The mid-size Olds Cutlass Supreme, which started as an option on the F85 compact, became one of the best-selling automobiles of the 1970s and 1980s. The car found its footing in its third generation (1968-72) and would take off from there. This 1970 edition looks like a nice survivor-quality vehicle that’s seen 120,000 miles with a few mechanical upgrades along the way. Located in Haxtun, Colorado, this Olds is available here on craigslist for $22,000 OBO. A nod of the fedora to Gunter Kramer for the heads up!
The most popular Cutlass Supreme was the Holiday Coupe, a formal 2-door hardtop that was exclusive to the series. Although you could opt for a 455 cubic inch V8, most of the Supremes were built with Oldsmobile’s 350 Rocket V8 with a 2-barrel carburetor like in the seller’s car. A 3-speed Turbo-Hydramatic transmission was standard equipment. More than 68,000 Cutlass Supreme Holiday Coupes were built in 1970.
This Cutlass appears to be wearing Copper Metallic paint which could be original, although no reference is made as such. It also wears a dark vinyl top, a signature move for the Supreme. There is no evidence of rust, dents, or dings, so the appearance of the car should need no work. The interior is equally nice and looks original and well-kept for the mileage. Perhaps it was your father’s Oldsmobile!
Upgrades to the car include – but are not limited to – the A/C working off modern freon, a new battery, new aftermarket wheels and tires, and 4-wheel disc brakes replacing drum brakes all around. As such we’re told the car runs and drives well and this Oldsmobile comes across as a turn-key automobile, one that you could immediately begin taking to Cars & Coffee.
Brakes are a nice upgrade and car looks very solid. Only thing it may need in the near future is a timing set. Had a couple of these Olds and 150 to 200 K lost the plastic off the camshaft sprocket. Chain gets a little loose after that. Other than that these are great cars. Going to be a good car for someone.
Agreed the chain and gears would be the first thing I would do, that was a common problem in those days, and it wasn’t just the Oldsmobiles
I wonder why the Cutlass Supreme does not command comparable prices to a Chevelle. Great looking car. It seems like a bargain by comparison.
A few inaccuracies in the writeup. The Cutlass Supreme did not start “as an option on the F85 compact.” The first time the Supreme was offered was in the 1966 model year, long after the F85 had grown from “compact” to “intermediate”. Most Supremes in 1970 came with the RPO L74 310 HP 350 4bbl motor, which was standard equipment in the Supreme model line that year. The RPO L65 low compression 2bbl was a $33.70 credit option on the car. Bucket seats were standard equipment on Supreme 2dr models. The subject car has the RPO A65 Custom Sport bench seat with arm rest, which was a no-cost option.
Had a 73 With the four barrel Rocket, One of the strongest 350s I ever had, really fast!
Had the 74 Cutlass S. Dark green outside, advocado interior. 350 2 barrel, teardrop back windows. Was my second car I bought it used as a kid. Not a fast car, but loved the long heavy doors.Was a good looking car, big and heavy.
I owned a 1968 cutlass supreme brougham 4 dr hardtop with a 4 bbl 350 rocket that earned me a very serious speeding ticket when I passed a vw bug that was poking along at about 55 mph. That car was by far the nicest and fastest car I ever owned in my 60 years of car ownership! 100 +.mph was not even a mild stretch for that Olds!
Jim
I do not like the color scheme..give me a cheerful light blue or red anyday..not a saddle. The bench seat is the durable but sticky hot in summer and cold in winter vinyl not sporty bucket seats with automatic floor shifter. The mileage is quite low for a 52 year old model…need some provenance to authenticate it. A 4 barrel carb would give the old Olds some more zip although in 1970 the Rocket V8 was at its zenith. I especially love the upgrades to the car (modern air conditioning and disc brakes for example). The attractive body style of the 1968 to 1972 Cutlass brings back youthful memories of seeing GM mid size cars everywhere when they dominated the sales charts. If this was a Chevelle 2 door I believe it would be more valuable today and have more reproduction parts available. Still worth a look.
Nice to see a clean fairly original one that hasn’t been donked.
Nice car but 12k overpriced IMHO.
Looks like an honest car. That 22K is the max it will bring. I am more of a 16K or less for it.