Budget Luxury: 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham

When people think “luxury” in 70s American automobiles, they likely picture the usual suspects: Lincoln Continental, Cadillac Eldorado, perhaps even Buick’s Electra or Chrysler’s New Yorker. They may not, however, think of a mid-priced marque like Oldsmobile, and they certainly aren’t envisioning full-size luxury sedan feel in a mid-size coupe. That’s exactly what you get with this immaculately preserved 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham coupe, available here on Facebook Marketplace in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, for $15,000. A special thanks to Barn Finder Zen for locating this gem.

This Olds is the last model year of the fourth-generation Cutlass, based on GM’s legendary A-body platform that powered the Chevelle, 442, GTO, and GSX, all of which shared this car’s 112-inch wheelbase, a staple in the midsize GM lineup since 1967. All 1977 Cutlasses came standard with the paltry 260 ci V8; whoever ordered this particular Brougham had the forethought to upgrade to the much more appropriately powered Oldsmobile “Rocket” 350 ci V8, adding 60 horsepower over the base engine (170 hp vs. 110). The result is a peppy car with excellent power and responsive throttle thanks to its 4-barrel carburetor. A Turbo Hydramatic 350 transmission provides reliable shifting.

This car is in exemplary, all-original condition for a vehicle nearing 50 years old, with the odometer at just 42,000 miles and no rust in sight. A small scuff in the Dark Green Metallic paint is noted on the passenger-side door just above the door handle, and there is slight discoloration on the steering wheel, but all other imperfections are incredibly minor and sporadic. The trunk is spotless, the engine bay is well detailed, the Landau-style half vinyl top is in excellent condition, and the original velour interior appears virtually untouched and absolutely SCREAMS 1977. It has a very distinct pattern that looks like it was pulled straight off the couch in your grandma’s house. It also has power locks and windows. There are no photos of the underside of the car, but nothing indicates any issues with the undercarriage of this Cutlass.

There truly may not be a nicer unrestored 1977 Oldsmobile anywhere in the world than this car. The modest $15,000 asking price is more than fair for a car of this magnitude, in this condition. I briefly owned a 1976 Cutlass sedan with this powertrain combination, and I was surprised by how easily it reached cruising speed. My Cutlass had the 2.41 rear axle ratio, which made 35 mph achievable almost at idle driving down the streets of my college town, and a light-footed driver can coax pretty decent fuel economy out of one of these, as well, easily reaching the 20 miles per gallon the smaller 260 V8 could manage under proper conditions. As these ’70s “malaise era” cars increase in popularity, they will no doubt also increase in value; who wants to be the trendsetter?