Some might say the late-seventies Cutlass Salon is among the least favorites of all Oldsmobiles ever to offer a 442 package, and this era certainly doesn’t get much recognition, as there don’t seem to be very many around these days. However, considering all the downsizing and tight emission standards that were prevalent during this period, any elements of fun were usually afterthoughts in most vehicles, and it’s pretty cool that a sporty package like this was even available. This 1979 Oldsmobile Cutlass Salon 4-4-2 here on Facebook Marketplace appears to still be in nice shape, and as far as performance goes, this one’s as good as it gets. The Olds is in Livonia, Michigan, and comes at an asking price of $12,500. T.J., thanks a lot for the tip!
The Cutlass Salon was redesigned in 1978 and got new aeroback styling, and while the mission of shedding a few pounds from its predecessor was accomplished, many buyers were less than enamored with the shape. Interestingly, these are not hatchbacks, but feature the rear window fixed into the body and a conventional trunk. Considering the foundation Oldsmobile had to work with, adding the 442 package is probably the most attractive and certainly the most sporty route you could go for maximizing the exterior appearance. The seller says the paint is in very nice shape on his Olds, with the panels seemingly straight from every angle and the sheet metal looking well-preserved. Most of the other Cutlass Salon 442 examples I’ve spotted have side graphics on the bottom that extend the length of the car, so this one may have received a respray.
For 1979, the Cutlass Salon came standard with a V6, and a pair of gas-powered V8 engines were also available, or buyers could opt for a diesel powerplant. The good news here is two-fold, as not only does this one have the larger V8, but it’s also equipped with a 4-speed manual transmission. Rated at 160 horsepower, the 305 isn’t exactly a spirited performer, but that’s the most that could be had, and I’m guessing shifting the gears yourself makes this one a lot more fun to drive than its automatic counterparts. Everything mechanical is stated to be all stock here, with an aftermarket exhaust system said to be the only modification.
The interior is clean and appears well-cared-for, with the bucket seats looking comfortable and in good condition. There’s no console, but in this case, its absence is welcome, as the attention gets focused on the floor shifter instead. While this one’s not my favorite Olds ever to be in 4-4-2 clothing, there is something captivating about it, and with the condition here plus the 4-speed, I’m thinking this 1979 Oldsmobile Cutlass Salon 442 may be among the better and more desirable examples left for this breed. What are your thoughts here?
Love it. Dr Olds delivering the style, the V8 rumble and 4sp. in 79′. Really enjoyed the write ✍️ up Stephens. Thank you.
A far cry from my 68 442 since this has a 5 liter Chevy V8 mill and the styling is a bit off putting but it’s hard not to like a G body with a V8 and 4 speed. The interior and dash are more functional than most in this era. I would use this as a daily driver. It even has A/c although the compressor is beltless. A great find!
IMHO, there hasn’t been a “442” since `77. Anything bearing that moniker afterward is just a tape-strip/paint job ride with no real performance attached. And even then, the `77 models (last of the bigger body) showed the direction GM was taking with a popular car.
As most of us know, 1970 was the last hurrah for the high compression drag strip brawlers. But if I had to draw a line in the sand for performance oriented 442s, it’d be ’73, which brought us the final year of the 455 and four speed combination. Really anything after that is just an appearance package.
That’s a beauty, Mike and T.J.! I’ve always like that Salon body style, and that long 4-speed is a plus.
As an oddball or “not a popular style” lover i love this..slopeback Olds is primo in my messed up brain :D
I have posted many times about my first car and current resto-mod being 79 Cutlasses. I remember these, which we called the “Butless” for obvious reasons. I definitely prefer the more popular “notchback”, but my position on the Butless has softened over the years, and this unit with the 305 Chevy (which my original 79 had) and 4 speed stick would be a lot of fun to have and tinker with, whether by doing an easy swap to a crate engine, or trying to tweak the most out of the 305. If it were closer and about half the price, I might be tempted. I am casually looking for a manual transmission car as fun driver, as I only drive my resto-mod Cutlass in nice weather and generally to car events.
Wow, really surprised to see it had a four-speed! A very pleasant surprise! Definitely would make a fun car to drive around. Not the fastest but will have a nice V8 rumble and definitely this is a unique body style that you don’t see you often, especially as a 442!
Really sharp looking, but the Marketplace posting has a big red “SOLD” on it already.
Super cool trip down memory lane. Certainly a one of kinda car. It’s good to recall that these cars were a lot lighter than the Collonade cars so that 305 may be peppier than you think. I just wouldn’t show off to the big kids.
I actually liked this model. Dad had two, one after the other. 1 new and then a used one with super low miles. Cool cars. Didn’t like them back then but they have since grown on me. Personally, I would not be too concerned about the wheezy 305…. Pull it, dump in a decent 350 or 383…trans swap and gears. If you’re worried, squirrel the original junk away somewhere. It would make a really cool cars & coffee conversation piece.
There was one like this that was built by an Oldsmobile engineer, Bill Porterfield. It had a 403 in place of the back seat. It won Hot Rod Magazine’s Street Machine of the Year in 1979.