When an owner makes a bold mileage claim for their classic car, I tend to tread carefully. However, when that seller indicates that the claim is documented, that’s a different kettle of fish. That is the case with this 1966 Oldsmobile Cutlass Holiday Coupe. The odometer reads 63,000 miles, and this is backed by the appropriate evidence that confirms its originality. It is a solid survivor, but it needs a new owner willing to return it to its former glory. Located in Industry, Pennsylvania, you will find the Olds listed for sale here on eBay. The bidding has already passed the reserve and currently sits at $8,100.
The Cutlass wears its original Ebony Black paint with a matching vinyl top. The paint looks pretty tired, with plenty of cracks, checking, and flaws. There are also a few spots where a previous owner has commenced repair work, but this remains unfinished. Some rust is visible in the lower front fenders, but this may prove to be the extent of its problems. This photo provides a peek at the underside, and while the undercoat is peeling and there’s surface corrosion visible, the owner states that the floors and frame are rock solid. The buyer will probably choose to strip away most of the paint, which will allow an opportunity to tackle the minor dings and bruises before applying a fresh coat of Ebony Black. The chrome, trim, and the original Rallye wheels appear acceptable for a survivor of this vintage, while the tinted glass seems to be flawless.
If considered purely as an original survivor, most of the interior trim and upholstery look pretty respectable. The covers on both front seats have succumbed to age by splitting, but the rear also shows early signs of deterioration. With the door trims and remaining upholstered surfaces presenting well, it would be worth it for the buyer to outlay $600 for a fresh set of covers. The owner describes the carpet as being very nice, but for me, the jury is out on that until someone treats it to a deep clean. The dash and pad are in excellent condition, as are the console and wheel. The original owner ticked a few nice boxes when they ordered this Cutlass. These include the bucket seats and console, while they also chose air conditioning and an AM radio.
The owner supplies no engine photos, but we know that the original owner ordered the Olds with the 330ci V8 and a two-speed Jetaway transmission. The transmission does stifle the V8’s performance, but with 310hp on hand, the 16.5-second ¼-mile ET looks pretty respectable. The owner claims that the vehicle has a genuine 63,000 miles on the clock and that he has documentary evidence to verify this. For potential buyers, this is a classic that comes with plenty of good news. The owner says that the motor started easily, and it sounds clean breathing through its dual exhaust. It runs and drives well, and it seems that it could be driven immediately as an original survivor while the buyer works through the restoration tasks at their leisure.
Given the solid physical state of this 1966 Oldsmobile Cutlass Holiday Coupe and all that it has to offer, there is one aspect of its listing that surprises me. At the time of writing, there have only been five bids submitted. It is a nicely optioned low-mileage survivor that looks to be an easy restoration project. I expected to see more interest, but maybe the best is yet to come. If things don’t heat up, are you tempted to take a tilt at parking this classic in your garage?
Nice car. Even with the current engine,I wouldn’t be surprised if someone made this a 442. The next owner will have a sure fire classic and a good looking one at that.
My favorite color combo. My grandpa had a burgundy 66 sedan, we pulled a camper through most of the northeastern states in the summer. Good memories.
My buddy bought one of these new when he got back from the war. Said dreaming about buying a new car when his tour was over got him through. (that and some helpful comforting girls in Saigon I might add) His was white and I swear he polished it so much the paint was eventually thinning in places. A great road trip car, we did a lot of those in that fine machine. This brings back some nice memories.
Dad had a ’67 Cutlass Supreme, I was 7 years old when he bought it. Lots of crazy stories with that car. He told me it had over a 100,000 miles, and was missing badly, he wasn’t sure he would make it to the dealer when he traded in. He told me this when I asked him why he bought that POS ’70 Ford LTD. He was driving a brand new ’73 Grand Prix when I asked him, but I’m sure I didn’t use the term POS with him, LOL.
Bear in mind that that’s a vacuum gauge on the console, not a tach. In that era a manifold vacuum gauge was a common way for drivers to achieve the best fuel economy, and skilled mechanics could tell a lot about the engine’s condition and state of tune from the gauge readings. Nobody does that in this microprocessor era, but will OBD2 tell you directly that your rough idle is due to a vacuum leak?
My mom had a 66 – 442 holiday hardtop. It had a Bench seat and automatic on the column . White outside and a cheap red interior. Not nearly as nice as this one . The 400 engine and it was fully badged as a 442 . I inherited it and carefully resuscitated the engine as it at not fired a shot in anger in over 25 years. Cleaned it up and sold it a year later. It just wasn’t my cup of tea.
Used the cash to help towards purchase of my1959 corvette. Thank you mom.
This is a beautiful car in spite of all its needs
Looks like someone may getting a clean, solid 66 Cutlass at a very reasonable price. Survivors in this condition should be prized.
Based on the W-2 on the trim tag, the car was originally silver with black vinyl top. But the red guts are original and shown on the tag. That’s a very nice combo too!
And NOT ONE picture of the front of the car, WHY ??