Disclosure: This site may receive compensation when you click on some links and make purchases.

Underrated Classic: 1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass Survivor

Its no secret that I love blue cars, so I may be a little biased here, but this 1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass is a beautiful shade of blue that does nothing but good for it. With a price of $6,000 and a believable 32,684 miles, I am at a complete loss for why this car has yet to sell. Though it may not be desirable like an older Cutlass, and it isn’t exactly a performance car, there is no denying that this car is in fantastic condition and would be endlessly enjoyable in the right hands. A far leap from a derby car, this mint condition Cutlass can be found here on eBay in Connecticut. 

What awful shape this interior is in! Awfully good, that is. After scouring the photos in the listing, the only defect I can find in the entire interior is visible plainly in this photo: loose dirt on the floor mat. Did I mention I like blue cars? I have to say, blue paint with a blue interior gets me every time. Although this car isn’t exactly top of the line, the light blue interior gives it a weird feel of both luxury and economy. This car has clearly seen little use and lots of care during its life, and with a little cleaning this would be a show worthy car. I wouldn’t be able to help myself, I would drive this car every chance I got!

I was fully expecting a 305 to be lurking under the hood, but I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this car is equipped with a 350. Far from a fast car, with the 350 this car likely leaves little to be desired by the average driver. I think that this car would be the perfect weekend cruiser, cruise-in, and car show vehicle. Smiles per dollar are likely very high, as this beautiful car can be had for the average cost of most used newer cars. Some touch up paint under the hood would do her good, especially on the breather, but I’m not sure I would mess with it. The condition of this car, especially being a northern vehicle is truly impressive.

Though this car isn’t for everyone, it is for many! Though it isn’t an older 442, and it was made after 1972, younger folks looking to get into older cars dream of finding something as well-kept and affordable as this. To the right young enthusiast, this could be the perfect purchase. The seller states it “runs, rides and handles like new and looks very presentable.” I think it will bring the money, it is just a matter of the right buyer! Would you drive it, show it, or both?

Comments

  1. Avatar photo jaymes

    super nice car! it detail up like new i bet

    Like 0
  2. Avatar photo 455Bob

    The correct small/thin whitewalls are impossible to find. Would be great if Michelin would offer these tires again. The wide whitewalls do not work with the post 1961 cars.

    Nice Olds.

    Like 0
    • Avatar photo DrinkinGasoline

      The spare Uniroyal GR-78-15 in the trunk looks to be correct for 1975-76. What looks to be Goodyear Arriva’s on the ground were very popular during this time and into the 80’s. I ran them on quite a few vehicles.

      Like 0
  3. Avatar photo Stephen

    Why in the world is one wheel on the sidewalk in that last pic?

    Like 0
    • Avatar photo Andrew Tanner Member

      I couldn’t figure that out either!

      Like 0
    • Avatar photo Dave

      I know right? Looks like it rolled out in the street and hit the curb!

      Like 0
      • Avatar photo DrinkinGasoline

        Maybe the owner was trying for an angle photo shot ? Should have taken the opportunity to take a tire tread/wheel well photo.
        I’d be more concerned about the hood adjusters…either that or the hood wasn’t closed correctly for some of the photo shots….DOH !

        Like 0
    • Avatar photo jw454

      I agree, and, if you look at the pictures in the advertisement you’ll see that is no small curb. What was the point of that? Reminds me of the mud trucks that have one wheel sitting on something to show there range of flex on the suspension.

      Like 0
    • Avatar photo Ralph H...

      Short description and parking half-way up a high curb would have me believe the seller is not a car enthusiast…

      Like 0
    • Avatar photo Tommy D

      I’ll go out on a limb and say maybe they were considering getting on their back for some undercarriage pics, and decided not to…?

      Like 0
    • Avatar photo Jack

      Lol, I agree, I practically spit out my wine when I saw that picture. Good to know the suspension can handle going up on sidewalks for this old classic! No need for curb feelers on this gem!

      Like 0
    • Avatar photo KEN TILLY Member

      Maybe it was parked that way to give a better view of the roof?

      Like 0
  4. Avatar photo Barry

    AC belt is missing…Hmmmm.

    Like 0
    • Avatar photo DrinkinGasoline

      GM/AC Delco/Frigidaire’s are a dime-a-dozen and easily rebuilt. No worries as long as it’s still a closed system. #ell, I still have 2 30lb.’ers of R-12….SSHH !

      Like 0
    • Avatar photo dm

      Looks like the compressor clutch may have come apart. It could be that the A6 compressor is locked up and the clutch overheated taking out the belt, or the pulley bearing may have locked up, destroying the belt and the compressor clutch. Trying to spin the pulley and the front of the compressor will tell the tale. These are nice cars.

      Like 0
  5. Avatar photo Miguel

    These are great driving cars. I took my first driving test when I was 16 in a similar car, although it was a brougham, and I got 100%.

    It is a pleasure to drive this car.

    I wish I could find another one, but it would have to be a brougham.

    Like 0
  6. Avatar photo DrinkinGasoline

    I owned 2 75’s. One Supreme with the 350 and one S with the 260 at the same time. Both were in immaculate condition.
    The 260 couldn’t even get out of it’s own way.
    One night at around 2:30 a.m., I heard some ruckus in front of the house. I jumped out of bed with handgun in tow and ran out to the porch. Just then, my Supreme was driving away.
    3 weeks later a Detective called and told me they recovered the car but, they were holding it as evidence and wanted me to meet him at the impound lot. When I met him, he said they thought it was used during a crime as there were multiple bullet holes across the back of it. There was nothing left of it as it been been stripped clean except the deck lid, rear bumper, and taillights. I had to fess-up to the Detective that I had emptied my 9mm into the back of it as it drove away.
    His response….Good for You !

    Like 1
  7. Avatar photo AMXSTEVE

    Dad ordered a triple black Brougham in 76 with T-Tops. We went to pick it up and they sold it out from under us so we got one w/o the Tees.

    It was the best car he ever owned to that point and he had many. I drove it to homecoming and prom.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar photo Vin in NJ

    The GM Colonnade Cars have always been a favorite of mine. Reminds me of the days when these cars were shod with Truespoke wires and Vogue tires and transformed into Disco-mobiles

    Like 0
  9. Avatar photo Rabbit

    I was working at a body shop/used car lot back in ’86. These were flying off the lot & bringing top dollar then. Fast as we could grab them at the auction & clean ’em up, they were gone. Seems every kid wanted a Cutlass coupe. Didn’t matter that the doors were full of filler from the bottoms rusting out. Buffalo winters were not kind to them.

    Like 0
    • Avatar photo DrinkinGasoline

      And were stolen as fast as they were sold…see post above :(

      Like 0
    • Avatar photo Ralph H...

      Rabbit, you are right, they were everywhere, and seen many minus the rear bumper, promptly replaced with a 2×6…

      Like 0
  10. Avatar photo Wade Anderson

    I love it had a 75 442 but it was just a Cutlass S I had white, letter tires on mine but the Whitehall on this is probably what came on the car

    Like 0
    • Avatar photo DrinkinGasoline

      Wade, what most likely was the OEP tires on the car were like the one in the trunk (assuming that’s the original G Series spare).

      Like 0
  11. Avatar photo Todd Fitch Staff

    Sounds like this one is calling your name, Andrew. GM made a fortune with these Colonnade cars. They were everywhere back in the day. I’m no expert but ’76 was the last year of the 455, and I have to wonder if you could order one in a “Salon” model that would look similar to this one. Add drag radials but keep the hubcaps. Sleeperzilla.

    Like 0
    • Avatar photo DrinkinGasoline

      Todd, I appreciate your train of thought about a sleeper but, by this time, even the 455 suffered from emissions restraints.
      And, the differential gears were set up for economy well before 1976.
      76-77 Fuel Crisis.
      Don’t get me wrong as they did pretty well from light to light given the power to weight ratios, but they were a mere shadow of their ancestor’s output ratings. My 70 Olds 98 455 LS would surprise a lot of people off the light at dead punch.
      My 75 Cutlass Supreme…not so much, before and, especially after it was full of holes and stripped in the boneyard :(

      Like 0
      • Avatar photo Todd Fitch Staff

        Agreed on the stock 455. It would need some mods to be truly interesting, though the stocker would be fine for converting snow tires into smoke.

        Like 0
    • Avatar photo Chebby

      Up to a certain point, the Rocket series engines were painted gold for 350 and blue for 455. This one has a blue engine, but who knows by ’76.

      Oh nevermind, the ad says 350.

      Like 0
    • Avatar photo Andrew Tanner Member

      It definitely is calling my name! I’ve always thought well-preserved examples of a somewhat ordinary vehicle were worth respect! Not to mention I bet this is one nice driving rig. Plus it’s blue!

      Like 0
  12. Avatar photo Tommy D

    Not a big fan of these cars, as the suspension was quite soft compared to the Monte Carlo or Le Mans, giving it the living room ride many speak of…I do like the hubcaps though.

    Like 0
    • Avatar photo DrinkinGasoline

      I beg to differ concerning the suspensions as I owned a ’76 LeMans 2 door Sport Coupe as well, which was My Wife’s car. They shared the same FE3 code suspensions per the SPI/RPO labels. Not to mention that we owned a 76 Grand LeMans 4 door Hardtop Sedan with the ordered FE2 suspension. The wheel covers….I have a mint set in the garage…Interested ?

      Like 0
      • Avatar photo Tommy D

        Are you saying the Le Mans was soft, or the Cutlass was not? Although they shared many suspension parts, weight distribution, shock absorber valving, and suspension link durometers etc differed among the lines, giving them each a characteristic ride – thankfully. I appreciate the hubcap offer, but I have some too!

        Like 0
  13. Avatar photo Chebby

    WTF is up with that parking job?

    Super nice shape! This car has clearly been kept out of the sun, as the interior is all one color and the seatbacks have not turned crispy. Even the asking price is reasonable. Why does that seem so rare?!

    You could breathe on the motor a bit and add Olds Rally wheels, or not. Fix the A/C and drive this car across the country. Maybe with a little vintage trailer. Nice find Andrew!

    And did you notice those ashtrays for the back seat passengers on the door handles…

    Like 0
  14. Avatar photo VR LIVES

    I always thought these were the nicest ride that was Amercan built in 1977. My Dad wouldn’t let me buy one, I got a 1977 Cordoba that was rode hard and put away wet. It was 800.00 more than I had and was twice the car that the Chysler was. These still turn my head to this day.

    Like 0
  15. Avatar photo AMXSTEVE

    I forgot to add that 4 of my friends followed suit and bought Cutlass’s in various forms. 1 a 442, 1 an S, another a Supreme and another a Brougham. We would wash them all on Sunday at a chosen parents house and drink beers all day. The good ol days fer sure.

    Like 0
  16. Avatar photo nessy

    The 76/77 Cutlass Supreme was such a good looking car and one of the best selling cars at the time. I have a black 77 Brougham with red interior and T Tops. Oh and Andrew, there was no 305 offered in this car. Too bad it’s a base Supreme with crank windows. The Brougham pillow cloth interior is like a Cadillac. The Salon bucket seats were nice too.

    Like 1
    • Avatar photo Andrew Tanner Member

      I understand that now…I’m far from a GM expert! I knew they switched to Chevrolet engines around this time period, I assumed this car was the correct vintage to have a Chevrolet engine under the hood.

      Like 0
  17. Avatar photo Don H

    To much to drink Sunday night 😐

    Like 0
  18. Avatar photo fordfan

    Went with my boss to buy one in 1976 light yellow with parchmenr top and interior and cor mached super stock wheels 260 econmany v8

    At least it was nice looking just not fast

    Like 0
    • Avatar photo duaney

      260 v-8 came in 1977

      Like 0
  19. Avatar photo Mike MacLean

    Nice, but it would need a smog check every two years here in Commiefornia.

    Like 0
  20. Avatar photo Chebby
  21. Avatar photo David Miraglia

    always liked this generation of the cutlass.

    Like 0
  22. Avatar photo duaney

    These were and are amazingly good cars. 90% were the blue Olds 350, 455 the option. The Chev 305 never came in this year. This model was the number one seller in the United States.

    Like 0
  23. Avatar photo ccrvtt

    The Olds Cutlass was the best-selling car in the U.S. in 1976. It placed 2nd to the Chevrolet Caprice/Impala the next year. For whatever reason people loved them. The trim rings on the wheels would creak and click to distraction but they sure looked cool. My favorite was my 1969 Cutlass coupe. It had the most fluid lines of that iteration of GM intermediates. And of course, they’re all Oldsmobiles.

    Like 0
  24. Avatar photo Bob C.

    I grew up in the 70s and in my eyes these colonnade cars were the best of the era. Even if horsepower went down after 1970, everybody was driving and enjoying these cars to the fullest. Glad to see it has a true Olds rocket v8 under the hood.

    Like 0
  25. Avatar photo Steve

    I think I spy brake fluid seeping out around the Master Cylinder where it attaches to the power assist. Could it be there’s a brake failure resulting in the car climbing the curb when taken out of storage? Maybe that’s how it could be stopped? I’m just say’n… those were great cars. Every rental agency had a fleet of them in the day.

    Like 0
  26. Avatar photo don

    sorry! but total BS on mileage!

    Like 0
  27. Avatar photo Steve

    I had a 76 Brougham with T Tops, 455 engine and everything that could be added ( I think) rare as hens teeth, wish I still had it, medium blue with full white vinyl top. It would smoke em , had a 3.08 rear. Would bark them again when it went to 2nd

    Like 0
  28. Avatar photo Anthony

    I’ve had 2 1977 Olds Cutlass’. Still own one

    Like 0
  29. Avatar photo Smackypete

    305? They didn’t start putting Chevrolet engines in Olds until the next year.

    Like 0

Leave A Comment

RULES: No profanity, politics, or personal attacks.

Become a member to add images to your comments.

*

Get new comment updates via email. Or subscribe without commenting.