You’d better wash this one on your lawn, because if you do it somewhere where there’s a drain, you’ll likely clog it. At least, that’s how it looks, as this 1966 Oldsmobile Cutlass is positively caked with dirt as it awaits a new owner in the Tucson area. The tipster that brought this one to us is TJ, and you can snag this two-door for $4,500. You’ll get the contact info you need from this ad on craigslist.

Forty-five hundred bucks? The guy had it running and has a bunch of parts to go with it, mostly stuff that relates to fluids (water pump, thermostat, fuel pump, gas tank, etc.). He doesn’t claim to have driven it, but a running engine is a better start to a project than a lump of iron that’s all seized up. Does the current owner not know that ugly piles of rusty junk which haven’t run in decades are going for more than his asking price these days?

This one might be worth blowing the dust off and seeing what’s there. The body looks pretty set, except for damage to the driver’s side fender, though he has another to go in its place. There also appears to be a bit of hood lift from whatever prang ruined that fender, and likely work needed on the front valence. The bumper, too, is in need of straightening, if that’s possible, or replacing, if not. The problem then will be that you have to paint the whole car rather than just buffing the rest out, unless you’ve got a friend who adds false patina to new metal (What? You don’t know about this?) and can blend the fender to look like the rest of the sun-faded desert exterior. If I had my druthers, that’s what I’d do. This thing looks “experienced” in a rather pleasing way.

In order to know what else you’d have to spend money on, it would be great to see the interior, but most of that is covered in sheets. The dash and steering wheel look pretty good, though the horn button is ruined. Handsome wheel, though, and one you’d be happy to grab and take for a spin. You’d be piloting an engine the origin of which is not claimed, only that it’s a 330. You eagle-eyed barn finders can perhaps tell us what’s there, though there again, dust will be your enemy. If the ad is correct, though, you’ll be driving on an engine that’s covered only 51,059 miles. If that mill is original, it’ll go 100K more without using a drop of oil, and the new owner of this Cutlass will have scored a do-able project for a not-insane dollar amount.