I chose to review this 1966 Oldsmobile Cutlass for two reasons: first, it’s not a 442, and second, it’s all original and hasn’t been poorly modified (hacked up?) into something it isn’t. This Granite Falls, Washington, garage dweller looks great, but it’s not perfect – more on that to follow. We can thank Curvette for this tip, and those with an interest will find this Provincial White two-door hardtop listed here on craigslist for $11,000.
For ’66, Oldsmobile’s A-body intermediate underwent a restyle, creating a look not too dissimilar from its B- and C-body fullsizers. Trim levels were F85, F85 Deluxe, Cutlass, and 442. Our subject is what’s known as a “Holiday Coupe”, a two-door hardtop as opposed to a “Sports Coupe”, a two-door sedan with a B-pillar and framed window glass. Additionally, Cutlasses were available as convertibles and four-door hardtop styles known as the Cutlass “Supreme”. Our subject is one of 45K assembled in ’66. Where I think our Cutlass may have some trouble is in the lower passenger-side fender leg and quarter panel. It’s not completely clear, but repaired-over rust may be apparent in both of those areas. And if it’s affecting one side of this car, the other is likely a problem too. It’s a common malady with GM A-bodies of this era, and a close inspection is warranted. The white finish is fair, but as is often the case with old lacquer, it fades a bit and loses its sheen with age. The magnum-style wheels are a nice addition, but I believe they are from a later model, as they weren’t on the ’66 option sheet.
Holding court in the engine room is a 310 or 320 gross HP (depending on the compression ratio), 330 CI V8 engine, known as the “Cutlass V8,” and it’s attached to a “Jetaway Drive” two-speed automatic transmission. This is a B-O-P unit and is not to be confused with Chevrolet’s Powerglide. The seller claims this Cutlass “Runs and drives great” and has only experienced 68K miles of use.
“Interior is in like-new condition,” opines the seller, and the blue bucket seats look sharp but lonely without a center console. The seats have cloth panel inserts, which don’t seem correct for strato-bucket seats, but the material pattern and shade are definitely right. The carpet and door panels check out, though the dash pad is cracked. This Olds has an underdash A/C unit, but nothing is said about its operational capability.
Now, don’t be confused. There are images of two different trim tags included in the listing; one is correct for this Olds, the other is for a ’67 Camaro – what it’s doing there is unknown. Beyond that, what you see here is what you get. This is a very nice example of a fairly ordinary Oldsmobile mid-size hardtop that’s not a 442. But as stated earlier, its originality is also inviting. These more pedestrian versions of GM’s A-body cars are often overlooked and get lost in the shuffle of SS396s, GTOs, etc., and that’s unfortunate. Assuming the body integrity checks out, the $11,000 ask doesn’t seem unreasonable. OK, that’s all I got; let me know what you think of this Cutlass – a good buy?
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