Just as GM’s full-size B-body cars got the shrinkeroo applied for the ’77 model year, the colonnade intermediate A-bodies were dealt the same hand for ’78. It was a big deal at Oldsmobile because the Cutlass colonnades, the ’77 in particular, managed sales of over 600K copies that year – a record for a single automotive model. Why mess with success, right? Well, the times, they were a-changin’ and ’78 brought a downsized, but similar version of Dr. Oldsmobile’s best-selling model. Today’s topic, a ’79 Cutlass Supreme Brougham coupe is an excellent example of that fifth-generation (’78-’88) midsize from GM’s middle division. Lounging in Kenwick, Washington, this very clean coupe is available, here on eBay for a current bid of $5,400 with the reserve not yet met.
Well, the good times continued in ’79 despite it being a year that was teetering on the edge of recession. Total Cutlass production hit 564K units of which 137K were Cutlass Supreme Brougham coupes – pretty good shootin’! Cutlass was made available in nine varieties with two-door coupes such as the Supreme Brougham the Calais and then the standard Supreme. Also included in the lineup was the Salon fastback, in two or four-door variations, and made available in both Brougham and regular trim. The eighth and ninth members were station wagons in Brougham (outfitted in faux wood) trim or just the standard, non-cellulose slathered Cutlass.
The seller tells us that this 67K mile example has been “Garage kept and well cared for and it shows!!” I’ll agree with that claim. The powder blue finish and matching Landau top certainly belie this car’s 45 years of existence. This is a look, especially with its wire wheel covers, that I would have likely ignored at the end of the seventies but I have more admiration for it today – absence makes the heart grow fonder, I guess.
Rocket Power employed here? Nope, this is a Chevymobile with its 160 net HP, Chevrolet 305 CI V8 engine. You can learn a lot about a car’s maintenance and condition with an engine image or two and this one appears to be very original and unmolested. The seller claims, “Runs and drives out very well!” He also makes mention of a new exhaust system. The transmission is an automatic gearbox and research indicates that Olds used a three-speed Turbo-Hydramatic 350 with this model – the four-speed O/D unit was still a few years away.
The interior is late ’70s GM all the way. The seller adds, “Interior is in very good original cond! Very presentable and looks great!” The upholstery is cloth and velour spread over a split bench front seat – it’s clean and looks comfortable. The instrument panel, unfortunately, is de rigueur for GM cars of this era – it’s uninspiring and uninformative providing only the basics. That said, it’s in fine shape, it just is what it is.
It’s easy to see how a car like this Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham sold so well, so many years ago. It provided a lot of flair and style, in attractive packaging and at a reasonable price. Sure, it’s not a member of the esteemed ’68 to ’72 third generation of Cutlasses but this car evolved with its own qualities of improved fuel mileage, comfortable ride, tighter handling and maneuvering capabilities, and notably improved braking. Where the reserve is on this car is hard to say but it has attracted 35 bids from thirteen bidders so I imagine a deal will be reached. I like this Cutlass, how about you?
Jim these were the good Dr Olds’ bread and butter offering for a decade.
Too bad about the colors and upholstery patterns. Nice for granny though
I had a similar car for my first car. It was a hand me down from my sister. It was a 1978 Cutlass Salon that my Dad picked up as a repo from a bank. It had the 260 engine and a turbo 200. It was doo doo brown. We called it the “Roach”. Between me and my sister we put 120000 miles on that piece. I miss cars like this one because they may have not been special but they got the job done.
The Chevrolet Impala would like to talk to you about your assertion that the Cutlass set a sales record for a single model in 1977.
No word to be had (other than Oldsmobile won); the Bowtie produced 320,279 Impalas, station wagon, 2 door, and 4 door combined, in ’77. The Caprice (128K) is another matter but we’re talking a single model.
JO
What happened in ’77 to cause it to be a banner year for car sales?
So many models claim that year as their best for sales.
I was 16 at the time, and can’t recall any single event that would cause a bunch of people to go out and buy a new car.
Both 1973 and 1978 were banner years for U.S auto sales. Lots of economic strife on either side of them.
I noticed the right front fender lower molding is missing. Body & underside look pretty good and it resides in dry eastern Washington in the Tri-Cities area of Richland, Kennewick, & Pasco. Low miles & a better motor than the 260. Overall, not a bad car but I’d prefer it having a power seat to complete the power options. Maybe the seller will throw in a bushel of apples. LOL!
My first car was a 75 Cutlass salon followed by a 77 salon, then a 79 Cutlass calais. The 79 seemed good on paper but it was not the Cutlass experience I had known and stopped buying them after the 79. 81 was a tough year for American cars in my opinion and went german for a while.