Funny how the first car we ever called our own sticks with us like our childhood phone number does. On Long Island, New York in the early 1980's, if you were a kid and were lucky enough, you somehow and someway drove something like this 1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. I, naturally, was not so lucky. At least I had a car, such as it was.
1977 was the last year for these awesome, mid-sized behemoths Oldsmobile rolled out for model-year 1973. Part of General Motors star-crossed "Colonnade" models, I love them, some people hate them, the Cutlass was available in three body styles, coupe, sedan and wagon, on two-different sized wheelbases. 112-inches long for the coupes, 116-inches long for the sedans and wagons. Fun facts, Chevrolet Monte Carlo's and Pontiac Grand Prix' were build on the 116-inch-long sedan\wagon chassis.
I mention the wheelbase length since four inches doesn't seem like much considering the overall sheer bulk of these cars, aesthetically, it made a big difference. While those four inches reduced rear seat leg room considerably, GM's talented designers raked the front windshield and rear backlight on the shorter platform such that it flattered the cars' proportions. Thus, flattering the driver.
What I wouldn't have done to have been able to drive something like this in high school, imagine the life I could have had. Would it have been any different? Whimsically, I say most certainly because, I guess, such a car would have given me an innate sense of confidence I so sorely lacked. In reality, though? Probably not. It's just a car we're talking about. Oh, but what a car.
Some kids I went to high school were lucky enough to drive nice cars like this. Some of them were candid that their parents bought the car for them, others claimed they somehow earned the money for it. Seriously? The minimum wage when I was a senior in high school was $3.35 an hour and something like this Cutlass would cost about $4,000. Come off it, dude.
I found this particular '76 Cutlass on Marketplace and seems exceptionally nice although it has one or two flies in its ointment for $13,900. Paint's not original, the front end is the "cowcatcher" grill from the Cutlass S, what's up with that? While I think it an improvement over the front end this car was born with, it makes you wonder if this has been in an accident. The air conditioning is not only not working, it's been removed. That will run bucks, big bucks to replace.
The Oldsmobile "350", which Oldsmobile stopped referring to as "Rocket" in 1975, has been dressed up with an aftermarket intake. A "cat free" dual exhaust has been added, which, you should know, might be an issue if you have to have it serviced; you need to find a shop that will look the other way when it comes to working on a car that should have a catalytic converter, and it doesn't. Even here in Ohio.
The interior is to die for. The buckets, that do not swivel out, the console, the shifter, the cool driver centric dash. You had me at hello.
Seems this has been sold as I can't find it anymore. Hopefully someone didn't pay fourteen-grand for it but you know how it goes when you've been shopping for an oldie and finally something that looks 7/8 of the way to perfect.
Who says General Motors didn't make anything worthwhile after 1973? Well, I do but there are exceptions to everything. Like this 1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. Although, maybe not this one, per se, as it's got some ouchies I don't know if I could look past.
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