BAOKBOB

Let me make sure I got this right:
AG29 - Colonnade Sedan
AG37 - Colonnade Coupe
AJ29 - Cutlass Supreme Sedan
AJ57 - Cutlass Supreme Coupe
AM29 - Cutlass Brougham Sedan
AM57 - Cutlass Brougham Coupe.

I saw this written somewhere. Is this correct?

I am confused between Colonnade and Brougham. Would the AJ57 for 1977 above actually be the Cutlass Colonnade Supreme Coupe? I believe it is for the 1976.

Bob

joe_padavano

Not quite. From the 1977 dealer brochure, there are seven versions:

AM57 Cutlass Supreme Brougham Coupe
AM29 Cutlass Supreme Brougham Sedan
AK57 Cutlass Salon Coupe
AJ57 Cutlass Supreme Coupe
AJ29 Cutlass Supreme Sedan
AG37 Cutlass S Coupe
AG29 Cutlass S Sedan

Of course, this doesn't include the Vista Cruiser.

The "Brougham" is just another trim level. In the 1960s Olds had the F-85 and F-85 Deluxe. Same idea.

Allan R

Bob, the term Colonnade is the A body sedan style that was introduced in 1973. Makes no difference if it was Olds, Chev, Pontiac or Buick. It referred largely to the door pillars being the structural support with freestanding windows - notably on the sedans. The colonnade series of coupes and sedans ran from 1973-1977. The Vista Cruiser (not really a VIsta anymore) has the same type of design application as the sedans.

Brougham is a trim line that denotes the top line finishing and appearance trim that could be ordered on the applicable model

Joe has already given you the 77 lineup. Here's the one for 1976 so you can compare.

Allan R

Here are 2 comparison images showing the regular Supreme interior (Top) and the same Supreme interior in Brougham (bottom)

and before Joe P has a chance to note this, yes the Olds marketing people really screwed up on the promotion material. Yet another faux pas. They show the brown interior with a red Cutlass Supreme, and the red interior for a brown Cutlass Supreme Brougham car.

joe_padavano

To be honest, I never assumed that those interiors in the brochures were necessarily supposed to be the ones in the specific cars on the same page. For example, the page with the brown car shows both a red and a grey interior. I think they are just supposed to be representative interiors for those models. For example, this page from the 1969 brochure shows a silver Sports Coupe that clearly has a black interior (note the headrest) but then has a red bucket seat interior on the same page.

Allan R

I dunno Joe. Based on the errors we've both seen in the promotional literature for 76/77 I think it was a faux pas and the car images should be transposed to the appropriate color interiors...my 2¢

joe_padavano

So where does the grey bucket seat interior fit in?

Allan R

Cutlass Supreme Coupe. None of the Sedans got them. See what I mean about 76/77 product information? IMO, It's like Olds knew in 76/77 they were losing touch with the market or just didn't care how they presented product information. Perhaps they wanted people to visit the dealers and ask questions.....your guess is as good as mine on some of this stuff.

Allan R

Although....you can just make out the beige interior of the Firethorn color sedan in this picture..

joe_padavano

I think you're reading too much into this. The pages were laid out in the book like this. The two-page spread covers all Cutlass Supremes, not just the sedan. The red interior is clearly a two door interior (note the rear quarter windows). The other thing people forget today is that even in the mid-70s, two door cars were still outselling four door cars, so the coupes were usually featured more prominently.

Allan R

Mebbe, mebbe not. yes, I saw the roofline in the picture that identifies the coupe. Wish I could go back in time to validate some things first hand....

Weezer

I feel like I further contributed to the downfall of 2 doors in the US when I ordered my '00 Blazer as a 4 door instead of a 2. My decision was due to the back seat being wider, and also more cargo room than the 2, even though I preferred the looks of the 2. And now, the OEM's are dumping cars for SUV's.

ragz442

The Salons had the fat reclining buckets like pictured up until 76, in 77 they were slimmed down and were seen in two tone material patterns as well. The 4dr Salons had the reclining buckets also, my first car (1979) was a 74 Salon 4dr and it had buckets and console. I loved those seats....

Allan R

The product guides aren't all that helpful sometimes.....

Well I have to retract my previous comment and apologize. I just finished googling the heck out of this computer and came up with a surprise I didn't expect. 4 door Salons with Bucket seats and center console.
1976


And here's your reclining front seat

ragz442

That looks like my first girl friend pictured in that green recliner, mine had green interior also. I'm lying about my first gf but not the seats...lol

Koda

And, just in case anyone didn't know, "Brougham" is pronounced "brahm" not "bro-ham."

joe_padavano

Yeah, I remember when those came out. The "bucket seats in a four door" was supposed to give the Salon a European sedan flavor. This was the topic of much discussion in car magazines at the time.

jaunty75

There are two acceptable pronunciations. That one (although I've never heard that until now, but the Urban dictionary agrees), and "brome," rhymes with "home". Either way, it is a single syllable word.

Allan R

Well according to my friends little brother (at the time), it's a Broke Ham

scottv442

[QUOTE=Allan R;1116107]The product guides aren't all that helpful sometimes.....

Well I have to retract my previous comment and apologize. I just finished googling the heck out of this computer and came up with a surprise I didn't expect. 4 door Salons with Bucket seats and center console.
1976


Back in 90's these bucket console 4dr.'s would show up in the local pick-n-pull quite often.
I was surprised first time I saw one, but after the third one I thought they must have been common builds.

Allan R

Not really Scott. The Salon was more of a 'specialty' line. What is cool though is that both the 2 and 4 door bodies got the bucket seats. Now that would be worth going after in a boneyard. I remember when the boneyards were more plentiful and pickings from Oldsmobile's were a dime a dozen. I still remember picking a 74 Custom Cruiser and removing the SRS airbag system and steering wheel. Yes, they had that back then even though it was primitive. Cutlass, Cutlass Supreme, VC's were all over the place and parts were easy to get and cheap. I sure wish I had collected more, but that's a pipe dream all of us had I think.

ragz442

The only thing you got to watch out for is the 4dr buckets didn't flip forward for rear seat entry. I paid 400 for my 74 Salon in 1979, I haven't seen many over the years. It was owned by an older professional lady that worked next door to our gas station. She lived in Canada, it had a lot of miles on it but was in mint condition. I still remember how it smelled after nearly 40 years.

BAOKBOB

Thanks guys. I hope you don't mind me saying, I am clear as mud. I do know that mine is (from my cowl tag) a 1977 AJ57 which is Cutlass Supreme Coupe. Definitely not a Brougham (because it is not an AM57). And forget any mention of a Colonnade when someone asks about my car.

ragz442

It seems we did get off topic, but what are you trying to determine? The AG, AH etc. is the series number and the A just refers to it being an A body. The second letter is the one that is called out in the 2nd VIN position and determines what model you have. 57 is the body type code and all it means is it has the formal roof, small quarter glass and smaller notchback backlight that all 2dr Supremes, Salons and broughams share. The one thing I never understood is why they kept the sculptured body sides on the 4 doors and wagons through 77.

BAOKBOB

That helps. "A" - A body. I just never understood what the heck the Colonnade was.

ragz442

It's just the term GM used for the new body style that came out in 73. It was scheduled to debut in 72 but was launched in 73. It refers to the roof pillars that GM thought was going to be federally mandated but never transpired. I've been into them since my first as a teenager, but most people don't care much for them. After re-reading your first post I don't know why they call the G (fastback) body colonnade only, but it generally refers to any 73-77 A body.

BAOKBOB

I think I got it. So the Colonnade can be a Cutlass S, Salon, Supreme or even a Brougham. Because it has the pillar in front of the Landau or Opera window? Which started in '73. It was not around in '72. And if that is correct, sorry Allan R. I am sometimes a slow learner.

ragz442

That's pretty much it as far as I know.

Allan R

Pretty much spot on. At first I did a double take on your line-up of what constitutes a Colonnade. But then I decided to look more carefully at the 73 SPECS and found that even the 2 door coupes were listed as Colonnade. This doesn't extend to any of the other product lines for 72 though. The Cutlass Salon is RPO Y73 ordered with the CS sedan.

FYI, the picture in my avatar (and my home page) is what the 73 Cutlass S was originally designed to look like.