While the Olds Cutlass had been around since 1961 as a compact, its promotion to an intermediate got the sales machine turning. By the 1980s, it became the best-selling car in America. Its third-generation covered the model years 1968-72 and the Supreme – with its formal roofline – would prove to be a solid winner. This ’72 Cutlass Supreme was repainted in a new color some years ago and then parked in a barn in 1997. That’s where it awaits someone new to restore it. Located in Summerfield, North Carolina, this Olds is available here on Barn Finds Classifieds for $7,500.
This ’72 Cutlass Supreme was a daily driver when it was sent to the body shop for new paint in 1996. The color was changed from white to red but then the car languished outdoors with the windows left down. The seller finally rescued the car, drove it home, and then stashed it away in his barn where it has sat for another 24 years. All this sitting has taken its toll and it needs another helping hand.
We’re told the car is mostly complete. The back seat has several trim pieces in it and the seller thinks the door panels, which are not installed, maybe in the trunk. While much of the car’s metal surfaces were targeted when the paint was changed, you can still see the original color under the hood. So perhaps after cleaning this car up, you can begin reassembling everything. Any interior pieces that need changing will involve sourcing new materials.
Oldsmobile built 762,000 cars in 1972 and nearly 300,000 were Cutlasses. The Cutlass Supreme Holiday Coupe like this one accounted for 105,000 copies, meaning it was a quite popular car and body style. This one has a 350 cubic inch V8 converted to electronic ignition with dual exhaust. Who’s ready to start cleaning this Oldsmobile up?
Perhaps I’m missing something here. But wtf was the owner now seller thinking when he “rescued,” his newly repainted Cutlass from the paint shop only to park it in a barn still in pieces and let it deteriorate for 24 years. He could have least somewhat cleaned it up and taken more numerous and better pics.
The site is called barn finds, not show room finds.
This is a strange story. Who leaves a car outdoors with the windows down for any length of time after a fresh paint job? Strange
From the wording in the BF Classified ad, the paint shop left the windows down during its time there. But to Steve Bush’s point, once it was “rescued” by the owner, why didn’t he bother to put it back together?
Learn how to Read.
Ad clearly says shop left windows down DA !
Yellow with a taupe interior would have been sharp when new. Resale red, meh, not so much. Don’t know why the repaint figures into the rescue story at all. To me it looks like a poor job. Would have been easy to spray the insides of the front fenders in the engine bay, and if the door cards were off those should have been shot red as well. The fresh red finish is already scratched on the door sills. The passenger door looks like it needs another pass of the gun to cover the pale yellow underneath. Conclusion: the red paint is actually points off and should be used to negotiate the asking price downward.
Yes, the bamboo paint over the saddle interior was a popular combination for this model. The red looks terrible in general and even worse against the saddle interior.
Dad had a bamboo over saddle 1970 Cutlass convertible with a bench seat. First car I ever drove (with my Virginia learner’s permit) on the interstate. Also the first car I ever took to 100 mph.
I could wash it 1st. But a real collector wants to see it where is, as is.
Console/buckets, tilt wheel, A/C and front disc brakes make for a nice original setup. Hope it get restored back to original, but the current ad is not going to attract much interest.
Now that was helpful, everyone else rude.
$2000 at best, and that is hoping there aren’t any nasty surprises on personal inspection.
Looks like a Cutlass Rallye to me.
That’s a supreme not a rally the rally was made 1 year only 1970. And build on the s.. sport coupe platform . Com on man…
Run the vin before making unfounded remarks. DA !
Another case of “classic”abuse,sad,but actually pisses me off too!,the amount of time and money its going to take, to bring this back to its glory, will be considerable.but hopefully someone will save it,and keep it all oldsmobile.