For most of its life span, the Oldsmobile Cutlass was ho-hum, a household automobile that was rarely thrilling apart of 4-4-2 variants and the colossally profitable Cutlass Supreme of the mid-Seventies. However, our Pick of the Day, a 1964 Oldsmobile Cutlass Holiday Coupe, exhibits that this Olds was a properly trimmed mannequin packing a punch. This Olds is listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Woodland Hills, California. (Click the link to view the listing)
To respect this automobile, we should always return to the 1961 mannequin yr when Oldsmobile launched the F-85, its “Senior Compact.” Unlike its Pontiac and Buick cousins, the F-85 was solely supplied with a Rockette V8, on this case an Olds-engineered model of Buick’s aluminum 215cid V8. Later in the mannequin yr, Oldsmobile launched the F-85 Cutlass Sports Coupe, a spiffy two-door (with B-pillar) that got here with the prime model of the V8 (on this case, 185 horsepower) and, notably, commonplace bucket seats.
Oldsmobile expanded the Cutlass vary for 1962 and, for 1963, restyled the F-85 sequence, giving it slightly extra heft and providing the first manufacturing turbocharged automobile with the Jetfire. However, for 1964, the Senior Compacts turned true-blue mid-size automobiles on a 115-inch wheelbase, following the lead created by the Ford Fairlane in 1962. Trim ranges have been F-85, F-85 Deluxe, and Cutlass. The latter was solely accessible as a two-door: Cutlass Sports Coupe (with B-pillar), Cutlass Holiday Coupe (hardtop), and Cutlass Convertible.
They all got here commonplace with bucket seats and high-compression, 290-horsepower 330 four-barrel V8 (brochures confirmed 260 horses however this number was later updated). Three-on-the-tree was commonplace, however a three-speed on the flooring, four-speed, and Jetaway two-speed automated have been non-compulsory. This was a robust package deal that outgunned most (all?) different manufacturers with their commonplace configurations.
(Of course, later in the mannequin yr, choice code B09 4-4-2 package deal turned accessible with 310 horsepower from its 330, however that’s one other story for one more day.)
This 1964 Oldsmobile Cutlass Holiday Coupe is a two-owner SoCal automobile that went from white to crimson throughout restoration (further footage of which will be seen here). “Complete disassembly, quality two-stage paint,” says the vendor. “All glass, trim, bright work, and chrome were sent out replated, and polished with side stainless moldings being hand painted.” Mags, of course, are an replace, as is the Wilwood entrance disc conversion. The authentic, rebuilt 330 additionally options some tweaks you’d additionally respect, resembling Edelbrock consumption and carb “for better breathing.”
The Interior is inventory and options the non-compulsory console and tachometer simply forward of the automated shifter. There was an entire lot of model and energy that got here with the Cutlass of this period, and that hasn’t modified over 60 years of this automobile’s construct. The value of entry for this Rocket Olds is an inexpensive $34,900.
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