What year is this sexy bitch?

I drive by this car often and it makes me drool every time. I finally stopped and snapped a pic today.

I LOVE everything about this car! I love the square headlights, the waterfall grills, the fastback, that taillights, the big seventy's bumpers... EVERYTHING!

If someone tells me you could get these with T-tops, I will not rest til I find one.

Seriously.

I'm guessing 1977? Is it only the 442 that looks like that, or does the regular Cutlass?

I don't care what it has for a drivetrain. It'll be getting a LSsomething and a six speed. Hotchkis everything, B-I-G brakes, 18" Coy's, and an ass whoopin' you wouldn't believe!

I need MOAR PICT SHURES!!!!!

Discuss.

Had a 76 in 78 or 79? Maroon w/ white
Grill looked more rounded but I guess it was the same
Nice car. No idea of the options.
Have a folder on it somewhere.

I go by that car all the time, Bill. Right down the street from the house with the red 9C1 sitting in the driveway. Sweet ride. I would say somewhere 75 to 77.

I'm gonna say "77", very Hawt cah!

That red one has a 1976 grill, that year only.

1977 grills have two segments like the black car.

1973-75 had round headlights, big singles, and big ugly lumps in the bottoms of the doors.

The T-Tops were usually a nightmare on those years with leaking due to low build quality.

The Cutlasses were the top selling car in this country at that time.

I prefer the non-442 nose, they did then & still look "funny" to me chamfered back.

I travelled all the way to Staten Island N.Y. and put a substantial deposit on a mint 77 Cutlass supreme V-6 5 speed manual.

This was some years back but the next day I went back with the balance in cash and the car was GONE.

I did get my deposit money back, but thats just another "one that got away".

77, saw one in an auto sales paper back in 05, back when I was only driving when my dad would let me illegally go arount the neighborhood in the red caprice! It was like the maroon and white one and it was a T-top! I want one BAD to sit next to the two door someday.


Beautiful to me, and I LOVE that slanted waterfall grill as opposed to the flat waterfall cutlass grill. LOVE those 442s.

My dad had three different 74 442s back in the day. My uncle had an 80 cutlass. Guess it runs in the family!

Good luck Crovo, and once youre bored with it I'm first to call DIBS!

In 76 you could get that slant nose on the "Cutlass S" entry level models too, but in 1977 all but the 442 option used the upright header panel.

Somewhere I have a pic saved from a junkyard where there were two of these cars STACKED on top of each other, it looked like they had nothing wrong with them overall, both were 442s, and the clowns stacked them screwing up the roof of the bottom car.

I can't believe they would stack real 442s like that, but I assume that these guys must eventually look at these cars dispassionately, as mere "material": strictly for business and the profit potential.

These cars, the so-called "Colonnade years" do have the same basic chassis as our 77-96 B-Bodies. Front suspensions share all the same geometry as does the 2nd gen 70-82 F-Bodies.

Essentially they all share the same upper & lower control arms, steering boxes, spindles and much more. . . read: lots of potential.

The 77 442 had it's own slightly sleeker header panel than the 76 442, both angled. Seem to recall that they were not well received (ugly) but it was claimed to be purposely done for nascar aerodynamics, lower C of D.

The BIG problem with them is that there is next to ZERO aftermarket support, unlike what there is for 68-72 A-Bodies & 67-69 F-Bodies.

Most were driven hard into the ground, mercilessly scrapped, and then the disrespect lingered on well into the 80s when there were so few left to be saved.

They arrived just as the so called "gas crisis" hit, became heavier, smogged, required no-lead (low octane), had low compression, 5-MPH bumpers & then they even tried to embrace the reprehensible "Disco-Culture".


This salvage yard pictured has to be in the dry southwest, because NONE of the cars up around here had any decent rear bumpers still on them by the early 80s, due to rot.

I used to weld a few bumpers on customer's cars seems like every week on average from about 1975 till the mid 80s, as all clean ones were such easy prey, 8 easy-to-reach nuts and off it comes.

That photo also has a 71-72 cutlass beside it and another 75 right behind. I like the 75 nose at least as much, but hate the weird "lumps at the base of the doors, and NO 4 door cars were very pretty.

Man, if I ever stumbled upon a clean complete 76-77 2 door Cutlass for sale that only needed an engine, I could possibly walk away from my favorite 88-90 box caprices.

I'll take mine with no Landau roof, no T-tops, with bucket seats, manual trans, vertical grill and painted Arctic White with a White leather interior, thank you.

All of my B-Body suspension parts, brakes and tricks will bolt right in behind a "warmed up" pump-gas LSX with a T-56, , , Ahh - but to dream!

lol, machine, you have WAY to much time on your hands.

That will remain so until my shoulder is fully healed and I can return to work.

But you MAY want to reconsider the accuracy of your observation.

1762 posts vs. 183!

Machine-De-Zine wrote:

That will remain so until my shoulder is fully healed and I can return to work.

But you MAY want to reconsider the accuracy of your observation.

1762 posts vs. 183!

Check the join date there chief, been here a longtime versus (u) a short time.

And if you want to continue, you may have less posts, but each one of yours is 10,000 words of massive knowledge, so realistically, you have more than me. Lol.

I'm short and to the point, we'll I'm short and fat, but to the point. ;-)

2-SHAY!

Lol.

You fix that boxy yet?

Which one? I picked up two more 9C1s, an 88 & a 90.

I will PM you with all current news, to keep this thread on topic.

Thanks for the info MdZ! Great stuff!

I had seen that stacked pic. BOO!

And I have found my next car!

Machine-De-Zine wrote:

Which one? I picked up two more 9C1s, an 88 & a 90.

I will PM you with all current news, to keep this thread on topic.

Oh ya, forgot about the sexy bitch part! Lol

I don't remember ever seeing on of these with t/tops, I think only the fbodys and the buicks got t/tops. But Im not sure.

What body is that? G body?

Reminds me of my buddies old 77 Grand Prix...Had a 400 motor and took two feet to push the brakes down, idled around 3000 rpm. The UGLIEST front end, but the rest looked just like that 442... I remember borrowing it anytime i left my truck for work at the shop my buddy worked at...

what a boat, lots of potential...especially if parts are somewhat interchangeable with ours that have decent aftermarket support. I like your thinking

Doug

Matt Trakker wrote:

Looks to be out west, dry climate, to bad about that bottom one

Tomz9C1 wrote:

Matt Trakker wrote:

Looks to be out west, dry climate, to bad about that bottom one

Someone on GM Longroof posted those. Its a JY in AZ. LOTS of old goodies in there.

I had a ratty red & white 77 442, 10 years ago. Still wanting a 75 w-30 Hurst like this

I'm not a fan of the round headlights in those. And the funky body lines on the sides. I like the 76-77 lines better.

[/quote]

Oh ya, forgot about the sexy bitch part! Lol

I don't remember ever seeing on of these with t/tops, I think only the fbodys and the buicks got t/tops. But Im not sure.

What body is that? G body? [/quote]

A-Body thru, maybe around 1980.

Funny thing is that when they downsized in 1978, they kept the A-Body designation 2-3 more years before becoming G-Bodies in name.

Its strange because I had several "Metric" Malibus from 78-82 that were all the same underneath. GM called them "A" at first, and then "G" after 1980 or so.

Another odd thing is that in 1977 only, underneath the first new DOWN-sized B-Body and the last FULL-sized A-Body, they looked nearly identical to each other.

They did have T-Tops, that black 1975 W-30 above seems to prove that out.

The hurst cars did have t/tops, my 77 bandit trans am has hurst tops, but I'm not sure the regular cars got the hurst t/tops. I have never seen a regular olds that year with t/tops. And if I recall, the w-30 wasn't a 442 was it?

Cadet57 wrote:

Tomz9C1 wrote:

Matt Trakker wrote:

Looks to be out west, dry climate, to bad about that bottom one

Someone on GM Longroof posted those. Its a JY in AZ. LOTS of old goodies in there.

I really HATE junkyards sometimes...

No Moa wrote:

The hurst cars did have t/tops, my 77 bandit trans am has hurst tops, but I'm not sure the regular cars got the hurst t/tops. I have never seen a regular olds that year with t/tops. And if I recall, the w-30 wasn't a 442 was it?

I remember an article or two in Hemmings saying you could order Hurst hatch T-tops on practically any car. Not so much full size but anything with a sporting appearance package. Like the 442, cutlass S, laguna S-3, etc.

If I ever get a colonnade GM I want either a 77 442, 77 Pontiac Can-AM, or a 75-76 Laguna S-3

I can't sleep.

My dad had a 79 Hurst Olds-

Car had 55k on it.

8bud wrote:

My dad had a 79 Hurst Olds-

Car had 55k on it.

Matt I LOVE that El Camino from Dazed and Confused. Great color combo.

That hurst/Olds looks like it came from the showroom and into the driveway. I wonder how rare those are?







The Can-Am is one of my favorite cars. I like 'em big what can I say. lol. If I ever find one I plan on keeping it forever right next to the caprice.

1984twodoor wrote:

8bud wrote:

My dad had a 79 Hurst Olds-

Car had 55k on it.

That hurst/Olds looks like it came from the showroom and into the driveway. I wonder how rare those are?

2499 built. They did that because they put the olds 350 in it and if you built 2500 or more you needed to have the car government certified which they wouldnt have approved with the motor. That was the only g-body that came with a 350 that year. Not that it was all that powerful, but it did alright.

That Can Am is... interesting. I dig everything but the headlights/grill.

I always liked the Laguna S3's too. I remember one night, when I was maybe 15, a guy flipped one into the woods beside my house while we were all asleep! OOps. I salvaged 2 rallye centercaps and a trim ring the next day.

1984twodoor wrote:

The Can-Am is one of my favorite cars. I like 'em big what can I say. lol. If I ever find one I plan on keeping it forever right next to the caprice.

There was a guy on VT Craigslist trying to sell a fixer upper for the longest time. It always caught my eye, because it is a different rare car. I'd beat on one for sure.

Doug

No Moa wrote:

The hurst cars did have t/tops, my 77 bandit trans am has hurst tops, but I'm not sure the regular cars got the hurst t/tops. I have never seen a regular olds that year with t/tops. And if I recall, the w-30 wasn't a 442 was it?

There were a few (3 or 4) versions or "series", depending on who's telling the story.

Gordon Miller Buehrig patented the concept in 51 for the TASCO sports car. Yes, the same guy who worked for Stutz, Packard, GM, Ford and designed the Duesenburg model "J", Auburn Boat Tail Speedster, Cord 810/812 etc.

The TASCO car never made it into production, thankfully: read UGLY. But, the first production car to use it was the 1968 Corvette.

The T-Top list includes at least the following GM examples: Vette-68-82, F-Bodies 76-02, Monte Carlo 76 on, Fiero, Grand Prix 76 & after, Cutlass/442 ditto. Many other non-GM cars had their versions also.

Hurst Hatch 76-mid 78, then Fisher Body. The Targa top is not a T-Top, as seen on so many Vettes. Also, there were at least two Aftermarket versions: from American T-tops and Cars and Concepts T-tops.

Back in college (Pratt Industrial Design mid 70s), we had a lecture from Albrecht von Goertz (designer of the 56-59 BMW 507 & "contested" original Datson 240 Z) said that the T-top concept was stolen from its patent holder.

They were notorious for leaking (reportedly not all leaked though) and very often held up delivery dates on new car orders several months or more.

Real hot-rodders & racers hated them because they compromised the body's torsional rigidity, added weight in a very bad spot up high, which hurt E/Ts and raised the Centre of Gravity, reducing cornering agility.

Pooge wrote:

1984twodoor wrote:

The Can-Am is one of my favorite cars. I like 'em big what can I say. lol. If I ever find one I plan on keeping it forever right next to the caprice.

There was a guy on VT Craigslist trying to sell a fixer upper for the longest time. It always caught my eye, because it is a different rare car. I'd beat on one for sure.

Doug

Like 5 years longtime. Guy in town has one with 25k miles. Beautiful car!

toomanytoyz wrote:

Thanks for the info MdZ! Great stuff!

I had seen that stacked pic. BOO!

And I have found my next car!

Does that mean you've actually taken possession of THAT car?

Or are you looking for something very much like it?

I was looking at the special half roof on the black 1975 H/O, where they cover over the rear Cutlass Supreme side glass and its not a fast back like the 442, VERY nice and clean.

Factory 455 torque with an OEM installed Turbo-400. Whats not to like.

I can't remember whether or not they came with the AS9 "super T-10", Muncie M20 in 1975, or if 74 was the last factory 4 spd manual.

First year for catalytic converters mandating single exhaust ONLY, unleaded fuel required, HEI ignition, and the first GM vehicle to have the Hurst/Hatch T-tops.

I did not buy anything yet. Haven't looked. Probably over the winter or next year. My goal this year is to thin the herd (Fix/sell the Riv, get the impala picked up, sell the GTP parts car) and pick up a 4cyl extended cab 5-speed s10.

Then I can worry about another toy IF I finish the Marshmallow and get the Failbaru running again this year.

No Moa wrote:

Pooge wrote:

1984twodoor wrote:

The Can-Am is one of my favorite cars. I like 'em big what can I say. lol. If I ever find one I plan on keeping it forever right next to the caprice.

There was a guy on VT Craigslist trying to sell a fixer upper for the longest time. It always caught my eye, because it is a different rare car. I'd beat on one for sure.

Doug

Like 5 years longtime. Guy in town has one with 25k miles. Beautiful car!

VERY jealous of that guy. Get him to come to Crovos on the 26th! lol

Matt Trakker wrote:

so sad