Gliding into retirement in a fat Cadillac or other luxury car makes a fitting reward after a long career in the rat race. That’s the story behind this 1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham Coupe in Williston, Florida. The original female owner bought the loaded Cutlass as a retirement present for herself and held onto it for many years. It passed from her daughter to the current seller who addressed some weak points and offers it for sale here on eBay. Power electronic controls are matched by the power of the 455 V8 under the hood. The only option is Buy It Now at full price, folks, $19,800. This kind of car makes its way to Europe, where non-sport models enjoy a stronger following than in America. When did you last see a super-clean 455 Colonnade Olds that wasn’t plastered with Hurst emblems?
Since this picture was taken, the seller claims to have freshened the air cleaner housing with appropriate 455 sticker. The 455 cid (7.5L) V8 had dropped a herd of horses since its mid-size introduction in tire-melting 1970 (’68 in the Hurst/Olds), and this 1976 model year marked the swan song for 45x cid engines in mid-sized GMs across the board. It wouldn’t take much to awaken this sleeping giant and lay waste to that Honda in your subdivision with the Folgers can muffler.
Power seats, power windows, tilt wheel, air conditioning, and more have this retirement ride setup in style. The sumptuous cloth and vinyl interior supports the claimed 40,000 original miles.
The seller states they’ve replaced and painted the often-missing plastic bumper filler pieces where you see a black void in this picture. Speaking of paint, this car left the factory in silver, but the owner had it repainted bright white better to reflect the solar rays of the Sunshine State. The vinyl landau top looks a little dry, but not bad after nearly 50 year of service.
White overspray on the rubber door jam conduit betrays the color change, but the often sun-cracked GM plastics look great. Some imperfections in the shiny trim could be touched up with a steady hand and a metallic pen. I had just started eyeballing the Internet thinking about a non-sport-model 455 GM Collonade car when this one popped up. You could pop a tweaked LS in one of these for a mean sleeper, but it would be more interesting to warm up the 455 and fit higher numerical rear axle gears, overdrive, and slightly wider tires, leaving the car as cosmetically original as possible. You almost expect an LS swap these days, but nobody would be prepared for a hotter-than-factory torque monster under all those smog hoses. I could see myself in a serious Broughmance with a car like this. On the other hand, you could change nothing and lay down 100,000 miles on this ride in normal driving and keep it looking this good or better. Would you make room in your garage for this 455 Brougham?
I LOVE IT!!! A gorgeous low mileage original with a big-block! And almost every option, too. I wish I could buy it. I’d keep it original, of course, except for dual exhaust. I hope it finds a good home where it’s preserved and enjoyed for what it is. Putting a chevy engine in it would be sacrilege.
This Cutlass is way overpriced for what it is…the engine bay area does NOT reflect a car with low mileage…also, it is NOT original since it was repainted…also there is NO console for a performance car like this…I bought and owned this exact color combo from the factory, loaded with buckets and console…it cost me 5,827.00
This is a Brougham. Buckets and console were not available on a Brougham.
You had a Cutlass Salon, which was indeed a European influenced performance package. This is a Brougham with a 455. Which is not a performance car in any way, except for the ability to eat highway miles in a straight line, while drinking enormous amounts of gss.I had a ’75 Salon, and currently own a ’77 Supreme sedan with a V6. The handling of the two is miles apart, as is the performance from the 350-4 vs.the dismal 6.
I believe that is a 77 and my mom had one two of my friends had one…. And that that is damn well not a $40,000 mi car that is 140 and these cars were known to do over 200,000 mi at least the 350s were known to do it and 455 don’t mean nothing this thing is got a yacht anchor in it that sucks down gas because it’s been utterly detuned for smog and emissions….. I cleaned my mom’s car out for 4 years I detailed that car inside and out from when that car had 50,000 mi on it when I was in high school till after I graduated and I seen the wear that was on that car at $150,000 mi at car was still running beautiful and you ain’t got no good pictures of the brake paddle and gas pedal and that steering wheel that’s steering wheel has got hands-on wear on it from being driven way more than 40,000 mi and don’t even get started look it under that hood jet look like a 40,000 mi car hell no it don’t at least you going to try getting an outrageous prize for a car like that with supposed to be original low miles at least go clean the hell out of it I mean if you’re going to try making an accusation like that I mean it’s like Ray Charles can see what’s going on there 🤠….
Otherwise I can’t stand that maroon interior and I do like silver and I do like white and this car didn’t have Bondo all over it it’ll be great to rebuild that motor and transmission tuned back up with new internal parts so it actually is like a 455 and not like a neutered car and put dual exhaust and a good differential in the back of that and some nice tires that would be one hell of a beauty right there but hell that cost some money to resto the interior parts in a different color because that looks like a very good candidate for a restoration … Rebuild that motor to what it should have been put headers and good exhaust and good sway bars and suspension on that that would be an incredible car….
And there’s no bucket seats or console….. Some of these had buckets console shifter on the floor and t-tops….. I absolutely loved my mom 77 I had the biggest hard-on to get that car one day when she wore it out and then I could afford to buy it and fix it up
They are selling for that price. $3000 would get you 400hp at wheels and 600 foot ibs of torque. I beat LS s all the timejf
That’s too much for it u never get that much for it bro.
@micheal This is without any doubt a 76’
There’s a few ways to tell the difference but the easiest is the interior dashboard, on a 77’ the dash directly in front of passenger had rectangle vents and wood. FACT
Also taillights and front grills have subtle differences.
Beautiful Olds you can drive and enjoy. Refurbish enough to catch a cursory glance. Hot up under the hood and have a respectable car for all occasions.
I love that saying” a Folger’s can muffler!” Just giant noise makers! Sort of reminds me of those toys called kazoos? When you were young, that drove your parents up the wall! Lol
I once amused myself by adding a Folger’s can muffler to the Honda Odyssey that my wife drove. The key word is “once”.
The engine bay looks bad for a 40k mile car….too m u ch money for this and it’s a color change
HEY BUDDY, I TOTALLY AGREE…I owned an original car when new and it would never cost as much as an old Caddy,,,There are too many issues that do NOT warrant such a high price…someone advised this gentleman icoorectly.
Okay, I have to admit, I’d love to turn this into a ‘pimpmobile’: white fur on the dash, fuzzy dice on the rear view mirror…
Beautiful car with a lot of options. They don’t make them like this anymore. Wish I could get it.
Wow! What a beauty! I’ll take it ! The 455ci engine option is VERY HARD to come by these days. Mostly 350’s, although I’d gladly take a 350! This car really almost needs nothing. Put duel exhaust on it and PAMPER it AND cruise it all over the place! I love the color combo and ESPECIALLY the velour seats and all the extra equipment, especially the 455! Wish I could buy it. Yeah – this one is a keeper, somebody will get an awesome car. The price isn’t too bad considering all you get . Good luck! Great article.
Exactly Anthony…I prefer the “tech” free vehicles myself. My wife has a 2013 Elantra GT..it went in for a recall. They gave her a new Elantra loaner. She didn’t like all the chimes and lights…push button start. She wanted her car back..lol! And me..I have a 2022 Tacoma TRD OFF ROAD 4X4 MANUAL. I have a real key and a lever for the e-brake. Has a touch screen for the radio..thats the only tech in it…for the most part. I can deal with that. The new ones are nice, but not for me. Plus I have a 63 GP for scooting around with as well. I work for BMW in service and I see all the issues that brand has. They are really nice and have to say they are “The Ultimate driving machine”….when there working correctly..lol
You know what the difference between a porcupine and a BMW are? On a porcupine, the pricks are on the outside. 🤣
I always giggle when Mr Clarkson (Top Gear/Grand Tour) refers to this style of interior as ‘vulgalour’, and this shade of red falls right in line with that analogy.. but this car is a peach, not the coolest body style around, but man what a sleeper she would be! Do some creative tuning on that mill, and yes, a bit wider tires, and blow the coffee cans right off those little buzz bombs that are little more than annoying.. to each their own, for sure, but the little tuner cars don’t have a thimble full of style when compared to the old classic hoopties! Did someone say ‘smoke show’? This car, tuned properly, would undoubtedly hide itself in luxurious clouds of white smoke, jes sayin…
Along with dual exhaust, I’d add the Super Stock III wheels to this beauty!! GLWTA!! :-)
In 1976, I was the assistant service manager at a very busy Chevy-Olds dealer in NY. The owner daily drove a black 76 Cutlass Supreme Brougham with this exact interior. However, he ordered Hurst Hatches and the Super Stock wheels. He would pull into the service department every morning about 9 a.m., get out, leave the door open and leave the engine running. Our detail guy knew that meant the boss wanted it washed. I drove the car many times and I knew I wanted a car like that. Well, two years later, a local attorney traded in a loaded 76 Salon, with the high back buckets, and Hurst Hatches, the first year GM offered them on regular Cutlass models. In 1975, they were standard on the Hurst Olds. My Salon was traded in on a new 1978 SIlver Anniversary Corvette. I was leaving for a KISS concert in NYC at quitting time and toldl the sales manager I want that Salon. It was silver and perfect with 25,000 miles. Believe it or not, I traded my 1971 Corvette for it. I have owned 40 cars since then, have another Corvette now, and it was my favorite car in all respects, comfort, style and reliability, ever. I sold it to finance my college education and regret it. You never see them today. This is plenty of money for this car, but at $19,000, you can barely get a well- used KIA POS today. Yes, 455s are rare in 1976. Very few had them.
I see more and more people buying these cars for a “toy car”, and a daily driver…As the major car manufacturers have failed in producing what the public wants..No high tech computers to run the car..thus easier and less costly maintenance…The cost is far more affordable than the ALL 4 Dr crowd now (including todays trucks)..More eye appealing than the “jelly beans” on the road today.
And far more comfortable than $80,000+ “luxury” cars.
Todd, I’m with you, add an overdrive with converter clutch but also add fuel injection. That should yield better driveability and a small fuel economy improvement. That would make it an absolutely terrific driver.
If you have that much rust in the engine bay. I wonder how much rust is underneath. Being in Florida with the salt air can’t be much better than being up north can it?
I worked at an Oldsmobile dealership in 1976. I always loved these, especially the Brougham. I wanted to buy one but at $2.60 per hour that wasn’t going to happen!
Looks to have its original huge (and heavy) catalytic converter… and a 400 automatic!?
Source a crossmember from a ’73 or ’74 to make dual exhaust an easier addition. I think it would have highway gears, like 2.73, so with a carb adjustment and those duals you could achieve near 25 mpg. Headers would be okay, but pre ’75 exhaust manifolds work with a stock ’73/’74 exhaust system.
I think that it is amazing that this was ordered new with a 455. By this point in the 70s, unfortunately, Oldsmobile actually took the “Rocket” wording off before “455” on the air cleaner cover and simply had “Oldsmobile”. Due to all the emissions controls that they had to add onto it to keep it up with the newer standards. But still, the torque it still had made for some effortless cruising on the highway.
This was among my most favorite years for the Cutlass. You usually see the 350, but ones with the 455 are out there.
Last year of the 455 from (BOP).To warm of these up you just need higher compression heads,a non-egr intake manifold and a good cam…
Anybody know what the little pod on the center of the dash is? Fiber-optic lamp monitors, maybe?
That’s probably a “Fasten seat belts” warning light. Lamp monitors were on top of front fenders & top center or rear window.
Likely the Fasten Seatbelt light.
Perhaps, but that light was required by law, and the pod does not appear on every car. I thought it might be a digital clock, but then I found a photo of a ’73 Cutlass with a clock in the dash and the pod on top of the dash. I thought it might be part of the automatic A/C, but that same ’73 Cutlass has manual A/C. I have a 1973 Olds dealer handbook, which lists optional equipment for each model. Nothing on the Cutlass options list indicates a pod on top of the dash.
I bought one almost identical – not a 455 straight out of college. Silver, burgundy landau roof, burgundy velour, a cream of a delight vehicle. Sadly, I let it go a long time ago. Cheers to whoever ends up with this one.
I’d love to have it. I’d build the 455 up with a .520 lift cam, mill the heads .060, get an Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, headers, 3 inch duals all the way out with a x pipe, etc., plus convert the differential to a limited slip and C clip eliminators and a 3:55 gear.
I’d go 17x 8 wheels (Magnum 500 repos) and 18x 10 out back. Continental Extreme Contact tires all around. Talk about a sleeper. It’d have close to 500 lb-ft of torque, that’d get that heavy thing moving!!
I like the car. Too bad it doesn’t have t-tops. I had a white 77 Grand Prix with t-tops. They need to bring them back on cars. Much cooler than a sunroof.