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Rough Start: 1971 Oldsmobile Cutlass – Always A Good Decision!


Rough Start: 1971 Oldsmobile Cutlass – Always A Good Decision!

For those who were alive when Oldsmobile was in it’s prime, it’s strange to think how such a successful take on GM product sharing went so wrong. The Oldsmobile Cutlass was a benchmark car for a healthy portion of it’s life, and even in the 1980s, with the dilution of the Cutlass nameplate, everybody still knew which version was worth owning. There really isn’t a wrong year for a rear-drive Cutlass, but it’s hard to not get attached to the 1968-72 A-body forms. It’s the classic GM muscle shape, what can we say? That sleek mid-size body looked good on every brand, and every brand made it their own. The personality of a GTO was different from the Skyark, and so on and so forth.

And yes, this is a Cutlass. That 442 grille badge is a simple add-on that isn’t necessary here. What you do have is a 350/4bbl automatic Cutlass, a car that is still a perfect starting point for a classic project car. It appears to be complete, with nothing major standing out sexcept for the driver’s front fender, right where it meets the upturned section of the front bumper. Minor details, really…the Lime Green paint scheme looks good enough to pop with a cut-and-buff and we suspect that it’d drive down the road perfectly fine the moment you met it. Why this car is even in Rough Start territory is beyond us, but hey, $4,500 seems like a decent shot for what you can see so far. Unless there are major sections of floor missing or the engine looks like it was sank in the ocean then recovered, we’d go for it.

Facebook Marketplace link: 1971 Oldsmobile Cutlass


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14 thoughts on “Rough Start: 1971 Oldsmobile Cutlass – Always A Good Decision!

    1. Jim

      Oldsmobiles have always had a nice low rumble to them. It\’s a shame the car didn\’t survive the ax from GM.

      1. James the mechanic!

        1971 oldsmobile 350 rocket 400 th transmission with 3.10 gear ratio a d they came with all the power options,probably one of my favorite cars.

  1. Irving Cobb

    Hay, I owned a 1971 lime green cutlass . It was a great car, Sadly I only drove it for about 4 years (92,000. Miles) With little to no maintenance issues . I treaded it in on a 1975 cutlass salon . The only problems ihad was people trying to steal the car or item\’s off it. In retrospect I should have keep the 1971. It was a great automobile.

  2. Joe

    Growing uo in brooklyn i has 68 442 and a 69 442 parts car.. the weak link for me was the chassis. Before you start down that road check the chassis for cracks. Then start it.

  3. Ron

    Had a 70 442 w 30 new from factory. Gold with black stripes black interior th 400 with dual gate shifter. I beat a lot of cars street racing.
    Sold it in 1980 what a mistake! Life lesson?

  4. AJ

    I have a 1967 Olds Cutlass Supreme. I PUT A 1967 OLDS DELTA 88 425 IN IT BORED OUT TO A 455CI. MATCHED IT UP TO A 700R4 AND 3:73 GEARS… DUAL EXHAUST. AND MUCH MORE… 442, WHATS THAT?
    BRING IT CHEVELLE, RUSTANG,SLOMARO!

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