Cutlass Supreme Brougham coupe was the finest, most luxurious, most attractive and -quite indisputably- the most popular of the 1973-77 GM Colonnade mid-sizers. Yes, the same Colonnades that 1968-72 A-body snobs deride, are hated by performance enthusiasts and panned by collectors even today. But I don’t give a flying flip what others think: I love ’em!
A lot of folks who enjoy Colonnades prefer the purer 1973-75 models with their scalloped rocker panels, relatively less obtrusive Federally-mandated bumpers and, at least in 1975 models with swivel-bucket seats, reversible upholstery cushions with cloth on one side and vinyl on the other. But despite its similarity to the ’76-’77 Buick Regal coupe, my favorite is the ’76-’77 Cutlass Supreme coupe–and being a Brougham only adds to its appeal!
Why a Brougham? Oh, that’s easy, With the Brough-ham you got the nice, cushy velour upholstery and ultra-comfy floating-pillow seating. Not to mention flossier trim, both inside and out.
Even back-seat passengers did not miss out on the luxury, with poofy, oh-so-comfortable pseudo-buckets in the rear compartment. And the middle passenger? Fuggedabout’em! This car was meant to ferry two upwardly mobile young couples out on the town to have a fine time. A fifth passenger was just a third wheel, man!
Today, when even luxury makes are looking like boring, silver Blandmobiles, these Cutlasses may look tacky, with their ample chrome, stand-up hood ornament and floating-pillow interior trim; but in their day, they were classy. Owning a Cutlass Supreme Brougham in the mid-Seventies meant you were On Your Way Up. Some might call them cheesy anachronisms, but I love their lines. They are truly a classic design–and don’t let the anti-Colonnade brigade tell you otherwise!
I love all CSBs, but what really drew me to this example was that it is absolutely identical to my cousin Dawn’s first car. About 1987, my Uncle Don found her a nice, solid ’77 Cutlass Supreme identical to this one, with Super Stock wheels, whitewalls, silver-blue metallic paint and white vinyl roof.
Well, almost. Dawn’s car was NOT a Brougham, and it made do with a light-blue pleated vinyl interior. I was about seven at the time, and we happened to be at my aunt and uncle’s house the day Don brought it home. I remember being in my cousin Suzy’s room upstairs when Aunt Candy called up to us that the car was here; I looked out the second-story window and was immediately smitten with the silver-blue Cutlass.
That car was sharp. Many Cutlass Supremes were running around the Quad Cities in the late ’80s, but most of them were rusted-out refugees; Dawn’s looked nearly new. I remember going for a ride in it through Credit Island Park, sitting in the back seat and looking out that narrow opera window at the Mississip’. A cherished memory, to this day.
I remember Dawn’s CS was not as well equipped as Aunt Candy’s ’76 Cutlass Supreme Brougham. Despite having its paint and glass ruined by the nearby Blackhawk Foundry, that car was much more luxurious, with its maroon crushed velour and digital clock. Dawn’s car had only an “Oldsmobile” logo where Aunt Candy’s car had a state-of-the-art digital quartz timepiece!
And the ’77s had an odd extrusion on the center of the steering wheel; Candy’s ’76 had a smooth steering wheel hub. Also, the cool “eye-socket” A/C vents in the ’76s were replaced with boring rectangular vents on the ’77s. Little did I know that the final-year ’77s received new vents because the molds for the ’73-’76 dash had plumb worn out, something I found out much later. And yes, folks, this CC has a genuine 19K-odd original miles! I had the good fortune to sit in the driver’s seat of this car, and I have to tell you I loved it! The comfort, the nostalgia… shoot, should I buy it?
And while today’s car is missing that oh-so-impressive digital clock, it is otherwise loaded with optional Oldsmobile goodies, including AM/FM stereo, A/C, cruise control and rear-window defogger. Love those wood-grain radio knobs, too!
Today’s car is a beauty. Not only is it in fine original condition, you CCers could make it your own if you so desire. Want the finest Colonnade in the Middle West? All it takes is money…
This car has been pampered, babied, and garaged since new, as you can clearly see from the pristine factory-applied paint, pinstripes and landau vinyl roof.
It is also an original Quad Cities car, sold new at Hacker Oldsmobile, in Moline, which today is home to Green Chrysler-Chevrolet (home of the Town & Country). Look at that paint, that chrome! You cannot duplicate originality like this!
As is oft said, they are only original once. I spotted this car on the way out to my folks on September 19, and upon spotting that silver-blue paint and white landau top, I had to turn around and check it out. Love! Want! Must…take…photos for CC!
Fortunately, the proprietor of South Hampton Service knows my dad, and when I expressed my interest in documenting this fine survivor, Mark not only agreed, but asked, “Would you like me to move it so you can get better pictures?” Oh, yes, thanks!
Not only did that give me a better set of pictures, but I got to hear that fabulous Oldsmobile 350 fire up and run! Yes, Olds got a lot of flak about putting 350 Chevys into their Cutlasses and 88s, but this ’77 has a genuine Olds V8 in it. I have probably heard Olds V8s run before, but I never paid attention. After hearing Mark fire this one up, I must agree with many of you in CC: The Olds V8 has a great sound all its own, and…it sounds fine! Blub-blub-blub-blub-blub… heaven!
And if that isn’t enough, this Brougham is among the last of the Colonnades, with a build date of June 1977–just before the Aeroback Salons and notchback CS A-bodies came on line. The last of the most popular Olds in history…
Mark is putting a new water pump in this lovely car, but the current owner wants to sell and I am intrigued. I love it…but do I need it? No–but I love it! Should I buy? What’s the price? Can the V50 sit outside? Arrgh…I am so dazed and confused by this lovely car! Should I buy it? Should you? What do you think?
Buy it….enjoy it….and not regret it!
Sounds like you WILL either buy it or regret having passed it up.
I am not the biggest fan of 70s GM cars, but this one is a beauty. Oldsmobile did almost everything right on these and got the sales numbers to confirm it. I am also a sucker for this color combo, and if a guy likes Broughamalicious velour seats, there are few better than these.
I didn’t really care much about these when they were everywhere (and I mean EVERYWHERE). But now, I am starting to really like these, and I don’t think that there is a more attractive package from the colonnade generation than these Cutlass Supreme coupes.
It sounds like you need to buy this car, Tom. Yes, the Volvo can sit outside, or you can rent a garage somewhere in the winter months. It’s only money, right? 🙂
Buy it. It’s want you want, it’s in great shape, and your excitement about it nearly jumps off the computer screen. What’s the down side in buying it? It’s only money, you’ll make more.
And, look at it this way: You buy it and put 5000 miles per year on it. In ten years what do you have? A low mileage ’77 Olds Cutlass Supreme that has been living a pampered life with you.
Cars from the 1970’s are the best of many worlds – style and comfort combined with good brakes and a generally awesome ride. Even if you don’t like it after purchase, you would have no trouble re-selling it.
You make a great point about how these cars hit kind of a sweet spot between old and modern. In addition to the great brakes and good suspensions, the Olds 350 V8 and the Turbo Hydramatic is a hard combo to beat for trouble-free long-term ownership. With any kind of care at all, the powertrain will never give you any significant trouble.
Sorry, Tom – you MADE me look!
How much are they asking???
Wow! That car is EXACTLY like one a friend bought in May,1977! Same color, inside & out including the white landau top. He bought it right after he got engaged (he got married two weeks after I did, in Sept. 1977 – Wifey and I recently celebrated 36 years!)
He drove a 1974 Jeep CJ5 at the time, and he knew his future wife wouldn’t go for that, so a car it had to be. I drove a 1976 C-20 then, and my fiancée never complained – she refers to it to this day as the “fire engine”!
Unfortunately, his first marriage didn’t last…
If there was ever a Colonnade that had my eye, this was the model, right alongside the 1973 Grand Am, FIXED-GLASS and all – my apologies to Syke…
I’m glad the car had good A/C, though, when I was a back seat passenger one hot, humid day that summer…
There’s something about that color combo that seems just right for this car. Buy it, she’s a real beauty!
My brother /sister in law married in “Jan, 77”. They got an “arrowback , 78 Olds” in spring of “78”.
The car stayed pretty good ; got a garage in “1981”.
I think it got traded in round “84”.
I remember a bit a rust in that area between the bumper end and the front,wheel well.
I too, have fond Cutlass memories from the Midwest. My grandparents’ neighbors in Louisiana, Mo were big Olds people and they had a light metallic green Cutlass from the 73-75 run. For some reason my favorite detail was the flap covering the filler over the bumper….
This is it, the best expression of Colonnade style. It smooths over the styling excesses of the original and results in a good-looking automobile that was just right for the time.
My only complaint with these, having spent some time in them, is the lack of rear-seat legroom.
Ohhh now that is nice.
I’m going to say it again, I wish they still made cars like this.
I, for some reason, like the 70’s A-bodys. Then again I like the 80’s A-body too even if it did go fwd.
It’s kind of funny to me that the Cutlass was the best selling version of this body style. I can count 7 Buick (76-77) colonade 2 doors that family and family friends had, but only one Cutlass. My parents had a black 77 Regal 350 (love me some Buick chrome road wheels), Aunt/Uncle had a Century (special?) with the 3.8, Great Aunt had a Century with a 350, and I think the others I remember were also Century coupes. All bought at Lallas Buick in Lowell MA. (Great Uncle was a mechanic there for decades)
Thank you for solving the mystery of why Oldsmobile would re-do the dash on a car that was going away. I could never figure out why they changed the vents and I didn’t think moving the clock in front of the passenger was a good reason. Though I was never a big Colonnade fan, those 76-77 Cutlass Supreme Broughams were my favorite. The smooth flanks and that great waterfall grill just exuded class and that interior was far nicer than than anything else in the segment; only the Cordoba’s soft Corinthian leather was comparable.
That dash was integral from the launch of the ’73’s . . . .
The 77 dash unique to that year. Different composition. Looks similar to previous years.
I owned a ’76 Cutlass Salon similar to this example. It had bucket seats and a darker blue interior – the landau roof was dark blue. It also had T-top panels. I drove it for several years and then sold it to my brother who drove it for maybe 15 more years. It was the 350-Olds engine. Interesting story about the re-design of the dash because the molding tools wore out.
Buy it & swap in a Th2004r tranny, then it’ll be perfect.
Can’t agree. I could see it if you are dealing with a garden-variety old Cutlass that you are refurbishing and planning to drive regularly. But a 19K mile time capsule that is only going to see limited use, I would strenuously vote to leave it be. A car is only original once, and that state should not be discarded lightly. It’s not like the THM 350 is an unpleasant unit to drive. Hell, if the car still had one of those miserable GM 2 speed automatics, I would probably still leave it alone in a car like this.
My daily ’65 F85 still has the 2 speed Jetaway in it and I have no problem with it. I mean sure more speeds would get me more gas mileage but the two speed is part of the “old car experience.” I figure it’s an old car and shouldn’t be driven 65-70+ mph regularly where you really need the third gear.
The 3rd gear doesn’t get you anything at 65-70 since all the 2sp and 3sp GM automatics had direct drive top gears. Where it helps is between 15 mph and 50 mph where it is nice to have something between lugging and rapping.
The THM 350 drove just fine. Had to rebuild mine after reverse became a problem on a cold morning. When the overdrive trans blew on my ’82 Eighty-Eight, my mechanic installed a THM 350.
The Turbo Hydramatic 350 is more durable in my opinion
GM cars in those years had real tall rear axle ratios, like 2.41 for a lot of those A-bodies, so the THM 350 would be fine for the hwys. My dad had a 1979 Deville and it had a 2.28 final drive ratio w/ a 425 c.i. V8 and the THM 400. I had a 75 Buick Skylark with the Buick 350, and it had a 2.56? ratio with the THM350 and it was fine too.
The THM200-4R are not as strong unless they are the versions for the Monte Carlo SS’s, Buick Grand Nationals, or HUrst Olds/ 442 of the 80’s, then they would be ok, although I would leave such a pristine Cutlass car stock with the original THM350 in the car .
Good thing the original buyer paid extra for that Ziebart protection from midwestern winters. “That TruCoat, you don’t get it and you get oxidization problems!”
Say what you will about Olds styling; you can’t fault the Super Stock rims. Keep your 19″ alloys, I’ll take a nice set of 14″ Super Stocks painted to match the body color any day.
There are some surviving ’70’s Cutlasses on Oahu – and Ziebart in house was offered (from then Aloha Motors Chevy/Oldsmobile where Kapiolani and Kalakua met). Unfortunately, that and the Quaker State “black goo” rustproof eventually would dry out and unless you were meticulous on washing and waxing, Hawaiian salt air would cause rust bubble to form around the opera windows (not vinyl top A’s) or below the C pillar belt (but this would happen even in California as water would get trapped there). Trunk lips would bubble up too. In fact, even those who did take very good care of the bodies would still experience some bubbling on trunk lips and the A-pillar windshield areas . . .
I heard about that place…that’s where the new cars were stored on racks 4-high to save space.
Even better, they were all 15 inch by ’76.
“Ziebart”, in “wstrn PA” , in the “70’s” just ran out of the car as “black goop” for the first five years.. lol
Come to think of it, did in my “81 Citation” too.
You’ll not find another like this, Tom. I can tell just from the number of photos you shot that you’re in love with it, so take it home. The Volvo is a stout Swede, and it won’t mind sitting outside. I’m not a fan of these, but it’s a beautiful survivor and deserves a caring home.
In another 5 or 6 years, Tom will wish that the Volvo were built as well as this car. 🙂
Tom I think you should buy it . You are taken with the color and low mileage of the car, I think you truly want it, so Enjoy, Can always sell to another Olds lover later.
Grab it. I would if I was on the Mainland . . .
Great to see this car this morning! I regard a ’76 Supreme Brougham as my 1st car, I briefly had a ’73 Supreme but I discovered it had too much Bondo and I sold it quickly.
I prefer the ’76 on some points Tom mentions. NO question, mine had an Olds 350 4bbl, the script style writing for the Olds name on the grill is much more appropriate than the block letters on ’77 and up Olds products, the round dash vents are proper Cutlass fare. I always wondered why the ’77 got an updated dash in it’s final season, and now I know.
Hopefully you can see something in the attached pictures of my ’76. I paid $3,200 for it in ’83 with under 60K miles. It came from a natural gas company executive that bought it new, he bought a new Century diesel (ouch!). My Supreme was loaded with all options but the T-top and the 455. I had been hunting for a T-top, but I always found them in poor condition.
In the photos you can see my Mom’s ’78 Caprice in the street, and through the windows you can see the neighbor’s ’78 Impala 2 door sedan. Hard to see, the Impala was white vinyl over light blue, and matched their white over light blue home perfectly! That Impala was unusually loaded with power windows, locks, and more.
My Cutlass gave way to a 307 ’82 Delta 88 Royale Brougham 2 door, loaded with everything (including fiber optic lamp monitors – very cool) but the CB radio and sunroof. The CSB was a much more satisfying car to drive with its 350. But, rust, a complete repaint, and more rust became a problem on the Cutlass. Would still love to have my CSB back!
Tom, if you buy that car, you have to add proper Cutlass mud flaps – every self respecting Cutlass had them back in the day!
When I was a teenager (circa 1981 – 1982) I cut the grass for an elderly couple who had a Cutlass Supreme very similar to yours – same exterior color – but theirs had a white vinyl (leather?) interior with the t-tops. It was gorgeous.
You guys in mid-America can keep the Cutlass mud-flaps. They look like crap! (Yes, they do serve a purpose). . . . . No self respecting West Coast Cutlass ever wore these . . .
They were fun, part of the culture, and kept that newfangled tucked under body from getting sandblasted! Buy them at your Olds emporium at 17 and feel like you’ve made it!
I think of all the colonnades out there, I think I like the ’77’s best, especially the Regals.
I say this because good family friends had a white with red ’77 Regal coupe, and it was one mighty fine vehicle, falling trim pieces notwithstanding.
That was it’s major issue was of the interior trim not staying put very well, if at all. Theirs was not a braugham, I don’t think. It had the vinyl/velour upholstery, and the console with the stirrup shifter for the 3spd automatic and had more of a sporting flair about it.
It was fairly well loaded. Don’t know if it had the tilt wheel, cruise, but had AC, AM/FM 8-track stereo, may have had intermittent wipers, I think it had the rear defroster, metal electric sliding sunroof, and of course, the red vinyl landau roof over white paint. It had ralley wheels on it, and just looked very snazzy in its day.
Mechanically, it was a good one, but like I said, trim pieces kept having their screws back out and fall off in places inside. The stereo kept going bad so that got replaced at least once.
The father had it repainted white at one point, but otherwise, it was kept in very nice shape, and had it since new then their youngest son got it in the mid 80’s and he sold it about a year later.
So that’d be the car I’d buy if I were buying one of these.
A buddy of mine back in ’77 really turned me onto quality of fit and finish. I knew about little defects (on the U.S. cars), but a piece of trim out of line or maybe a little orange peel on the wheel lip behind the rear wheel was kinda “oh well. . . . ”
He drove the point home as his Mom had a brand new BMW 320i which was parked next to his Dad’s business car, a ’77 silver Buick Century V-6 sedan. The hood and front fender clips had uneven gaps and the lip of the hood wasn’t flush with the fiberglass grille surround. This example Cutlass is a wonderful car, but close ups of the interior show the lower dash panels don’t like up and the front bumper filler pieces don’t line up/haphazard assembly.
The Bimmer, of course, was perfection in fit, finish, paint, interior assembly and quality. Friend’s Dad did like the V-6 Century, not for power (it struggled), but that he pretty much could drive from Kentfield (Marin County) to L.A. using only one tank of gas. The Bimmer, I recall was for my friend Dave’s Mom – it was an automatic and being a U.S. – California spec 320i, the 3-speed automatic already took the wind out of the sails of an already emasculated (for California smog spec) car.
Love this car! That’s a beautiful color both inside and out. It makes the interior much more inviting and less depths of hell inferno than the popular maroon interiors. Simply Supreme!
There, but for the grace of God, goes a couple of million dog food cans.
Unfortunately.
The last time I saw one of these that nice was probably in the summer of ’77, when I worked at the Chev-Olds emporium where my Dad worked. Dad got a demo to drive home at night and quite often he opted for a Cutlass. Demos were supposed to be changed out every 3000 miles but every time he grabbed a Cutlass it sold on him before then. I don’t recall seeing many with the full on brougham interior, usually it was vinyl/cloth bench or once in awhile buckets. It was probably the best selling car at the dealership that year, even with the new full sizers.
Nice as these cars were they did not age well in winter climates, so I’m thinking this one hasn’t seen snow despite it’s location. If colonnades are your thing, you’d have a hard time finding one like this. Buy it if you can!
Oh, I’m here Tommy!!!
Be still my heart!
I’ve already shared this at The Brougham Society (which I wish you would hurry up and join!)
If you do buy this, and I hope you do it soon, I will pack up my little wannabe Brougham and travel straight out there and pay you a visit, and you better take me for a ride! Just do it soon before I sell my little wannabe Brougham…
To Mr. Syke, Hmmm…how can I explain my, and others, weird fascination with these overstuffed, overstyled cars???
Believe it or not, I very much appreciate a fine-tuned suspension, an upright driving position, excellent build quality and efficiency that comes from many of the cars you are fond of. Let’s face it, it’s what works best in the world today. What’s fun about cars like this is that they take us back to a time when the world was a little more carefree. Plus, and perhaps for me this is the biggest selling point, cars like this offered a rolling place of refuge from a sometimes rough world. They were a place where you could relax in comfort, enjoy the air conditioning and stereo in peace and quiet and watch the world outside the window as the hood ornament guided the way.
Also, and though I have shared this before, I will share it again…When I was 12, my parents bought a slightly used 1986 Cutlass Supreme Brougham coupe, black with cranberry colored leather, and chrome Super Stock wheels. It turned heads everywhere we went. It was during this time I was in middle school, and I was the epitome of uncool. However, when my parents decided to drop me off in front of the school in that car, all, and I mean ALL the cool kids took notice, and nodded their heads in respect toward me.
So those are the reasons why Broughams, and the Cutlass Supreme Brougham in particular, mean so much to me.
Tom, you have outdone yourself with this one! Please buy it!!!
Nostalgia is a funny thing…When these were new, the prime car-buying age people (able to afford new car) were probably remembering the 50’s and early 60’s when they were growing up fondly (shows like “Happy Days” had come out a few years before)…I’m a bit youger than this but it makes you wonder if they were wishing they could still buy that ’56 Oldsmobile (or maybe DeSoto?) back in 1977? Wonder if the then-recent changes like 5 mph bumpers, unleaded gas, (and 55MPH speed limit) made people wish for earlier times (though without many interstates, I would think it would have been hard to maintain 55MPH per long (only between towns) back in the 50’s….I remember “old timers” telling me that they thought 40-45MPH was “fast” for a car, probably as much a reflection of the roads as the cars at that time (unless you are drag racing, why have a fast car if the road only is practical for slower traffic?)
I guess it is part of human nature though to favor a time when you were younger, and things seemed simpler and more fun (though I’m sure there were many people who had a tough time during the 50’s and 60’s and would have a harder time being nostalgic about it).
The late 70’s saw the begining or Tri-5 Chevys hitting collector status, instead of teen beaters. Prices started rising.
But also, same era was the start of 60’s muscle car collecting, restoring.
A great car in great shape. But I’m always puzzled by why people ordered personal luxury coupes with bench seats?
Bench seats were more common and cheaper than buckets/console. Also, were considered more ‘luxurious. Before seat belt laws, people would ride 3 across, or have kid in center of bench.
When the base Grand Prix was brought out in 1976 with bench seat, and less cash, sales went through the roof.
I believe that the Continental Mark III and Mark IV led the way away from bucket seats for high end personal luxury models. By the 70s, everyone loved those split benches with the fold-down center armrests. Ford liked to do a 50-50 split, but GM was partial to the 40-60 split like in this car, which made the center more usable.
Because you could not cozy up to a date with bucket seats and a console!
I have a friend who always gets bench seats on everything he owns. He really tripped up when he ordered a 2000 Chevy Silverado with a bench seat, as I had a demo GMC a couple of months before with the same seat and he didn’t like it at all. He complained endlessly and every time he rode in my 2000 Sierra, he would say, “These are the only bucket seats I like!”. I’m the opposite, I hate bench seats, the only thing that are good for is being easy to get out on the other side. .
The bench seats are standard with the Supreme Brougham. If you ordered the Cutlass Salon, it comes standard with individual seats with center console shifter.
thats not a car, its America! And everyone should own a piece of America!
In 1977, it really was a big piece of the American dream. Think of todays SUV- pickup craze. In 77 this was da bomb.
I know you guys are getting off on the originality of the whole thing but I’d still add dual exhausts. 😛 Its an obsession for me and V style engines.
Agree, Principal Dan. And being a 36 year old car, even in California, you probably could now cut and shit-can the pancake cat and “H” or “X” pipe it . . . Flowmaster 40s and discrete true duals that dump out and down right before the rear bumper lip (no chromies); 2 1/2″s . . . . the Olds rumble would burble it’s sweet, deep baritone . . . . duals or at least a low-restriction single/axle back are well worth it.
Nope not old enough to avoid an emissions inspection in CA, but it is exempt in many other states. However I would not put Flowmasters on a car like this, it is meant to be seen not heard. You definitely wouldn’t want to go with 2 1/2″ pipes either unless you want to slow down the car as the too large of pipe will cut down the low end torque and with a stock engine it won’t help the top end HP either. 2″ duals are perfect for one of these.
Besides, stock mufflers were plenty loud on these anyway. Starting in the late 60s and going through much of the 70s, Oldsmobile seemed to tune their exhausts for a fairly lusty exhaust note. Our 64 Cutlass had always been whisper-quiet, but half-dozen Oldsmobiles that my extended family owned in the 68-74 period sounded downright throaty. This was even on garden-variety Delta 88s. Of course, with the delightful exhaust note of that Olds V8, you can’t blame Olds for the “flaunt it if ya got it” mentality.
Actually even ’50s Olds had that exhaust note. Our Towson neighbor’s ’59 Olds 98 4 dr hardtop had it (394 V8), as did my ’58 Super 88 sedan (371 V8), and ’57 S 88 convert (371), all had that very distinctive Olds Rocket V8 sound, I think it was the firing order combined with a tuned resonator and muffler that gave it that unique throaty character.
It is a beautiful museum piece that you need to buy and keep for posterity.
I wouldn’t change a thing on it.
I saw a billion of these cars back in the day and I hope I never get to a point where I recommend to anyone saving a Camry or an Accord, but I bet I will in twenty years or so – NAH!
It’s perfect. Get it!
“…I hope I never get to a point where I recommend to anyone saving a Camry or an Accord…”
Ha ha ha – don’t worry, you won’t! Neither will I.
Well, we are already there with 1st Gen Accords, which are as small as new Fits, being recognized. And older manual trans Accords already have a following.
Old Camrys are not ‘special interest’ autos, though. Maybe the 1987-91 in a few more years. But the 1997+ will just be old beaters.
Buy it, drive it, love it. And take it to Ziebart for inspection to keep it as-is forever. Hell, they might put you in an ad or something. What a time capsule.
Keep it that Oldsmobile clean the way it is. :- ) For a good Colonnade sleeper, the Chevelle and the LeMans are a prime candidate for it.
And someone scanned from a old issue of Collectible Automobile, these pictures of mock-up clays and earlier illustrations about how the Colonnade Chevelle (originally slated for ’72) came to fruitition. https://sites.google.com/site/chevroletg3chevelles/1973-77-chevelle-concept
What a find, Thomas! I hadn’t seen a Ziebart sticker since I left Illinois for California 35 years ago. I still remember the black drippings on the garage floor and the asphalt odor that permeated the car for several days after the treatment. The stuff worked, though. And yes, buy it. I can tell you’ve already made the decision, and I’m happy to be part of the commentariat’s validation process.
Klockau; If you don’t buy it you’re fired!
LOL, new requirement, must own CC to write articles? 😛 Or perhaps a slidding ranking system based on genuine period upgrades like Paul’s aftermarket overdrive on his F100?
Would a Saab 9000 CSE Turbo Aero count as a CC?
I haven’t been reading this site for that long, but I am surprised with all the Brougham love that Tom has written about his only car is a V50. If you have the means, buy this car. It is a VERY nice original. I don’t think that I could get by with out at least one old car. No matter how good modern cars have become, there is nothing like slipping behind the wheel of a car of another era and going for a cruise. I barely make it through winter without getting withdrawal.
The Cutlass Supreme was actually the A special body shared with Monte, GP, and Regal.
Also, not all Olds’ A-specials were the top Supreme Brougham trim. Most popular was the plain ol’ Supreme. There was Salon, too, but this is before the ’78 Aerobacks.
And one more thing, when the Cutlass was #1 in sales for 1976, that included the whole line, 4 doors, wagons, fastbacks, along with the Supremes.
It’s a very desirable car. Even I would like to own it, in spite of its Broughaminess. There’s something quintessential about the mid-century American V8 cruiser. I got a taste of that from the beater ’74 Nova that was once my daily driver. I can still feel a GM ignition switch firing up its burbling V8, clunk into Drive, push that pedal and fly on turbine-smooth torque. Cruise all day.
Buy this car now and don’t change a thing on it!
“OK, right off the bat: I love Broughams. Cadillac, Mercury Marquis, Gran Torino”
Thanks for listing my current three main weekend rides. I think we must be Broughammates (although only one is an official Brougham).
Nice Torino, I have a 1972 GTS sportsroof as well (in 2B red). What engine do you have and is it an original black car?
If you aren’t already on this forum, this is probably the best 72-76 Torino website on the net:
http://forum.grantorinosport.org/forums.html
Thanks, it was originally blue, but painted black at Maaco sometime in the early 80’s, according to the receipt that came with the car. It’s a Q code, with the 351c and 4 speed toploader. I’ve had it since 2002.
I read that forum all the time, but rarely post. It’s been a big help.
The ’71-’72 Marquis is my favorite version. The coupes were exceptionally nice and seem to be very rare. You have some great rides!
LOVE that 72 Marquis!!
I can see why these gave Ford a run for their money in this segment; they lack the excessive overhang of the Elite & T-bird. My mother admired Cutlasses, but never got one.
BTW, Olds should get extra credit for those great wheels; who needs aluminum?
Sorry but the Pontiac dashboard was sooo much nicer.
+1… from my ’76 GP
+ 200 on the Pontiac dash.
Interestingly, both the Pontiac GP and the Cutlass used waterfall grills, reminiscent of Pre-war grills. The retro look was a big style departure for ’76, one that really distinguished Olds/Pontiac colonnades from Malibus, Regals, and Monte Carlos.
Don’t forget that the GP also offered two-tone paint schemes -again, something that hadn’t been seen on GM cars for decades, and I don’t recall that the Cutlass offered that.
Dad had a Cutlass Salon (white landau over a ‘Mediterranean’ blue; white interior) -just as gorgeous as this white-on-blue example. Stunning car; I’d buy one in a minute. Thanks for the post.
The GP did have more sportiness and stood on its own, compared to the LeMans. But, OTOH, that hurt LeMans sales in long run.
The Cutlass Supreme was a good halo car, it spread its image over the whole Cutlass line. Which helped sell sedan, fastback, and wagon versions.
Very true…the “regular” Cutlasses simply had a better image than their Pontiac and Chevrolet counterparts.
Oldsmobile turned lemons into lemonade with the Cutlass Supreme. It was denied a version of the original Monte Carlo and post-1968 Grand Prix, so it cobbled together a formal roof version of the Cutlass, and used it to increase the sales of all Cutlass models. By 1976, the entire Cutlass series was the best-selling car in the nation. The aura of “winner” thus spread to the sedans and wagons.
I will grant that the Cutlass Supreme coupe was generally the most aesthetically successful of the 1973-77 A-bodies and both from a stylistic and value standpoint, it’s not difficult to see why Oldsmobile cleaned up in sales during this period. A Cutlass was really not much more expensive than a Chevy Malibu and you got a stronger engine and better trim for your money.
I find the ’77 more anonymous than the ’73, both in the nose (although the rectangular sealed beams look better integrated than I think they did on the later Chevrolet Monte Carlo of this vintage) and the toned-down side sculpting, although I suppose it’s more practical.
Ultimate luxury A-body, hmmmm, I dunno, I like the Cutlass Broughams pseudo Cadillac d’Elegance/Biarritz style interior, I like my Brougham with a bit more mustache and turtleneck, I’ll take a 76 Grand Prix SJ with a 455, leather and T-tops.
Water pump at 13000 miles. GM quality.
Although 36 years isn’t bad.
Yeah I’m impressed it lasted this long. Not driving it doesn’t help preserve things like water pump seals, in fact if anything it accelerates their demise.
Dude, seriously. Maybe he’s being preventative like I am, replacing all kinds of non-necessary things every 100k.
It’s 36 years old.
Beautiful car. This and the Trans Am and Monte Carlo were the schizz back in college. I inherited my grandmother’s ’77 Regal when my dad died….I regretfully let it sit in the yard at my mom’s house, hoping to get to restoring it but it never happened. I offered it to the local Buick club; I’m sure they parted it out.
Now THAT is an Oldsmobile!! Buy that car–you’ll never find one like it again! Plus, the fact that it is a Supreme Brougham makes it even better. To me, the Brougham trim was one area where Olds really trumped its GM sisters, though they each eventually followed suit with their own variants of tufted pillow seating (even the Monte for ’82). But I don’t think any GM division did midsize Brougham better than Oldsmobile. First and best of the breed! This one is a FINE example, especially the mileage, color, wheels, genuine Olds engine and late build date.
Not sure how it is even an issue. If you love it that much, buy it! If you have a job and steady income, with a car such as this, cash is not even a problem. Get a secured line of credit attached to your checking account and it is a done deal. If you ever need to sell, you get your money back. In this day and age of sameness, high tech nonsense, and the impending doom of the driverless car, enjoy the heck out of something uniquely different. You will never regret it!
How do I know? I have two CC’s. A 1991 Mercury Colony Park and a 1983 Mazda RX-7. When cars like these low mileage one owners pop up on a CC’ers radar screen, grab the checkbook and think later. Conversation starters whereever you go!
Buy it and enjoy! Attached is a picture from 2010 of one CC bringing home another CC.
I 100% agree. We need more people who are willing to daily drive a CC. We seems to have similar tastes, a nice wagon and a fast car!
When square headlights appeared on Cutlass/Regal/GP, they were a hit and made the single round light fronts look dated and ‘froggy’. The stacked squares were a bit much, though, on the Monte Carlo.
1976-77 model years were far from ‘malaise’ in sales #’s. [except at Mopar]
Since it has the Olds motor, I say BUY IT. Buy that burbling blue brougham!
Tom, you have to buy this car. I am in love with it myself! The color is great, the condition, 350 engine, everything about it is perfect! I always liked the Cutlasses of this era. Our neighbors had a 1975 Supreme Coupe, silver with red top and cloth interior. I always thought it was such a nice looking car. My brother in law had a 1975 Supreme Coupe too – it was a strange copper color with a black vinyl top and interior. It had the Olds 350 – such a great sounding engine! My 8th grade teacher had a brown 1976 Supreme 4-door, absolutely stripped of options – I don’t think she even had a/c! I remember thinking that her car was rare as most Cutlass Supremes were coupes. Does anyone know the production numbers for the sedans in 1976?
Tom, this thing is a peach and it’s a true Oldsmobile as it’s built at the Lansing plant (they ONLY built Oldsmobiles). If you buy it I will mail you a working digital or analog ’77 CS clock. The wiring for this option is integrated into the main dash wiring harness and even includes the bulb socket: gently pull off the RH A/C trim, unbolt the clock-off plate (two 7mm screws) and you’ll see the plug and socket taped to the harness. Piece of cake.
If you can keep this car out of the weather, it will last forever. The drivetrains in these things are simple, and very robust. Plus, parts are dirt-cheap. What’s even nicer is that it will only appreciate as it ages. You can’t lose!
Broughams rule.
Thanks for all the positive comments everyone! I just saw the car on Avenue of the Cities after work today, cruising with the windows down (it’s about 75 degrees and sunny right now), and it looked great!
I may have to find out how much the owner is asking…
Remember, “Broughams are Beautiful”!
I would have NO PROBLEM having this ‘brougham. It looks damn near showroom. It’s gotta lose those el-cheapo, Western Auto mud flaps. Honolulu Police Department did (and still allows) some officers to use personal vehicles as patrol cars (from a somewhat “approved” list). These Cutlasses were the #1 choice of the HPD officers who could have a personal vehicle on patrol. Sold new from Aloha Motors! (now the Hawaii Convention Center).
Before I moved to Maui in 80′ I grew up on the isle of “Hawaii” the Hawaii county police allowed most officers to use personal vehicles as patrol cars. The 73-77 Cutlass was the choice. Also popular was the Ford Torino, A cousin of mine used a 74 Jeep Wagoneer with a 401 (ZJ). One year, i believe it was in 1976 the Ford dealer (Orchid Isle Auto Center) brought in a 1976 red Ford Torino with the “Starskey & Hutch” white stripe painted on. An HCPD cop bought it!
The Ikeawagen can sleep outside, for Sven’s sake, what’s modern rust resistance for?
My uncle had one of these in the 1980s in this exact same color scheme. Same seats and all. I always wondered where the gold flecks in the seat cushions came from. Once in the winter, maybe late 1980s when I was 12-13 and the car was about the same age it was snowing. The deviants that we were at the time shoved a whole lot of snow up the tailpipe until we could not force any more to go in. In those days, with carbs, cold starts were sometimes unpredictable so when my uncle climbed in the car to leave, he had trouble keeping it running. So eventually he floored the pedal thinking he was going to “clear everything out,” but the intense back pressure created by that simply blew the muffler off the car. Suffice to say, after examining the contents of the muffler and tailpipe, the jig was up. Everyone had a laugh, but I was under strict orders not to go near any cars for sometime after that…
Ah, back in the good ole days when Oldsmobiles ruled the sales numbers!
Any idea what the 2 rocker switches are on the left side of the dash? Our car had neither. I think one is for the rear defrost.
All the luxury that these cars had but they didn’t have a dome light in the center of the roof. When you opened the doors, the back seat gets lit up…nothing in front. I have always wondered about that.
The rocker switches are for the cruise control and rear defroster. In the earlier models 1973-76 the clock was located there. It is strange how for 1977 they relocated the clock and added those rocker switches when you ordered those options.
But how can you have set, resume, accel on a rocker switch?
CruiseMaster only had an engage function. The rocker switch was ON/OFF only and of not much value. There’s no real reason to ever turn it off actually. All business was done with the button on the end of the turn-signal stalk.
Even with the clock to the left of the column on the ’76, I’m sure the cruise switch was still over there somewhere, possibly the rear defog was by the climate control, or still crowded around the clock. The ’77 dash technically made more sense with the relocated clock.
I loved that Oldsmobiles had a separate switch you had to hit first to use the turn signal stalk tip cruise control. I think a small light lit in the switch. My ’82 88 was the same way. My mom’s ’78 Caprice just required a press of the end of the turn stalk – not nearly pretentious enough!
I remember reading many years back that adding the rocker switch and/or an on/off switch for cruise control was done for safety purposes. I distinctly remember my Dad engaging his cruise control by mistake on his ’77 Caprice Wagon while on a trip to New Hampshire and being very upset that it happened. All manufacturers now have a 2 step process to enagage the cruise control and it was done strictly to ensure that cruise was not engaged inadvertantly.
Let me be the 1000th person to say BUY THIS CAR!!!! It is a beauty.
I love the color combo, I don’t think there was anything better available this year. Of course I’d rather have a Regal but this would be close enough.
Fantastic car, but….crank windows on a Cutlass Supreme Brougham? That’s disappointing, in my opinion…
But not at all uncommon then in an Oldsmobile. Through the 70s, power windows were exotic things for rich people in their Cadillacs and Lincolns. “Regular” people who bough Oldsmobiles, especially Cutlasses, usually didn’t spring for the power windows. I would be surprised if there was a 20% take rate or power windows on that generation of Cutlass. My mother bought a 72 Cutlass at the end of the model year that was the only one on the lot with bucket seats, and it also had power windows. We thought we were decadent. She didn’t get another car with them until the 85 Crown Victoria.
When I was shopping upscale mid-size personal luxury cars from this era, I really wanted a very loaded car. They were a little thin in the real world. A loaded T-Top that I wanted still lacked power windows. That fact, plus slightly tired condition caused me to move on to the car I eventually bought.
You see occasional GM convertibles from this era that have many options, but still might lack power windows. It still strikes me as odd that people would spend a relative fortune on a higher end toy, and blow off a perhaps $150.00 option that complimented a convertible top.
PW weren’t for everybody back then. My Dad ordered a 76 Monte Carlo Landau with many options but did not order PW or PDL. He told me they weren’t necessary on a 2 door car. But what a car it was, special ordered with the following: Silver with white Landau top and white vinyl bucket seats, console shifter, 400-4bbl, 373 real axle, Turbine wheels, forced air rear defrost, AMFM 8 track, lighting group, cruise, and tilt
Power windows weren’t as reliable and still a ‘luxury. Many buyers avoided them not wanting to worry about a window not closing. But also, adjusting for inflation, the option was pricey for the time.
I can remember my uncle talking about a co-worker who had bought a brand-new car with power windows, seats and door locks in the 1970s. His view was that all of those luxuries meant that there were “more things to eventually break.”
Power windows were not a priority among most car buyers at this time. Air conditioning and AM-FM stereo were the primary “must have” options among “family car” buyers in the 1970s.
You all make good points, but this is a Cutlass Supreme Brougham…to load up this car the way they did and then leave out the power windows simply looks weird to me. Just my personal opinion…
I relate. As nice as this car is, I’d be tempted to add power windows. I’d rather load up a base model than order a stripper TOL model!
Nice. My Dad had a 77 just like this, only green on green. These do look better to me than the single headlight predecessors(never liked that on ANY colonnade) and the upright front end and roofline of the Supreme is very tasteful.
Not many Olds like that about here thouh as usual you post I find its in mint condition but the filler pieces behind the bumper are missing, even appears to have been reroofed
None of the filler pieces are missing they are just recessed on these models.
I do think you may be right about the roof having been replaced, the grain on it should match the grain on the trim pieces.
That grain looks very familiar. I remember cleaning it many times. If it was replaced, it is probably correct – at least for ’76. The trim pieces are probably correct slightly mismatched like that. More like the grain that my ’73 Cutlass Supreme had on its full vinyl top.
Tom…as I type this during lunch I think back to this morning when I drove in to the office in pillow top comfort from behind the wheel of my 80 Cutluss Brougham…so I have to tell you BUY that car. I know we have a few non-Broughamites among us, but I for one drive my Brougham with pride..yes it has a half vinyl padded top, rallye wheels, and chrome in all the right places..the pillow top seats are done in 70’s courderoy-..and has all the imitation wood, power windows, door locks, clock,.. and painted chrome vents and the original AM/FM 4 speaker radio with adjustable Base/Trebble that still plays great..and it is sitting in a parking lot full of generic SUV’s and Camry’s-..so holds your head high–slap down the cash and get that Brougham–it’s a looker!
One thing I noticed was that the dashboard labeling font was the original font from ’73 or earlier, but the radio markings had the 1977 and later fonts, which were first used, I think, in the downsized 1977 B-bodies.
I love it!!!
If you don’t buy, howabout letting me have it, I would love it to the end.
These and their Regal cousins were the cat’s meow in ’76/’77, after the coupes received the flat flanks and the rectangular headlights. I think of the inaugural Colonnades in ’73, the Monte Carlo was the most popular. I’m a little embarrassed to admit my brother and I talked my mother into buying said Monte when we found out a new Impala or Caprice had become too long to fit in our 1930s-era 18-foot long garage. A 4-door Colonnade would have been more practical, but as college students at the time, we thought the Monte was so much more flashy! At least ours wasn’t very Broughamy — no vinyl roof (half or full), no whitewalls, and no bordello interior.
I’m among the older crowd here like Paul, Syke, and Zackman, so my preference for style would be a mid-60s GM car or a 2-seat T-Bird. For ’50s kitsch, I’d take a ’57-’58 Mopar (but how many of the latter are out there in this condition and likely price)?
Still, this Cutlass is a beautiful car when viewed from a perspective of almost 40 years on. The color combo is perfect, and as other commenters have pointed out, you get reasonable handling compared to earlier decades and some important safety features like belts for all occupants (shoulder belts up front), energy-absorbing steering column, and a puncture-resistant fuel tank, at least in a 30 mph rear-end crash test. Plus there’s no absurdly long hood like the Monte Carlo or Grand Prix had.
The car is in excellent condition and the low mileage appears to be real. Last, IIRC Tom, you are single, so there’s no wife to veto the decision. (Marriage has many rewards, but this isn’t one of them!)
Sweet! My neighbor has a gold one of these he bought new, and while the exterior is beautiful, the interior is not nearly as impressive as this. Cool website! If any you guys need bumper fillers or body extensions for one like it, or most other cars from the era, I sure would appreciate your business! Art http://www.autorifix.com
I bought one when I was 17, my first car, and I have it at age 27 and runs as great as it did when I got her. Best car ever! I bought a chrysler 300 so i could park her for a while and the computer went out two years later so I’m back to driving the most reliable vehicle. I believe you wont regret it, I havent even being offered cash in hand for her and turning it down only makes me smile. Buy it!!!
Great thread! And what a beauty!! Tom, did you ever buy the car? I love these cars. My father owned two collonade cars when I grew up in Sweden back in the 70’s, one Chevelle Malibu Classic and a Cutlass Supreme Brougham. After my father passed away late 2012, I started to search for both of them and I found one of them back; the Cutlass. It was sitting on the west coast of Sweden, owned by a farmer who was the fith owner. I contacted him and after some 9 months of negotiations I finally managed to persuade him to sell it back to me. So, I bought back the very same car my father drove when I grew up, 30 years after he sold it! Although the car was in pretty decent condition, I decided to bring it back to its original glory. I drowe the car to Luxembourg where I live and it spent pretty much all of 2013 in a body shop where they restored the body, changed the vinyl on the roof and sprayed it in its original color. Right now the engine is being restored and while I’m at it it’ss getting its original Olds metallic blue paint. Spring is around the corner here in Luxembourg so I hope I can soon take her out for a spin again! The car is a 1976 Cutlass Supreme Brougham, the last model with the 455 cui and400 tranny and it has the Hurst Hatch roof. I attach a picture below, it’s from Sept last year.
In the end, I got the impression from the garage owner working on it that the owner wanted quite a bit for it, so sadly, I passed. But I couldn’t shake the idea of a nice older car, so I bought a 2000 Lincoln Town Car Cartier that more or less fell into my lap.
Read all about it here: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-american/my-first-curbside-classic-2000-lincoln-town-car-cartier-edition-of-mccarthy-my-grandparents-and-other-things/
Very nice car and a great story Tom, congrats and enjoy! Makes me want to buy a Lincoln as well…I need a bigger garage!
Thanks! Your Supreme Brougham is very sharp too. It looks nearly identical to the one in the ’76 brochure, save the T-top. That T-top has to be rare; I’ve never seen one, though I did see one on a 1977-79 Thunderbird back in the early ’90s.
It is really neat that you bought back your dad’s car. If you ever want to do a “My CC” on it, let Paul, Perry or I know.
I have a 77 Cutlass Supreme Brougham that I have bought from Arizona with the exact same color combination. The car that was posted in the beginning of this post is by far the “fairest of them all.” I hope you did buy it. I would have!! I am restoring mine and I have lot of original parts. I have even been able to find rolls of original interior fabric as I have had one of these cars about 15 years ago and I restored it as well. I am 46 years old now and I have had a 74 or 77 Cutlass in my posession since I was 17. I am working on restoring the one in my post now. They are my favorite car of all time.
That waterfall grille… Anyone else notice that newer BMWs are getting a similar look to their “kidneys”? BMW = the new Olds.
BMW and Pontiac’s grilles evolved into an ever-converging shape through the ’80s and ’90s.
I know this is a old thread but WOW that is a beautiful car! 20 years ago my first car was a 77 Cutlass I got for $200 ,almost identical as this one. It was in bad shape but I was able to drive it home. My dad and I completely brought it back to life, we replace literally half the car because it was all rusted out. I had it for a few years and then sold it to a friend because I needed a truck for work. He ended up trashing the car and then totaling it. I still haven’t got over that and would still like to find another one someday. Anyway again that is a beautiful car and it gives me hope that there are still nice clean cars out there that people do take care of. Thanks for sharing.
GM understood the importance of the personal luxury car market in the mid ’70s and the marketing executives decided to remove the side sculpturing from the Cutlass and Buick Regal coupes. The result was a very clean and handsome car which sold over a million units in two years. The waterfall grill was a nice touch that set the Cutlass apart.
IMHO I like the revised dash on the ’77’s as it seems to be more in tune with the Brougham interior. I do have a slight preference for the ’76 velour cloth pattern and interestingly enough both the ’76 and ’77 velour patterns are identical to the more expensive Toronado.
What a surprise! I didn’t know my vehicle had such a following! Thank you for the wonderful write up Mr Klockau. If you or anyone else is interested in viewing or purchasing the vehicle, feel free to call or text me at 309 737-6671. Thank you all again for comments!
I remember these cars were commonly seen on the road well into the 90’s and this was always one of my favorite vehicles built during the mid to late 70’s era, I can see why these cars were a huge success in sales, I also loved the soft velour seats in these cars and the blue interiors, I also preferred the squared headlights on these cars over the rounded headlights, I always felt the squared headlights gave the car a more upscale look.
hey. i always wanted one of these the same color inside and out as the car in the top picture -green/green [?] since the day i could drive. so today i finally got to buy one. mine is blue/blue but i want to paint it green outside and dye it green inside.
The Honda Civic seems to be the car that most often gets the nod as the car of the seventies decade, but I think I’d go with the ’76-’77 Olds Cutlass Brougham. If you aspired to a Grand Prix, Monte Carlo, or Cordoba but couldn’t afford one, no problem; here’s a good-looking Cutlass Brougham for you that still had plenty of luxury and class. It really appeared that as much as Pontiac owned the sixties, Oldsmobile had the seventies sewn up. In fact, other than the downsized full-size cars, this might have been the last Greatest Hit GM would have for a long time as Roger Smith’s do-no-right, dismal eighties were just around the corner.
Brougham and classy are 2 words that just don’t go together in my book but I really like the front end and simple bumpers of this Oldsmobile,
For a 70s American car it is quite clean and simple in its styling, from the side view it looks well proportioned, those heavy rear pillars would help with body stiffness and make it feel solid.
Hate that half vinyl roof and pin stripes though, if it had a fully painted roof it would look very sleek indeed.
Beautiful. You saw it on my birthday. It’s a great example. Even as a true blue Ford guy, I’d take one (or a Buick version) over a Caddy or Chevy.
2 years ago I bought All original 1979 HurstOlds W30 Cutlass white/Gold color combo with beige cloth interior. original 6,900 miles! 350 4B, tilt, power windows, steering, factory AM/FM radio, Factory AC, rear defrost . The earlier Collonade Cutlass were nice but personally I prefer 79 G body more. Regarding GM A body cars I just bought 72 Skylark sport coupe 350 4B all original with 55K miles being shipped here to Beirut arriving end this month. here is link my 72 Skylark http://www.connorsmotorcar.com/vehicles/445/1972-buick
Beautiful Cutlass… just gorgeous. I never owned that bodystyle Cutlass, but I did have a couple of the later coupes (’78, ’86).
So, what happened to this car since 2013? With its trim level and mileage and condition some CC type must have bought it. Kind of the opposite of the kind of car I’m interested in, but high end and mileage and condition! It is pretty awesome in its own right. And an intermediate so not a supersized land yacht.
The closeups do show Detroit standards about shut line gaps from before Japan demonstrated that they can be really close and consistent.
Thank you tom for this amazing article and car. i agree with all you said save for one thing…………………the 73 to 77 monte carlo is the undisputed king of the hill in personal luxury cars. the interior of the olds is much nicer than the monte and the olds vies for 2nd place with the regal in looks dept. the grand prix is no slouch either. but i like the clean sides of the regal/cutlass. get the car otherwise you will have a hole in your heart that will be there till you fill it with the olds!!!
It’d be interesting to see a break-down comparing the sales numbers for the colonnade era 2-door Cutlass Brougham versus the Monte Carlo and Grand Prix. I suspect the Olds eclipsed the other two quite handily. IIRC, the Cutlass, at its seventies peak, put up some really phenomenal numbers. I don’t have the prices, but I’d guess it was possible to get a fully-loaded CB coupe for about the same price as a strippo MC or GP, and a lot of buyers looking for some intermediate-sized personal luxury did exactly that.
I would be surprised if a Monte Carlo or Grand Prix was more expensive than a comparably equipped Cutlass Supreme back when they were new in the mid 70s.
I appreciate these cars more now than when I commented in 2013. This one’s a real beauty. When these cars were new, they were the rage among young college educated professionals in their late twenties and early thirties. But in a sign that times were changing, the younger “preps” who had money were going for Toyota Celicas.
This is the model that put Oldsmobile over the top in terms of sales numbers; they really had the tiger by the tail in 1977. So hard to watch what became of them by 2004 and their resulting swan song.
I like this more than the boring 1975 R&T Buyers Guide imports and small cars.
The Monte Carlo/GP used the 116″ WB, while the Cutlass and Regal used the 112″ WB. Unfortunately, the extra length was all forwards of the front windshield, so the cars didn’t offer any additional passenger or trunk space. The price difference between the four GM models was negligible when equipment was equalized. The Chev/Pontiac versions had V8, Automatic, and Power Steering as standard, while the Cutlass and Regal offered uplevel trim, but still charged extra for those basic items.
As rpol35 mentioned, the Cutlass put Olds over the top in sales figures. In ’75 it was the top selling intermediate (second only to the Impala/Caprice), and in ’76/.’77 it was the top selling car overall.
” When these cars were new, they were the rage among young college educated professionals in their late twenties and early thirties.”
Yep- back in the day, the Cutlass was the choice for upscale mid-size buyers, although the Monte Carlo was a strong contender. I had a Monte Landau Coupe as my first Chevy demo, in the same color as the Brougham pictured. I have fond memories of that car.
Kabarnya, mobil Oldsmobile seri F-88 ini pertama kali hanya diproduksi sebanyak 4 unit mobil saja oleh pabriknya, dan setelah itu tidak pernah diproduksi lagi sama sekali. Mobil Oldsmobile seri F-88 ini adalah satu unit jenis mobil antik yang telah berhasil terjual pada pembukaan acara lelang mencapai harga 3,6 juta USD.
This is my 1977 Cutlass Salon I acquired her in 2009. It’s been fully restored by Automotive Restorations Stratford Ct. ( 203-377-6745 ) She has a 455 FAST FUEL EFI system under the hood, Edelbrock Torker 455 intake manifold, Wildwood disc brakes, Gear Star 400R Billet transmission, Yank Stall converter, 3.73 Ten Bolt Posi Rear, Hurst Hatch, Aluminum drive shaft, Magnaflow exhaust with X pipe. Transmission cooler, Oil cooler, Electric fans, Moog suspension.
Thanks for sharing, I had forgotten about the Salon version of the Cutlass.
My buddy had a 1973 Cutlass Supreme 2 door w/ 350, in this same colour blue.
More Photos
New Vinyl interior to match original cloth
Awesome interior
Rocket Olds 455 Fast Fuel EFI
Engine compartment
Not your Fathers Oldsmobile
I’ve never (ever) been a Brougham fan, but maybe at some point I’ll start loving the things I looked down my nose at in my 20’s. I’ve heard it can happen (it already has with disco). 🙂
I’ve had many of these Cutlass’s and still do. They’re just a very good car. The Rocket v-8 is the best GM V-8 in that era, in my humble opinion.
A friend of mine had one of these (a ’76) in the fastback style. The unusual thing about it was the 260 V8/5 speed combo.
As a young adult in the 70’s I loved both disco and the Olds A bodies. Through the early 80’s, they were a hot resale item. I bought more than a few and resold them, even the wagons.
I’ve never driven or even ridden in one of these Oldsmobiles, but IMHO as a retired Industrial Designer, this is one of the best LOOKING car designs Olds created. Performance, handling, economy? MEH……who needs that? They LOOKED GOOD!! :):) DFO
These were still visible on the ground in NJ until mid 90s. My older neighbor had a pre refresh version where one of the doors didn’t work. What did she trade into? A first year Sebring convertible.
The post refresh looks more modern definitely can see elements of the downsized ’78 in it. Compared to most of the contemporaries it holds up much better almost a half century later. Maybe we will finally get crossover fatigue and cars like this will come back (new Daytona might be a start)