This 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass S Sedan makes it feel like Old Friends Week. That is because the seller confirms that they purchased this survivor after spotting it on Barn Finds in 2024. Little has changed since then, with only the mileage and the price increasing slightly. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Rocco B. for spotting the Cutlass listed here on Craigslist in Wilmette, Illinois. The seller set their price for this classic at $15,000 OBO.
Oldsmobile released its Fourth Generation Cutlass range in 1973, producing a car that complied with the emerging emission and safety regulations. Cosmetic changes were incremental, with our feature Cutlass S Sedan one of the last examples to roll off the line. It presents nicely in Brown Metallic with a contrasting Beige vinyl top. The paint holds a healthy shine, and the vinyl is excellent. Close inspection will probably reveal cosmetic flaws, but if considered purely as a survivor-grade vehicle, the presentation is comfortably acceptable. The first owner handed the Cutlass to the fine folks at Ziebart when it was new, and their particular brand of magic has left this beauty rust-free. The trim looks good for its age, and the glass is clear. The seller encourages in-person inspections, saying that the photos don’t do this classic justice.
Powering this Cutlass is the range-topping 350ci V8. Oldsmobile teamed the motor with a three-speed Turbo Hydramatic transmission, power steering, and power brakes. The power and torque figures reflect an industry-wide move of quoting outputs in Net terms. The 350 delivers 170hp and 275 ft/lbs of torque, with both figures considered respectable by the standards of the era. This Olds had 24,000 miles on the clock when we last saw it, with the figure now 27,000 miles. The Cutlass rolls on relatively new tires and cruises happily at 70 on the open road. Potential buyers can consider it a turnkey proposition.
The seller states that the car’s interior presentation is consistent with the mileage, and that’s a fair call. Trimmed in vinyl, there is no significant wear or evidence of upholstery failure. The pad is crack-free, and the carpet is clean. Almost everything inside this classic functions as it should. The air conditioning is complete, but the buyer must recharge the system for it to blow ice-cold. The seller states that the windshield washers are inoperative, but the new owner could investigate that minor irritation at their leisure. Otherwise, the power seat, rear defogger, and AM/FM radio with the optional rear speaker all work perfectly.
The beauty of classics reappearing at Barn Finds is that we gain insight into the lives they’ve led since they last graced the site. The seller has added 3,000 miles to the odometer of this 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass S Sedan during the past two years, suggesting that it hasn’t sat gathering dust. My only qualm surrounds the price, which sits at the top end of the market for the Sedan variant. However, values have climbed since 2024, and the car’s history might be enough to entice potential buyers. I think it would be wonderful if the site struck gold twice, and its next owner was another Barn Finds reader. Stranger things have happened.
Thank ya, thank ya, thank ya,( Gomer Pyle) for featuring these types of cars. Once again, this is the kind of car that you don’t chrome the driveshaft. Just a good ol’ CAR, and not some collector gem behind a velvet rope. People are going to need a car, and this will work, just like it did in 1977. As kids, they don’t remember spending much time at the Olds dealer but rather what good cars they were. It unfortunately, always got them to Hebrew School. It won’t have your malfunctioning lane guidance system, or non-opening hood, or a heater you need a college education to operate, “Hot-Cold”, on-off,lo-med-hi, and a DELCO(?) sound system,,,sounds good to me. You’ll see, good, clean this vintage cars will be what people will want, and I don’t blame them one bit. Great find.
Thanks so much for your feedback, Howard A. I’ve always been a fan of this type of car. We live in a digital age, but there’s nothing like owning a car that is what some would describe as analog. They’re easy to maintain and repair, comfortable, and undeniably practical. The great thing is that they are typically cheaper than the two-door variants, making them ideal for people hunting for their first classic car.
We were an Oldsmobile family, and in I grew up in the Detroit area. I remember this era, and everyone in my family had Oldsmobiles. This was the era when imports really started to make headway, and the line was that American cars were poor quality.
I never could understand that. The Oldsmobiles we had were bulletproof. We never had any issues based on quality (except the diesel…) They were reliable, comfortable, and relatively quick, and gas mileage was, well, it was what it was. But that was part of the tradeoff.
Always liked these cars just a shame that Oldsmobile is gone Along with Pontiac. I guess GM decided you can only have so many brand names all making loaded 4 wheel drive overpriced SUVs with little else. This is a very nice car but one of my pet pives is the A/C only needs a charge how do the know that is all it needs, for 15K charge it if that is all it needs. The fact it needs a charge tells you more times then not there is a bigger problem.
$5k profit nice ask . Nice car