Difference between Cutlass and Cutlass S

[iuhoops83]

In the many auto manuals I have read, I notice several classifications for the 1970 to 1972 Cutlass. Among them are F85, Cutlass, Cutlass S, Cutlass Supreme and, of course, 442.

I have a 1971 Cutlass "S". I already understand the body style difference of the Cutlass Supreme. What I am trying to understand is the difference between "Cutlass" and "Cutlass S". Any help is greatly appreciated. Larry.

[Lady72nRob71]

I think the F85 and Cutlass were the very basic models.
The Cutlass S was a Sporty version and the Supreme was a more luxurious model with extra standard equipment, like 4bbl carb.
Here is the brochure for the 1972 series, but the nomenclature (sp?) should be similar. The models are well defined.
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/main.php?g2_itemId=63045

[joe_padavano]

These are all just different levels of trim on the same basic body shell. The F85, Cutlass, and 442 are all the same car mechanically.

[Allan R]

Here ya go my friend,

I have the original 1972 Dealership guide sitting right beside me. So to clear up the mystery between the Cutlass and f85. Joe is right...to a point...mechanically they are the same. The lower priced end of Oldsmobile is the f85 for people who wanted Olds but were on a tighter budget. Badging the car as an f85 is something of a carry over from the 60's. 1972 is the last year of the f85. So you're not alone. Cutlass/F85 available in 2 door coupe (post and non post) or 4 door pillared sedan. These lower priced cars usually came with the Rocket 350 L32 and TH350 power team. Trim lines were very downscale for f85 / Cutlass- mostly just the nameplate was put on. You might see some with reveal mldgs or rocker chrome, but not much else. So, the fastback "just Cutlass" is really the same car as the F85. Also, the interiors were very plain with no woodgrain (except around the gauge cluster) on the dash or door trim.

Cutlass S was the "sport" model offered by Olds in 1972. It was only available in the 2 door coupe (post and non post) ;the non post car being the more popular and higher production. 442 was offered as a w29 option package (appearance decals, badging 3:23 posi, and upgraded FE2 suspension) on the Cutlass S and Supreme models only. NB: the glove box emblem on a 1972 442 should not say 442. It should say either Cutlass or Cutlass Supreme.

And finally, if you're not sure about whether it's produced as an f85, Cutlass, or Cutlass S check the VIN and the cowl tag.

Allan R

[Allan R]

WHOOPS, something was bugging me right after I posted that last one, so I looked it up in my 1972 GM pricing manual.

f85 was only offered as the 4 door sedan not as a 2 door. It's base list price was $3006.00. Also for tranny's it was standard 3 speed. To get the TH350 you had to pay another $221.76.

The Cutlass was available as a 2 door non pillared hardtop (not to be confused with the coupe; which they classified as a post car) for $3022.00 and as a 4 door pillared sedan $3120.00

The f85/Cutlass and Cutlass S all came with a 160 hp 350 that you could upgrade to a 180 hp 350 for another $47.39.

Cutlass Supreme was the only model in this line that came standard with 180 hp 350 that you could downgrade to 160 for a cost savings of $33.70.

Allan R

[joe_padavano]

Originally Posted by Allan R

WHOOPS, something was bugging me right after I posted that last one, so I looked it up in my 1972 GM pricing manual.

f85 was only offered as the 4 door sedan not as a 2 door.

That was true in 1972, but not in prior years. You could definitely get a 2dr F85 - my family bought a brand new one in 1965. The various model names were used in different configurations during different model years. They are only marketing designations. For a given year, all A-body cars were mechanically the same and all used exactly the same sheet metal (with the obvious roofline/wagon/number of doors variations). Also keep in mind that 1972 was an atypical year for Olds and GM, since the Colonnade styling cars of 1973 were actually supposed to be released in 1972. A strike delayed the release by a year and forced GM to slap some lipstick on the 71s and call them 72s. The model designations and available equipment in 1972 is not typical of the prior years.

[Allan R]

Hey Joe,
I bow to your experience of the 60's f85. My information (as posted) was intended for 1972 only because that's what I said I using for dealers guide and pricing guide. If it caused some confusion, sorry. Glad to know some of the extra history behind that model year. I for one am glad that the colonade HT was a year delayed. I really love the look on my car, and wouldn't trade it for anything. Thanks for extra f85 info.

[z11375ss]

In 68 the Cutlass S was the lightest of the bunch 3308 I believe. Something to think about when purchasing.

[Olds64]

I read someplace that the Oldsmobile Cutlass was named for a British fighter plane. It this true?

I was wondering where the F-85 name came from? Does it have anything to do with the F-85 Saber fighter jet that was around during the Cold War? I always thought it would be nice to make an Oldsmobile F-86 (Super Saber) along the lines of the Buick GN from the 80s. Sort of the answer to the Buick GN that never was. That would be COOL!

[joe_padavano]

Originally Posted by Olds64

I read someplace that the Oldsmobile Cutlass was named for a British fighter plane. It this true?

Actually, a cutlass is a sword used by sailors. The name dates to the 1500s. The F7U Cutlass was a U.S. Navy jet fighter built by Chance Vought in the 1950s. It was the Navy's first supersonic production fighter.

http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircr...ircraft_id=356

[Allan R]

Hmmm,
lets see if I got this right??? What you're saying in words = this in pictures? (a selected history) Sorry Joe, no room for the 2 door 64.

[Olds64]

I could have sworn that this book mentioned something about the Cutlass being named after the F7U Cutlass (I didn't know the US used it). Oldsguy has a copy, I guess I will have to ask him to thumb through it this weekend. I could be mistaken.

http://www.amazon.com/Standard-Oldsm...5813320&sr=8-3

I thought the F86 was the Super Sabre; however, it appears the F100 was the Super Sabre. Oh well, I still think it would be cool to make an Oldsmobile F 86. You could paint it silver with yellow or red on the front valance. Like the jets on the following webpage.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-86_Sabre

No offense to owners of the 80s 442s; however, I think they were pretty weak. Especially compared to the Buick GN. Oldsmobile could have done alot better.

[joe_padavano]

Originally Posted by Olds64

I could have sworn that this book mentioned something about the Cutlass being named after the F7U Cutlass (I didn't know the US used it). Oldsguy has a copy, I guess I will have to ask him to thumb through it this weekend. I could be mistaken.

The F7U Cutlass was built by US company Chance Vought for the US Navy.

I thought the F86 was the Super Sabre; however, it appears the F100 was the Super Sabre. Oh well, I still think it would be cool to make an Oldsmobile F 86. You could paint it silver with yellow or red on the front valance. Like the jets on the following webpage.

The F-86, built by North American Aviation, was the Saber Jet. When North American then developed the supersonic F-100, that was called the Super Saber. By the way, Saber is also a sword, but the F-86 and F-100 were Air Force planes and the F7U was a Navy plane.

By the way, there WAS an F-85 fighter plane, the XF-85 Goblin build by McDonnell Aircraft (before it became McDonnell Douglas). The F-85 was a grotesque little airplane that was intended to be carried in the bomb bay of a long range B-36 to provide support over enemy territory since conventional fighters didn't have that kind of range. The F-85 was a poor handling aircraft and mid-air refueling eliminated the reason for it's existence (as did ICBMs).

http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/AC/airc...l-F85/f-85.php

[rocketraider]

Everything I've read about the F85 prototypes indicated they were actually decent handling little aircraft- except when it came time to dock them back to the carrier plane. Seems no one thought about turbulence with two high-speed aircraft trying to literally hook together to draw the small one back into the carrier's bay. They would push themselves apart.

And since the F85 Goblin had no landing gear of its own, it had to belly land if it couldn't hook to its carrier.

The advent of long-range fighter and escort jets made them obsolete before all the reconnection bugs could be worked out.

[Olds64]

Wow! That is some cool stuff. I have a friend that lives in Dallas that knows everything there is to know about planes. I should ask him about these planes and he can tell me what kind of material the seats were made out of.

Actually, I need to ask that friend if he still has some pictures that we took together in an air museum of an Oldsmobile manual for a machine gun! That is right! It was an Olds war division product made during WWII. I took a picture earlier this summer with the intent of posting it for everyone but he and I never got around to posting it.

[joe_padavano]

Originally Posted by Olds64

Actually, I need to ask that friend if he still has some pictures that we took together in an air museum of an Oldsmobile manual for a machine gun! That is right! It was an Olds war division product made during WWII. I took a picture earlier this summer with the intent of posting it for everyone but he and I never got around to posting it.

Yes, Setting the Pace, by Helen Early and James Walkinshaw has several pictures of the Olds assembly lines turning out machine guns and other weapons during WWII.