Just when you thought being a low-mileage survivor was reason enough to be featured on Barn Finds, this ’79 Oldsmobile Cutlass here on craigslist has to go and up the ante. How, you might ask? By sporting this super stunning “Mojave” interior, which is as rare as it is distracting. I’m not sure if the 1,879 original miles claim is accurate, but this Olds does appear quite strong cosmetically with upholstery that will satisfy even the choosiest connoisseurs of Native American-inspired artwork.
Wow – are your eyes burning? That is some funk-alicious upholstery. I thought at first this was the result of a bad aftermarket job, but nope – you could order your Olds just like this from the factory. I guess if you were seriously attached to the designer rug in the dining room and couldn’t bear the thought of being away from it when you had to run errands, this interior option could act as a security blanket. While I appreciate rare options in most forms, this seems legitimately rare for good reason.
Now, back to the car: despite the low mileage claims, aftermarket wheels have been swapped on and I doubt the rear spoiler is an OEM component. It makes me wonder why this car wasn’t preserved more carefully if it’s such a survivor. The body does still look straight and the chrome bumpers present as new, but those aftermarket add-ons do distract from what should otherwise look like a museum piece.
The seller mentions that the original wheels are included, thankfully. Some “minor body issues” are mentioned but specifics aren’t offered. If the interior didn’t look as good as it does (in terms of condition, not style), I’d say this was a case of odometer roll-over; however, my overall sense is this could be a real-deal low mileage example that unfortunately hasn’t been treated all that well. What do you think is its real mileage, and have you ever seen an interior like this one?
i love it!
Love the interior! Low-miles stories are BS without convincing documentation.
Love it….. Automobile art.
Yeah, again, nice try. This car was advertised on another site, in Cadillac, MIch. for $7695 and the present owner ( who might be taking a bath on this car) left out the rusty door corner and rust under the vinyl top pics. No engine shots either. Still a clean car. I had 2 of these, and one of the few cars my ex-wife couldn’t kill. We see 1879, but even at 101879, that’s not a lot of use and someone could easily have kept the interior that nice. Nice car, and not all flips are success stories.
Actually that ad is still active until 8/27 — shows it located in Cadillac MI. This ad shows it in FL. Both ads used the same pics but this ad left out the rust and touch-up spot pictures. Here’s the other ad: http://www.oldride.com/classic_cars/911783.html
Looks like a palm tree in the Michigan pics…
Internet is a wondrous place….LOL
Howard, what was the website you mentioned? Is the car still listed there?
I don’t know, the chrome and all the trim work look pretty fresh to me, the plastic chrome grilles would deteriorate pretty quickly on these if they spend much time on the road and in the weather. Why would they put that spoiler on such a low mileage car though? Even if it is 100k plus car it does look great, that spoiler would have to go through.
Not nice enough for 1800 miles and too nice for 101800 miles. No wear on door panels or carpet but lack of pics and that aftermarket junk silver trim along the bottom of the car would make me more than a little suspicious. Still a nice driver with unique interior in very good condition. Not sure it’s worth what the seller is asking as these haven’t hit the “collectable” curve quite yet.
That trim along the bottom is factory, both of my neighbors growing up had these, one a 78 and the other a 79 both had had the stainless trim along the bottom.
I didn’t think the factor trim overlapped the plastic bumper fills like it does on this car. I looked on line and it’s hard to tell for sure if this is factory or not.
About that interior: “Doctor my eyes!”
I’ve just looked at over 30 pics and the lower trim matches the brochure, I grew up around these and had one myself, if it’s not factory it’s darn close.
Yup, after looking at the on-line pics I agree. I see a bunch of different termination points which makes you wonder which ones are factory and which aren’t.
I want to punch these people in the face. They post every darn thing they do on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat but make me suffer through this. Ugh.
http://www.oldride.com/imgitem//74892/175114/61762040485000_tmp_org.jpg
Should have put 100 more miles on it.
Pizza cutters up front tell me this has been well abused.
I had a 1977 Old Cutluss 4 door with a Palamino interior looked like an indian blanket very cool one I wished I had kept. And wished I had pictures but wasnt thinking traded in for a Mazda.
If this upholstery is “eye-searing”, you ought to see the dark orange/white plaid that was available on ’76 or so Cadillac Calais coupes! The “Indian blanket” upholstery that Chrysler had on some of their mid-size cars in ’76 era were pretty nice to look at.
TOO many questions about this car’s history! I can see the aftermarket wheels for a quick-change to get it rolling again. The spoiler, though????? It could well be a 231 V-6 under that pristine paint!
Looks a little too “lived in” for under 2K miles. At an average of only about 50 miles per year why are there cup holders and cassette tapes in there? The visible Ziebart plugs are also a negative. Back then it would have been simple enough to pop in a clean used cluster from a car with 101800 miles. I’ve even legitimately reset mechanical odometers on replacement gauge clusters for my own cars as new as ’97 models to match the mileage showing on the original odometer when swapping out the base one for one with a gauge package. Whatever tamper evident things that are supposed to show up never do the way I do it.
On the plus side I’d think a higher mileage car would show visible wear on the fabric piping around the drivers seat back cushions. The vinyl piping on my ’70 Cutlass was worn through by 30K miles.
This car is at least a 100,000 mile car. That “Rust” which is typical of Michigan salting comes from salt spray clinging and electrolysis from the car in motion. For those of you who live in the sun belt. What you see in rust is only 10% of the rust in the car. It is like an ice berg. Second, only a “kid” would have stuck that wing on the back. Last the color is “Sale Proof…trust me”. That’s why he’s bouncing all over with the car, the PH isn’t ringing. Third, there never was anything special about this series of car. They were bought for transportation not because they were sexy Cutlas’s. I know, I was selling them new.
This guy is a real Word Merchant…Who would believe those miles
What original 1800 mile car needs the JC Whitney console cup holder clinging to the carpet
Being driven roughly 50 miles a year when would there be time to pop a top and go for a long summer cruise where you would consume 12 ounces
Who would put the speed racer rear spoiler on the deck lid of a 1800 mile survivor.
Or the Oh So 80’s wheel and tire package
Who does this guy think he is kidding-He must have Manure for brains
Loved these cars & owned several beater versions and then a very nice pale green 79 that I tried to preserve until I sold it 17 yrs later. This one is the first ” Herb Tarlek Edition” I have ever encountered.