The Oldsmobile Cutlass was a range of automobiles produced by General Motors' Oldsmobile division between 1961 and 1999. At its introduction, the Cutlass was Oldsmobile's smallest model; it began as a unibody compact car, but saw its greatest success as a body-on-frame intermediate. Introduced as the top trim level in Oldsmobile's compact F-85 line, the Cutlass evolved into a distinct series of its own, spawning numerous variants, including the formidable 4-4-2 muscle car in 1964, premium Cutlass Supreme in 1966, and outright performance Hurst/Olds in 1968, as well as the Vista Cruiser station wagon. By the 1980s, Oldsmobile was using the Cutlass as a sub-marque, with numerous vehicle lines bearing the name simultaneously. These included the Cutlass Calais compact, the midsize Cutlass Ciera, the Cutlass Cruiser station wagon, and top of the line midsize Cutlass Supreme.
Fourth generation - intermediate (1973–1977)
1973
The Cutlass line was redesigned for 1973 using GM's new "Colonnade" A-body platform. While rooflines were shared with other GM divisions, Cutlass bodies now sported convex bulges aft of the front wheel and fore of the rear wheel on all body styles. The model lineup consisted of the base Cutlass, Cutlass "S", Cutlass Supreme, Cutlass Salon, Vista Cruiser station wagon, and the 4-4-2 appearance package on the Cutlass "S" colonnade coupe. The Cutlass "S" and 4-4-2 offered, as an extra-cost option, unique Strato bucket seats with high seatbacks and built-in head restraints that could be swiveled 90 degrees to permit easier entry and exit for the driver and front-seat passenger.
The new Cutlass Salon was an upscale Euro-style luxury/sports sedan similar in concept to the Pontiac Grand Am of the era. The Salon, which included items such as upgraded suspension, radial tires, reclining bucket seats and hand-operated headlamp dimmer switch (integral to the turn signal lever) was based on the Cutlass Supreme series, first as a 4-door Colonnade sedan, joined by a 2-door Colonnade hardtop coupe in 1974. The Cutlass Salon was the first Oldsmobile with the international-flags emblem, later carried on the Cutlass Ciera. Front disc brakes were standard.
All Cutlass models came standard with a 180-horsepower (130 kW) 350 Rocket V8 (K code). Optionally available was a 200-horsepower (150 kW) 350 Rocket V8 with dual exhaust (M code), a 250-horsepower (190 kW) 455 Rocket V8 (U code, or L75). The top engine option was a 270-horsepower (200 kW) 455 V8, with a hotter cam and W30-style heads. This engine was called the L77 (V code), and was used primarily in four-speed cars and automatics without air conditioning in the Hurst/Olds. Transmissions included a standard column-shift three-speed manual, optional four-speed Muncie M20 manual with Hurst shifter, and three-speed Turbo-Hydramatic automatic. Upgraded gauges were optional.
1974
Only minor styling changes were made on this year's Cutlass models. These included flush taillight lenses and new grilles up front, including a fascia with bumper mounted turn signals on the base model not shared with any of the other trim levels. There were newly mandated 5 mph (8.0 km/h) rear bumpers (joining the 5 mph (8.0 km/h) front bumpers mandated in '73), with a new hydraulic energy absorpotion system. Both the 350 and 455 Rocket V8s were carried over unchanged from 1973 aside from revisions required to meet 1974 emission regulations. The Turbo Hydra-matic transmission became standard equipment on all Cutlass models.
1975
For 1975, Oldsmobile added two smaller engines to attract economy-minded buyers in the aftermath of the 1973–74 energy crisis. These were the Chevrolet-built 250 cubic inches (4.1 L) inline six (previously offered from 1966–71) and a new 260 V8 based on the Olds 350 Rocket V8, which continued as an option. Also continuing was the 455 Rocket V8, rated at 190 horsepower (140 kW). All engines had catalytic converters and required unleaded gasoline in the United States; Canadian buyers could opt to delete the converter. The three-speed manual transmission returned as standard equipment in conjunction with the six-cylinder engine on all Cutlass models except Salons and station wagons. However, only 0.2% of Cutlasses were built with a manual transmission as most customers overwhelmingly preferred the 350 V8 and Turbo Hydra-matic as in previous years.
The '75 grilles were somewhat more angular and separated into eight pieces on each side. The parking lights were now incorporated into the grille. At the rear, new two-piece taillights were divided vertically. The S and Supreme both have a chrome strip atop the bonnet, while the Supreme also has the Oldsmobile logo mounted atop the grille. A fuel economy gauge was optional.The Cutlass line overtook the full-sized Delta 88 as the best-selling Oldsmobile line for the first time ever in 1975 with the Cutlass Supreme coupe accounting for the majority of those sales, becoming the best-selling intermediate-sized car in America by surpassing the Chevrolet Chevelle and Ford Torino for the top spot. The Cutlass was also the second-best selling car line in the U.S. in 1975, with only the full-sized Chevrolet Impala/Caprice outpacing it.
1976
The Cutlass became America's best selling car this year and would hold this title for most years into the 1980s. A restyled front end with waterfall-type split grilles and new rectangular headlights was introduced that would become an Olds Cutlass trademark in coming years, lasting into the late 1980s. Coupe bodies were reshaped for a smoother, less contoured look than the 1973-75 design, a design change shared with Buick's A-body coupes. Cutlass sedans and wagons kept their bulges through the end of model year 1977. Taillights were revised and the license plate/fuel filler was moved above the bumper. The base Cutlass line was dropped, with the Cutlass S nameplate now applied to the entry-level coupe and sedan this year - both of which featured an aerodynamic slanted front nose in contrast to the upright front ends of other Cutlass models including the Cutlass Supreme coupe, sedan and wagon, Vista Cruiser wagon, Cutlass Salon coupe and sedan, and the new Cutlass Supreme Brougham coupe. The 4-4-2 option was still offered on Cutlass S coupes as an appearance/handling package.
Engine offerings were carried over from 1975 including the Chevy-built 250 cubic-inch inline six and Olds-built Rocket V8s of 260, 350 or 455 cubic inches. A three-speed manual transmission was standard with the six-cylinder engine but Turbo Hydra-matic was optional with this engine and the 260, and required with the 350 and 455 V8s. A new option this year was the T-50 Borg-Warner five-speed manual transmission, which was available only with the 260 V8.
1977
New grilles highlighted all 1977 Cutlass models with Cutlass S sedans and coupes reverting to an upright grille/front end while the more aerodynamic slanted front end was only offered with the 4-4-2 option. "Oldsmobile" nameplates in a new sans-serif typeface replaced the former script ones. Inside was a slightly revised instrument panel with the clock relocated to the right side of the dash above the glovebox. This also marked the introduction of Oldsmobile's new mechanical digital clock. The Chevrolet inline six was replaced by Buick's 231 V6 (standard on all models except Salon and Vista Cruiser), while the 260 and 350 Rocket V8s were carried over. The big-block 455 Rocket V8 was discontinued and replaced by a new small-block 403 cubic inch Rocket V8. Transmissions included a three-speed manual (standard and only available with the V6 engine), five-speed manual (coupes with 260 V8 only) or three-speed Turbo Hydra-matic - optional on V6 models, included with the 260 V8 in sedans and 350 and 403 V8s on all models, and standard on station wagons. A sedan was added to the Supreme Brougham line, while the Salon lost its sedan version. The base wagon dropped the Cutlass Cruiser nameplate and became part of the Vista Cruiser line. 632,742 Cutlasses were built in 1977, the highest production for the model.
Source: Wikipedia
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