Jhain85

My boyfriend bought a 1971 Oldsmobile a few months ago as his new "project". He refers to it as "the Cutlass", but he's also said it is a 442. It has bucket seats, center console and floor mounted shifter... so doesn't that actually make it a Cutlass Supreme? I thought that 442 was not an "option" in '71 so how can it be both? How can I tell what the heck it is without asking him or being to obvious?

Our anniversay is coming up and I wanted to get him some parts for it. One in particular is a vinyl top. I looked on opgi.com and I don't know which to buy. Does is even make a difference? They don't even have a 442 top so can I buy one of the other ones ("S" or Supreme) and have it fit correctly?

I would REALLY appreciate some help.. I hate to use gender as a cop out but I am clueless AND female.

Oldsguy

Does his car have a fastback, a sloping back window, or a hardtop which had the more vertical back window? These are the two differences. It is confusing to me as I look at my reference I see three (not counting the 442 which was it's own model name for the last year) models, the Cutlass, the Cutlass S and the Cutlass Supreme which seem to use the term hardtop for both the fastback and the hardtop (non-fastback in my eyes). Then, they use the term Coupe seemingly interchangeably too. I do know for sure that the Cutlass was the baseline, the S the next up and the Supreme the top of the line. If you can list the VIN it would help us to determine exactly what model he has. It is on the top left of the dashboard viewable through the windshield.

Jhain85

It definitely has a fastback, but is that unique to only one model? I guess I'll have to try and sneak a look at the VIN.. though he knows I despise his cars so that may be difficult.

Oldsguy

Well, if it is a fastback, all you have to be sure of when you order the top would be that if fits a fastback, if the insist you order by model number then I guess we will have to take a look-see at that VIN.

Is this something he is wanting for his car because the old one is in bad shape? If so, you might also check at a local upholstery repair shop and get a price quote from them, many of them do tops as well.

joe_padavano

All Cutlii except the Supreme used the fastback body in 1971. That includes the 442. The VIN will tell you what you have.

Oldsguy

Yeah, but what confused me was the use of the term "Holiday Coupe" for the Cutlass as well as the Supreme. I just don't know what Olds was doing back then with names. I remember some discussions about terminology and how people could get misguided, especially by what the Ad agency called something compared to what was reflected by the VIN and or Body number. Very confusing

joe_padavano

Yep. All 2 dr hardtops were "holiday coupes". Cutlass, Supreme, D88, Toro - doesn't matter.

Oldsmaniac

Well I guess in 1971 the factory decided to drop the "Holiday" jargon as the sales brochures dont seem to use that word anywhere.

Chip

The 1971 442 was the last year the 442 was a differant car from the cutlass, why olds stopped during the A type body style I don't know. but in 1972 the 442 were glorified cutlasses. the Fastback cutlass was refered as a Cutlass S model as far as I know.

There are a few ways to tell the differances from a 442 68-71 without the VIN but it's minor them main thing is the 442 has both front and rear stalbizer bars where the cutlass didn't even have front and rear as an option. both bars came in 2 sizes and I shall look up the sizes it's been a few years since I had to say anything about them. but I believe the bars came in 11/2 inch and 21/4 inch but I maybe wrong.