By all accounts, the 1970 model year was the pinnacle of the muscle car movement. The insurance companies had wised up to these factory-built race cars and the Feds were about to bear down on air pollution created by automobiles. In the midst of this, Oldsmobile introduced a mid-year, one-year-only performance car called the Rallye 350. You could get one in any color you wanted as long as it was Sebring Yellow, and only one engine was available, a 310 hp 350 cubic inch V8. It was intended to appeal to those looking for a budget-minded muscle car. This rarity is in Mount Vernon, Washington, and is available here on craigslist for $20,000. Our thanks to T.J. for the tip!
The Rallye 350 (not Rally or Ralley) went into production in January 1970. On the order sheet, it was package W-45 which included blackwall tires, a W-25 fiberglass hood, L74 350 V8 engine, an N34 Custom Sport steering wheel, D35 sport mirrors, FE2 Rallye suspension, and N10 dual exhaust, A true Rallye 350 would have all of these things but can only be verified by a build sheet or window sticker. Oldsmobile assembled just 3,547 Rallye 350s; 2,527 were based on the Cutlass Holiday Coupe body, 1,020 on the base F-85 Club Coupe, and the rest (160 like the seller’s car) were based on the F-85 Sport Coupe (pillared doors)
It’s unfortunate that the seller only offers photos of the exterior of this rare car. As such, we don’t know the condition of the interior, trunk storage area, or engine compartment. This Rallye may be wearing its original paint and at least the passenger side quarter panel has a dent and some rust. We’re told that patch panels will go with the car, but we don’t know what areas the patches are for.
At 85,000 miles, the seller says the automobile runs, drives, and stops as it should. He/she doesn’t mention whether the motor or automatic transmission is original to the car. Prior to the seller acquiring this machine, it was in storage for more than 25 years. That hibernation was not terminal as once the seller added gasoline and a battery, it fired up. But what mechanical attention will be needed after sitting up so long? It’s been years since I last saw one of these vehicles; how about you?
back in 1983 a guy i worked with had one of these as a daily driver, no idea what happened to it. Only thing I know is he didn’t want to sell it
A guy 2 years older than me lived around the corner and had one of these. Pete may have slightly retarded the timing; every time he downshifted for the stop sign it would pop and crackle.
would it snap too ? Snap, pop and crackle? sry, couldn’t help myself…lol
will you be showing yourself out now or do you need an escort? lol
They must have made more than 160????????? I almost bought one new , but did not but these 2 door post seemed to be everywhere.
This writeup and the seller’s CL ad are both incorrect. 1970 Rallye 350 production is as follows:
F-85 Club coupe 1,020
Cutlass S Sport coupe 160
Cutlass S Holiday coupe 2,367
Total Production 3,547
Both the F85 Club Coupe and the Cutlass S Sport Coupe are “post” cars with the B-pillar (xx77 body style in Fisher Body speak). And Rallye 350s based on the F85 also came with “Cutlass” fender emblems. This is well documented in factory literature. The VIN will tell you exactly what this is; it will start 33277… for an F85 Club Coupe and 33677… for a Cutlass S Sport Coupe. The only real differences between the two are that the F85s came with rubber floor coverings as standard equipment and the bench seat was the only seat available. The Cutlass S came with carpet and buckets were an option.
While these are cool looking cars, the reality is that the Rallye 350 is the predecessor of the malaise era tape stripe “musclecars” like the Screaming Chicken T/As and the King Cobra Mustang II – all the looks of a high performance car without the pesky extra horsepower. In the case of the Rallye, the only engine was the L74 350 that was the base equipment in Grandma’s Cutlass Supreme. And since someone will probably bring it up, no, there were never any Rallye 350s made with W31 motors.
When I was a kid my aunt was wanting to trade in her 64 F85 convertible. She took my young geargead self with her to look at new Oldsmobiles in town and out to lunch. The dealership had the whole front row lined with these and I thought they were the coolest thing, even cooler than my old man’s 66 GTO. No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t talk her into buying one, the whole, .yellow monochromatic look was just to much
It’s Snap Crackle Pop.
If you’re a true Rice Crispy guy that is!! LOL
I was stationed in Massachusetts in 1973, I found one of these in a local junkyard and bought the undamaged W25 hood for a whopping $100. I changed the moldings and the tongue, had it painted and installed it on my 69 442 convert. The Rally 350’s styling is a bit polarizing… some loved it, most I believe hated it. Having owned a bunch of 66-72’s I am not a fan, but a fully restored car would draw a ton of attention at a local show. Once again, complete lack of decent photo’s, no interior, under hood, etc. Column shift or floor? Dual Gate? N34 steering wheel? Ram air air cleaner? Air Conditioning? Posi?
Good looking car
I looked into one of these a few years ago, and I think the number I was told was about 3500 Rallye 350’s were built.
The Rallye 350 was a package that was available on the base F-85 2 door post, the Cutlass hardtop, and the Cutlass S hardtop. I think what the seller is saying is that 160 Rallye 350’s were built as the F-85 2 door post. This would make more sense, the F-85 was a bare bones, rubber floor mat, price leader. Rallye 350’s in the dressier Cutlass and Cutlass S trims seem to be more common.
Sorry, but you are not correct. As I posted above, the Rallye 350 package was available on the F85 Club Coupe (post car), the Cutlass S Sport Coupe (also a post car) and the Cutlass S Holiday Coupe (hardtop). I posted the production numbers above. In the 1970 model year there was no such thing as a “Cutlass Hardtop” only the Cutlass S Holiday Coupe (Holiday is Olds-speak for hardtop). You are thinking of the 1972 model year when Olds DID have a Cutlass Hardtop and a separate Cutlass S Hardtop. That was not the case in 1970.
Not many photos, breaks work.
Don’t see $20K , not your father’s 442, gas and a battery and it runs and moves. After 25 years It will still need all the expected work, aside from cosmetics, get it at $5K, spend another $5K, without complete body and paint work and just drive it.
While attending Penn State in the 70s, we would drive along Route 322 and at now demolished gas station thanks to stupid developers sat onevof their inside one if the bays. We stopped once to look at it. Wonder where it is now. I have owned four Okdsmobiles. The best quality GM ever had. Today, total junk.