Oh, come on. Another General Motors "G-body"? Well, this 1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais is actually an "A-body", GM intermediates didn't become "G-bodies" until 1982. It popped up on my Marketplace feed recently with a $18,000 asking price. Yes. Eighteen. Thousand. Dollars.
Far be it for me to question how someone spends their money, but I'd love to know who would think dropping $18,000 on this is a good idea. I'm all about being convinced it is because I don't.
For eighteen-large, buyer gets an entry-level, downsized Oldsmobile Cutlass with just 15,000-miles on its 47-year-old analog ticker. Color coordinated interior and wheel covers too! Well, at least it's not a slanty-back Cutlass Salon.
And, oddly enough, in a nod to Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE), it's got a five-speed manual transmission. Despite the bucket seats, these shifters were not inside a console but rather stuck up plainly up out of the floor. Charming on a Volvo, Saab or Volkswagen, not so much on an Oldsmobile.
That five-speed backs up one of the sadder sack V-8's of the "Malaise Era", Oldsmobile's 110-horsepower, 260 cubic-incher. Oldsmobile came out the 260 in 1975 for their Omega, but they also put into the Cutlass through 1982. You can also find it in 1975-1977 Pontiac Ventura's and LeMans' and 1975-1977 Buick Skylark's. While heavier than Buick's V-6, it did provide almost the same mileage as the V-6 and ran smoother. I've driven a number of Oldsmobile's with the 260 but they were all automatics. They. Were. Very. Slow.
Seems a shame to spend all that money on this and hot rod it. As it is, though, it makes little sense. To me at least especially at this price point. I'm also not the biggest fan of GM's 1978-1987 intermediates. Perhaps this makes sense to you. Tell me why below!
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