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Restore When Ready: 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme SX

The 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme SX is definitely a car that hides its light under a bushel. Under that unassuming exterior beats a heart of pure muscle, and while it might not have been the toughest car on the block in 1970, it certainly wasn’t a car that was put to shame, either. This Cutlass Supreme SX is a clean car that is looking for a new home. It is located in Chatfield, Minnesota, and is listed for sale here on eBay. The BIN for the Oldsmobile has been set at $18,000, but if you are keen, you could always try your luck by making an offer.

The owner purchased the Cutlass back in 2004, and it has had very limited use over the past 15-years. He says that it has undergone a repaint at some point in its original color. He claims that this is Aztec Brown, but the paint doesn’t look dark enough to be that shade. He does say that there is some minor bubbling under the paint and that this could be filler. The car certainly appears to be solid, and apart from a dusting of surface corrosion, the underside of the car appears to be solid. The rockers, along with the lower fenders and lower quarter panels look remarkably clean, so this looks like a car that could be driven and enjoyed as it is.

There’s a little bit to do inside the Olds, but there appears to be nothing urgent. The biggest job will be to replace the headliner, as this does have a number of tears in it. However, this could be undertaken at any time. The wheel isn’t original, and nor is the radio. There are a set of aftermarket speakers fitted into the rear parcel tray, but otherwise, the interior looks to be original. The upholstered surfaces are in great condition, and the rear seat doesn’t look like it has ever been used. The Cutlass is also fitted with factory air conditioning, but this is currently inoperative.

When compared to the rest of the car, the presentation under the hood isn’t as good as I expected. This can be forgiven because it is here that we see what the Cutlass Supreme SX package was all about. What you got for your money was the L33, 455ci V8, producing 320hp. Shifting duties were undertaken by a 3-speed Turbo Hydramatic transmission. You also received power steering and power brakes as part of the deal. The SX package was designed by Oldsmobile to allow potential owners to buy a car with respectable performance, but not have to face the crippling insurance costs that went hand-in-hand with owning a true muscle car. An SX could cover the ¼ mile in a neat 15 seconds, could accelerate from 0-60mph in 6.9 seconds, and reach a top speed of 129mph. All of this in an unassuming looking package. Since purchasing the Cutlass 15-years-ago, the owner has only managed to accumulate around 300 miles in the car, so it definitely hasn’t been worn out. The worst issue with the car at present is a leaking seal in the transmission. The owner does say that the buyer could drive the car home, but if they try this, then they will need a decent supply of transmission fluid. He suggests that the best option would be to take it home on a trailer and attend to the leak before driving it any distance. On the plus side, he does say that the mighty 445 is nice and strong.

The 1970 Cutlass Supreme has been described as “a 442 in a suit,” which is a pretty fair description. It is one of the great hidden gems of the muscle car world, and good ones are becoming harder to find. This particular car looks like a solid example, and it also looks like it would be quite a rewarding project car. With nice examples selling for prices in excess of $30,000, this is a project car that appears to be well worth the asking price.

Comments

  1. Avatar Superdessucke

    Ahh, the old GM fuel gauge that goes way past the “F” mark when you fill it up, making you feel great upon refuling, like you had a full tank and then some. Great memory thanks!!

    Like 4
  2. Avatar Mark

    And stays on F a looong time. But when it starts dropping, it drops fast.

    Had one of those in my 71 Chevelle.

    Like 5
    • Avatar Superdessucke

      I once took a hard corner in my 1974 Century and it went from 3/4 of a tank to 1/4.

      It did not go back up.

      Like 6
    • Avatar Dusty Rider

      My ’72 CS would stay on full until it would plunge to a quarter tank like it was shot.

      Like 0
  3. Avatar Dan

    The engine bay would greatly benefit from a little elbow grease. Aside from that, and a steering wheel that looks like it came out of J.C. Whitney’s bargain basement, the car doesn’t look too bad. Once the transmission is tended to, it seems ready to be driven and enjoyed.

    Like 3
    • Avatar Little_Cars

      Yeah, ditch that steering wheel…did the seller even make sure the horns work without a horn button? Not the best photos to sell an $18k Cutlass. The bright sunlight does nothing to highlight the car’s best attributes.

      Like 0
  4. Avatar Moparman Member

    The “tears” in the headliner are (more than likely) from mice; there may also be some behind the sun visors. Ask me how I know! :-)

    Like 1
    • Avatar Dan

      My curiosity has been piqued. How do you know about rodents hiding behind sun-visors?

      Like 1
  5. Avatar Chasman358

    I had this same car back in 71 —72. Not a lot of them around.. Mine was the same color.

    I put a 4bbl on it and it really woke up. One of my all time favorite cars.

    Like 2
  6. Avatar Steve Bush Member

    I don’t quite get it. It seems like a nice car but a little pricey. Perhaps, if the owner fixed the transmission, AC and horn, he’d have something the new owner, pending an inspection and test drive, could comfortably drive home several hundred miles. That way he might get close to his asking. By the way, the fuel gauge in my 1969 Grand Prix did the same thing some of you described.

    Like 3
    • Avatar Superdessucke

      A good cleaning and detailing might also help!

      Like 1
  7. Avatar FordGuy1972 Member

    A good-looking car that presents well and is a bit of a sleeper. I’d want to check the quality of the re-paint and see if it’s hiding a lot of bondo. I’d also upgrade the carb to an appropriate 4-barrel. I agree with Steve Bush though; fix the A/C and the trans leak for the price being asked.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Bill W

      A 455 would have a 4BBL carb in it

      Like 0
  8. Avatar Dan B

    Over priced. But that looks like a four barrel air cleaner lid. No Aztec Gold paint in 1970. I would like to see the cowl tag to i.d. the paint.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Jerry W Smith

    The paint color is probably Burnished Gold. I bought one of these new from Black Hills Oldsmobile in Rapid City, SD when I was in the USAF.

    Like 0

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