Many cars from the mid to late 1970s spent years in the automotive wilderness. They emerged from factories when emission regulations had taken an enormous bite out of engine power, and performance was typically lackluster. However, that has changed as a new generation of enthusiasts view them as an affordable entry point into classic car ownership, or those slightly older see the opportunity to own a vehicle that was financially beyond their reach when new. This 1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass S is one such car. It presents exceptionally well for its age and is a rust-free gem with no significant needs. It runs and drives well, ready to head from its current location to a new home. The Olds is listed here on eBay in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Bidding has raced beyond the reserve, sitting at $14,500 at the time of writing.
Oldsmobile’s Fourth Generation Cutlass range graced showroom floors from 1973 until 1977. The company performed a cosmetic update in 1976, introducing features like the distinctive waterfall grill. It hit a sweet spot with buyers, with the Cutlass becoming the country’s best-selling passenger car. Our feature Cutlass emerged during that year, finished in Code 50 Cream. The seller confirms it received a cosmetic refresh in the original shade years ago and still presents nicely. A close inspection will reveal minor chips and marks, but the presentation remains impressive. The “442” stripes were purely aspirational and added during the refresh. Rust can sometimes be an issue with classics from this era, but the fact this Olds was undercoated and has been garage-kept throughout its life has left it rock-solid. The filler panels haven’t suffered typical deterioration, the trim shines beautifully, and the glass is flawless. The original Super Stock III wheels and narrow whitewalls provide the perfect finishing touch to the exterior.
If this Cutlass makes a positive impact with its exterior presentation, it ramps things up a notch when we examine the interior shots. It carries the hallmarks of a classic that has been treated respectfully since Day One, with no signs of abuse or physical damage. The Black vinyl upholstered surfaces are exceptional, with no wear or stretching on the seats. The carpet is spotless, with the dash and pad appearing perfect. It features an aftermarket AM/FM radio/cassette player with speakers cut into the door trims and read parcel tray, but there are no other visible additions. The swivel seats are a cool option, while the tilt wheel, cruise control, and console accentuate the luxurious feeling for occupants.
It is sometimes difficult to convey the impact of emission regulations on vehicle performance during The Malaise Era, but this Cutlass tells the story pretty effectively. The entry-level V8 offered in the 1973 Oldsmobile Cutlass S was the 350ci powerplant, producing 180hp and 275 ft/lbs of torque. Those figures would hardly set the world alight, but that motor provided respectable performance. By 1976, the 260ci was the base V8, delivering 110hp and 206 ft/lbs. Life moved at a far more leisurely pace because while the 1973 Cutlass could cover the ¼-mile in 17.4 seconds, the same journey took 20.9 seconds when our feature car rolled off the line. However, owners still received a subtle V8 rumble from the exhaust, which proved irresistible to many. The news for potential buyers with this Olds is generally favorable. The car has been appropriately maintained throughout its life and has a claimed 72,000 original miles on the clock. The seller doesn’t mention verifying evidence, but the condition makes the claim plausible. There is a slight exhaust leak for the winning bidder to address, with the engine and transmission leaving a few drops of oil when the car is sitting. Potential buyers can consider it a turnkey proposition because it runs and drives perfectly.
This 1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass S demonstrates the growing strength of vehicles from this era in the classic market. It has reached the current price following strong buyer response. The Cutlass has received twenty bids, which is unsurprising when you assess its overall condition and presentation. It is only days away from finding a new home, but are you tempted to make it yours?
Nice! Great color combo….
Nice presentation. I remember when these Colonnade GMs were everywhere, but the Pontiac looked the best. Those rubber bumper protectors would start to peel off. I’d make it a true 442 and put a 400 ci 4v motor in and dual exhausts.
A nice candidate for an Olds 455 with a TH400
As an admirer of beige and brown cars this is a looker from when your imagination was the limit. Too bad about speaker job on the doors. Thankfully I stayed put so no air is no problem.
Agree with the speaker comment, although I was guilty of the same with my ’72 Caprice.
No a/c and that morbid looking 442 decal. They look oversized to me.
Except for the speakers, great interior though.
I believe the reason these cars are becoming more valuable is the price of collector cars are out of reach for many folks. I started in retail automotive in 1979. If you lived thru the (weaser era) you understand. Emissions was a nightmare tune and re-tune to pass. I’m not a hater it’s a nice car it just reminds of some dark days in the industry.
A friend had a similar (real) 442, but upped power using a 455 from, if I recall, a ’71. We added true dual exhaust and it ran very well.
Sharp car then, sharp car now. It is not hard to understand that, given the automotive preferences of the day, how it became a top seller.
Why is the alternator blue?
nice color combos. good looking ride. needs the 403 in it. boy those 260s sure were slow. very nice car all said and done.
One of my buddies in high school had a 76 Buick Regal with the V-6. You want to talk about slow? My 74 Cutlass with the 350 V-8 was a race car by comparison.
Not a fan of the color. Nice car and nice presentation.
Had a friend near me that had one without the lame 442 billboard. His car was silver and he kept it mint. It had bulging raised white letter tires. Was a slug performance wise but a nice car that got a lot of attention. By the early 1980’s many of those huge rear bumpers rotted off and were replaced with wood in the rust belt areas. These tanks didn’t survive well.
I had the wooden bumper option . . 2×6 I believe it was . Very stylish , every one was doing it. Funny thing is I only remember it on the cutlass and not any others . Maybe the olds bumper was made cheaper?
A lot of GM cars had that “option” here in Mn.
Did you put a low mount stop light strip across it? 😆
I’m not feeling the 442 stripe at all, it clearly doesn’t work with whitewalls. The door speaker grilles could be painted to help them blend/hide a little better. Under the hood… what’s up with the blue alternator, and the support struts? Otherwise, well maintained and presented car.
Looks sharp…
I think 0-60 numbers better represent performance for comparison.
Why the loss of the click-on pictures?
A big step-down…
It’s a looker for sure, but at that price I would think it has to have better performance upgrades and not leak. Someone is going to have to spend a couple grand at least to do something about that.
Pretty car. Never really a fan but looks great in this day and age.
very nice car BUT he put speakers in the door Pannels, unless they came that way. I had a 73 same interior. with no door speakers. If I’m correct where do u find new Pannels
Very nice car! At my age (77) I don’t care much if the 260 V-8 is slow….so am I! And as to the speakers in the doors, well…it’s done and also serves as a reminder of how we did things back in the day. I would not fret about them. I would just drive and enjoy this car the way it is. Personally, I would not have put 442 decals on a non-442 car, but it was his car, so his choice.
I could comfortably sit beside this car in my lawn chair and calmly agree with nay-sayers when they point out that it is NOT a 442. I think the current high bid is reflective of the condition of the car and the seeminly higher prices good quality vehicles are bringing these days.
Ok, color me confused. I had a ‘76 cutlass supreme brougham (same color) but it looked nothing like this. Did not have the waterfall grille. Was that a model specific thing?
Thanks
The Cutlass Supreme had a different grill and header panel than the Cutlass S. The S and Supreme had different tail lights. Also, the roof line on the Supreme was considered to be more formal. It had a smaller rear side window and many came with a landau vinyl roof. I had a 75 Cutlass with the 350 4bbl.
Cutlass S and Cutlass Supreme are two different models.
Thank you. 👍
Question? How do you roll down the windows with those stupid speakers right there!?! Say goodbye knuckles.
Ah, the 260 V-8! A guy I worked with, back in the day, had a brand new Cutlass with this engine. He was a lush, and I made the mistake of going out to the bar with him after work one night. Predictably, he got smashed, couldn’t drive, so I got to drive the Cutlass. Getting onto the freeway, an old lady in a Caddy was right up my bumper, I floored it, and she blew past us like we were parked. From then on, we called it The Gutlass. But it was a looker.
It is not widely known, but the 2 barrel carb on the 260 Olds engine is made from a 4 barrel casting. It just doesn’t have the secondaries of a Rochester Q-Jet. The intake manifold is a 4 barrel intake!!! I put a 4bbl from an Olds 350 on my 1976 Omega and it made a big difference!
Nice car. Just sold. When I was much younger, my dad bought a 76 Cutlass Supreme with the 260 engine, no air. I can understand that he was in his fifties and he wanted something dependable and easy on gas. The 260 engine fit the bill. Also, he didn’t care for AC. It seems that people want to get the biggest engine in their cars now and race. Some cars were meant to drive and these Olds were the best.
I was a teenager in the ’70’s, and lived through this “malaise era”. There’s a reason it has this name. There are classic cars, and there are old cars. They’re not the same thing. This is just an old car. Doesn’t interest me in the least.
Are these the aerobody cars that NASCAR used? I like the Supreme style cutlass but this looks slipperier to me. 😊
One of my buddies in high school had a 76 Buick Regal with the V-6. You want to talk about slow? My 74 Cutlass with the 350 V-8 was a race car by comparison.