As the owner suggests in his advertisement, verifying whether a Cutlass SX is the real deal or is just a clone, can be difficult. He also suggests that the best way to verify this is to know the history of the car in question. However, the SX455 club does have some useful resources available to their members which greatly assist in this process. If this car is indeed a true SX, then that makes it a relatively rare car, and also makes it a pretty potent one into the bargain. If you would like to add it to your garage, it is located in Marlton, New Jersey, and is listed for sale here on eBay.
The owner describes the SX as being clean, but not a show quality vehicle. The only rust that he identifies is this spot on the leading edge of the hood. The car underwent a repaint around 15-years-ago, and the vinyl top was replaced at the same time. Both have held up quite well. The one area of concern for me is the fact that there is a water leak from somewhere around the cowl area that is depositing water onto the front floor on the passenger side. I’d want to get to the bottom of that pretty quickly. The owner also points out that the car is fitted with Corvette wheels, and that these were fitted by the previous owner.
The interior looks fairly clean and tidy, and is, for the large part, pretty original. This particular car is fitted with bucket seats, but it is a console-delete car, meaning that the gear shift is on the column. The fact that the previous owner fitted an aftermarket radio/cassette player into the dash is a bit disappointing, as it is the type of unit that would undoubtedly have resulted in the dash being cut to fit it. The rear parcel tray is also quite sun-affected, so this may need to be addressed. Since this photo was taken, the carpet has been removed due to the previously mentioned water leak. The owner is including a new carpet set which is still in the box, along with a padding set.
We get no engine photos, but we do know that the original 455ci V8 and automatic transmission are both still present. The engine underwent a rebuild a few years ago, and it no longer requires additives to cope with today’s pump gas. The owner describes in some detail how the car can be a bit cantankerous when it has been left to sit for a while, but he does say that once it is up and running, it does run well.
The Cutlass SX was a wonderful piece of lateral thinking by Oldsmobile which allowed owners to experience most of the benefits of owning a 442 without the crippling insurance costs. Finding a genuine ’71 Hardtop for sale is more difficult than finding a Convertible, which is a bit surprising. There are currently a few for sale via the SX455 member’s website, and the prices seem to hover around the $20,000 mark for a reasonable one. The owner of this particular car has set the opening bid at $14,000 in a No Reserve auction, which indicates that it is fairly competitively priced.
Lots of possibilities here. First thing I’d do is lose the Chevy rallyes in favor of Olds wheels. I actually like the whole buckets with no console thing too. The seller doesn’t mention A/C, but the car has lap vents, so one can hope. Definitely deserves consideration. I actually had a (much heavier) 70 Vista with the 455, & that car screamed. This coupe should be an absolute rocket (pun intended). Once again, if I were in the market…….
I guess I’m in the opposite boat in that I fail to see the point of bucket seats without a console. It’s not like those buckets were particularly supportive. If you forgo the console, might as well have a bench seat.
Touche.
Console was an option, not a delete. Water intrusion could be plugged drains at the cowl or a leaking windshield. Definitely need to get the carpet up and out asap. The car looks really good for an Eastern car. Too bad they have a cheap radio installed. Judging from the center dash vents and under dash lap vents, It has A/C, if all is still there under the hood.
I had a 69 Cutlass that had bucket seats and column shift with no console, and it was weird. That interior was flawless though, people would always make a remark about how nice it was. One of the finest cars I had as a kid.Mom and Dad’s cars sat in the garage and mine in the driveway. We had a blizzard one night and it dipped below zero. Neither of there cars started, and mine did. Great car.
I had a 71 cutlass supreme 1n the late 70s as a high schooler.nice and had the same green int,.Mine had the console.The first car I ever drove over 100 mph. I think I quit looking at 110 as I passed over the crown of a bridge, Felt like the front wheels where off the ground for a bit. Scared the you know what out oh me.
That olds was pretty fast and just had the rocket 350.
Interested in purchasing this car possibly. Can anyone tell me how to identify if it is a true SX besides the 455 engine and the SX badging, thanks!
Hi Joe. The best (and only?) way to tell a true SX hardtop is by the tell-tale bolt heads on the inside fender lips, just in front of the bolts the secure the hood brackets. The 442 and SX hardtop models had to have an extra brace up front to keep the torque from the 455 from twisting the front end too much! (Interestingly, convertibles do NOT have this tell, as the beefed-up undercarriage structure to make up for the lack of a roof let Olds engineers skip the fender brace. I will get an under-hood pic as soon as I can. The car is in storage, as I was not planning on selling, so I don’t have a full set of “for sale” pix. Feel free to ping me via the eBay mail relay or at: jimmichaels1966 at gmail.com
Yes, you can tell an SX hardtop by the bolt head just in front of the bolts that connect the hood hinge to the inner fender. Cars with the 350 have a empty hole, but SX and 442 models have a bolt that connects a fender brace that’s needed due to the twisting torque of the 455.
Thanks man! That’s a very good spotter tip to know and most people would not know to look for that.. I had no idea and I’ve owned my 70 442 Convertible for 22 years! Thanks JB1971SX.
By the way what’s your thoughts on the price for this car since you own one?
And it looks like my previous post never got posted: I am the seller of this car, so probably not appropriate for me to comment on the price! But reach out to me via the eBay listing and we can chat.
Forgot to mention: The SX and 442 convertibles don’t have the fender brace, since the chassis stiffening required for the convertible is enough.
Great thanks for the info! And yes your right about commenting on the price lol
Being it is so rare, and you bought probably for around 5000, and now you are trying to flip it 14000 plus. Wouldn’t you show better pics? That 455? More interior pics? Rear bumper cut outs( which I can’t tell if it even has them) ? CLONE? WHO KNOWS BUT if not show the pics to prove it!
James, Yes, I agree on the pix–guilty as charged. The car is in dry storage for the winter season and I haven’t been able to get there to take proper pix for the sale with all the year-end wok and holiday commitments. The sale is coming about unexpectedly, but I wanted to catch watchers during the holiday break before everyone goes into hibernation in Jan! And no flipper here: I’ve owned the car since 2012 and was planning on keeping it, but plans changed.
Thought the SX had a different gear ratio? Something low for highway cruising. I almost bought a convertible one when I was a teen and got talked out of it, had cash in hand too.
I honestly like the 68 gto black bucket interior more Without the console, a trim ring on the floor and thats it, for me given the choice less is more, my 70 ss had bench 4 speed, as a teen i ripped the seat out for buckets.,
I had a Cutlass SX W-30 it had the red inner fenders fiber glass hood ram air etc.. and this guy at a car show read me the riot act telling me this car never existed. I bought the car when it was about 9 years old so, was he right in giving me the business ??
They old school mechics . looked at my 70 cutlass supream. Got to talking about my 455 and 12 bolt possi rear end. Talked about the red fender wells. So apparently that guy didn’t know what he was talking about. They told me I had a very rare car. All I know she runs like a bear. I have a lot of time in her. She drive all the time exsept when it snows. Love the car. But she does need a paint job. Took California plates off her when I bought it. Perfer it over my 70 ply satellite which I sold.
That’s because they never built an SX W30.
I run the Cutlass SX Club and Car Registry, http://www.SX455.com, most SXs were well optioned, I don’t ever recall seeing a column shift, bucket seat, without a console. A bucket seats were standard on an SX, the bench seat would have been an option. Very few SXs did not have AC.
Why would anybody try to make an SX clone?
Was there ever a market for an SX over a 442?
They wouldn’t I hope, that would be like making turkey flavored bacon. Bassakwards
Now re-listed on eBay, with a lower price and more pictures.
For more information on the Cutlass SX, visit the official Cutlass SX Club SX455.com. If you own a 1970 or 1971 Cutlass SX, please add it to the Cutlass SX Registry.