Finding a classic car out in the open is always an exciting experience. However, as often the case, a classic car may look as out of place as a walker-supported grandma turning it up on the dance floor of a nightclub. Finding a ’66 T-Bird in the parking lot of an upscale shopping center that was clearly built within the last ten years is an example of this. Yet this quality wasn’t so much the case of this 1974 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme coupe, that I came upon last fall.
Sure, all the other vehicles around it are from after the year 2000. But take them away, and this scene on Federal Street in Boston looks about the same as it would’ve if someone had parked this Cutlass here in 1975. The building in the top right corner of the first image is Boston’s historic South Station. Across the street in this photo are three businesses, a bank, a dentist, and a photography shop, all of which could’ve existed four decades ago. That art deco-styled building across the street is the United Shoe Machinery Building.
In fact, here it is in 1975. No Cutlass Supreme, but I do spot an AMC Gremlin.
Now as for the car itself, it is indeed a love-it-or-hate-it ’74 “Colonnade” Cutlass Supreme coupe. The Cutlass had never been a weak seller, but it was this generation that catapulted the nameplate to record sales stats. It was the right car at the right time, a time which in some ways hasn’t left us.
Note: a rerun of an older post.
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This car, in this color, in this setting looks stunning! It looks like a very well kept used car from 1984.
Just two sentences on this:
1. This car proves that even gray cars can look good (or better – fascinating).
2. The epitome of an American car.
I had to look it up because it’s been a long time, but I don’t recall ever seeing a dark gray GM car in this era. I was right – Oldsmobile offered a muddy brownish silver they called Silver Taupe, but this is a modern color. But I have to say, I think it works really well on the car.
My step-mom had a 74 Cutlass Supreme in that oh-so 70’s combo of white paint, white interior and a blue landau vinyl roof.
I think it looks beautiful – elegant – in that colour. The silver / chrome highlights work very well.
Here’s a brochure.
https://autocatalogarchive.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Oldsmobile-Cutlass-1974-CA.pdf
Thanks for the brochure, which says an available color choice of “silver taupe”. Curious what that color looked like in comparison to the current status. I agree with the others here that it is nicely done and must also look good with the interior color, but my first reaction was a bit memory jarring for the period and I could not recall seeing any new American vehicle in that color.
I agree with all of you. Although I usually ridicule today’s gray/silver/black/white sameness, this is quite attractive. If this is a non-standard color choice for 1974 the vinyl roof restoration in the same color is very well done.
I’ve only owned one Colonnade model, a 1976 Buick Regal four door, I thought it was very comfortable. (And very thirsty.)
Really nice to see a well kept survivor like this.
The original hubcaps/wheel covers may have been replaced since I’m pretty sure the ones on that car only came with the ’72 and ’73 models. I can’t fault the choice though since, to my eyes, those are among the best looking thing to have shy of the Ralleye wheels.
That wheel cover with the black center is correct for ’74. The 1972-73 version had a brushed center.
Ahh, how about that! Ignorance fought. 🙂
Somebody treated that car well for a long time, I dont like them but Im glad someone preserved that one.
My dad bought one of these in 74. Same model but in light blue metallic. Glad it was the 2 door. I didnt want to be seen driving a 4 door version. The 2 doors definitely looked more sporty for what they were.
What a beauty .
I remember these every where in their day .
-Nate
To de-Colonnade it a little, I would have put tires with thin red sidewalls stripe to match the subtle red paint stripe.
I owned a 74 Cutlass Supreme from 76-78. Cream with cream vynal roof. Tan interior.
Beautiful.
Somehow this color in full gloss helps me understand what the designers had in mind with the Collonade. They some good lines going on despite being bloated, especially compared with the Golden Age mid 60s GM designs. Most of the Collonades I remember were near hoopties or worse before being a decade old so I never saw a good representative growing up, so in my mind they’re all ugly.. And the restomods seen at car shows today with 22 inch wheels look even worse.
And with this one, I never recalled a 70’s GM’s looking nearly as shiny either. A few years in the near tropical sun in South Florida, where I grew up, a pre clear coat era car the finish turned dull and chalky, especially GM’s And virtually any GM car from this decade the dash would have grown several cracks and turned brittle. I heard more than one person call this the General’s stamp of quality..
For having been born in Massachusetts, I’ve not spent much time living there. I was less than 2 when we moved to California in the 50’s, and I moved back and only spent 3 years on my first job out of college (interestingly I lived in Haverhill, which was once known as “shoe city” or “Queen Slipper city” for the volume of shoes once produced there).
The lead engineer on my first job had a ’76 Coupe, which I think he bought as a follow-up to his ’71 Coupe, which he really liked. He lived in New Hampshire, we both worked in Massachusetts, he set the tempo for the rest of my working life. I haven’t lived in MA for 43 years now, and cancer claimed him more than a decade ago, I always think of him when I think about the 70’s Cutlass.
Nice car and looks great in that color. Your post caught my attention when you mentioned a grandma on the dance floor or a 1966 T-Bird at a shopping center.
I spent many wonderful nights at ’54’ in NYC and yes there was a grandma on the dance floor. Today I occasionally drive my 1966 T-Bird convertible to a shopping center to buy my groceries. It always gets much attention by mostly middle-aged ladies.