Hey Guys and Gals:
I’m looking at maybe searching really hard for an clean olds; I’m looking for a clean, classic to use as a daily driver and a road car. I’m hoping you all will share advice, your experience about what to look for and to avoid. Here’s what I have come up with so far:
I really like the G body Cutlass’ for A. looks and B. fuel efficiency(compared to cars of the same vintage and older); what do these bring to the table? Other years, makes, and models?

• How’s the roominess in the driver’s area? I’m 6’6”, 260 pounds; and would like something with some leg room(my tbird turbo coupe was far too small)
• Road and wind noise? I’ve never ridden in a hard top that didn’t have wicked wind noise. Is it possible to eliminate wind noise?
• Are there engine/transmission configurations I should look for? Should avoid?

Please throw out all thoughts and advice. Its all appreciated.

 

G body cutlass is very nice car. I had a 81 cutlass drive like a dream.

most wind noise could be bad weather stripping, on the older cars you can install installation that's helps when you redo the interior , but in my opinion the g body cars shouldn't be a issue I am not sure where to look for body rust on these cars maybe others will chime in

Drive train it depends on your ability and budget if it's limited. I would try and find one with what your looking for rather than try and build it at the cost if a shop it would be cheaper to buy done than rather paying some one to do it

 

Welcome aboard.
Your size might be an issue with any intermediate car. Most aren't built for extremely tall people. 260 shouldn't be an issue for any of the seats but they will wear out a bit faster.

Sounds like you've already picked the style you want. EVERY car comes with quirks including noise issues. T-tops are a lot noisier than just a HT, so if noise is an issue, steer clear of that. You're right that HT's have wind noise issues. But that can be reduced by adjusing windows to fit/seal better or replacing worn out weather stripping as suggested.

Stay away from the G bodies with a 260/TH200 trans. They are underpowered and unreliable. Depending on what year you pick the car could have a 350 or 307. Both are decent. The newer the car though, the more computerized the engine/carb is.

I owned 2 G bodies. One I really loved, the other was 'a learning experience (had the 260). They are ultimately fine riding cars and the styling is very nice. Shop the markets for a decent turnkey that doesn't need to be turned into a project. Normal wear/tear excluded. As you know fuel economy is based on your ability to control the zoom zoom pedal.

 

I don't like anything that came with emissions controls and electronics. I prefer the older cars for their simplicity.

 

I'm 6'-6" and I'm partial to the 73-77 Cutlasses. They are comfortable and fairly roomy, but that said, the seat is in the full back position and a tilt steering column is a MUST. They are bigger and heavier than the down sized 78 and later models, so mpg isn't a bragging point. They are well built, solid, comfortable cars without all the computer controls on them. One other thing I'll mention at least for the 73-77's is if you can stand an additional two doors, the 4 dr's and wagons have an extra 1" of headroom which helps alot. In my 2 dr's, the top of my head is barely touching the headliner so it's good I'm not 6'-6 1/2" Also the 4 dr's have shorter doors which helps alot getting in and out of the car in tight parking spaces. If you are just wanting a car for a driver, take a look at the 73-77 4 doors. They sell for less than the coupes and have a little more interior room. You should be able to find a nice lower mileage car for a very reasonable price.
Hope this helps.

 

well even though im still on my first olds, and I may be young, but I love the early 60s styling (first car was a 63 nova) and I don't mind 4 doors, my full sized 88 is fine for me. if your looking for sportier yet classic you could go with the early 60s f85 or more 442 looking 70s cutlasses, but if your a big dude tryina cruise down the road at 70 mph on a weekly to daily basis comfortably I say the super/delta 88s of all years are perfect with their big engines, 4bbls, smooth 3 speeds(although people naysay the early hydramatic type trannies like mine), plenty of room, usually with a/c, and it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of a 98 which im not fond of in a classic daily driver cause 50 yr old headlight dim systems, seat and window motors can go when you use em everyday. a young kids 2 cents, whatever its worth lol. i did find out one thing so far, it beats driving an old stock-type chevy.

 

Well I am 6'6" and about the same weight maybe a little more, I have had a lot of a bodies and I love the drop tops, I too have my seat all the way back, but find them roomy enough...

somethings to consider, is spare parts body parts and values

maybe a 71-72 cutlass or 442 would be for you as they make quarters and fenders etc and are a little less expensive than a 70

I like the early years if your prepared to buy a car that is finished ( probably the way to go unless your hobby is restoring)

If restoring things I think I would have done different would be
make sure the car is worth restoring, it cost the same to rebuild an engine, paint, or buy parts for a cutlass or a 442.

try to buy a car that needs mechanical work only as body work etc is the lions portion of costs.

buy a car because you love the car not because you will make money.



In thinking the later hurst cars are still reasonable if you like that style and if your set on a bigger car oldsmobile also made delmonts, deltas and other larger cars that are very cool as well.....

 

When it comes to older cars the # one thing is finding a rust free car, rust problems can double or triple the cost of a rebuild, I have restored 2 cars since I moved to Idaho and both where good rust free cars, it is so nice taking a car apart the actually comes apart like it was put together yesterday.
Beyond rust everything else is repairable at a somewhat reasonable price.
As far as your size buy what you want you'll fit in any of them as long as it's not one of those Vega clones they used to make.

 

Both of you guys bring up some EXCELLENT points! BTW, where are all you 6'6" guys coming from?? Basketball school let out early??

Those are really insightful observations I don't think I would have considered either. Now I would. I find that even with a 72 Cutlass a tilt steering column is much appreciated.
Question: Is the seat height on the 4 doors the same as the 2 doors? I know it may seem like a dumb question but every 4 door I've ever been in seems like I step 'down' to the pavement.

One other thing about 4 doors - (just my opinion) they seem to have less wind noise than a 2 door.

Eddie, haven't chatted with you for so long....obviously there's no issue with the top dropped, but here's my question: How much more room do you get for you head when the top's up. I'm thinking it has to be at least up to 2" more than a HT?

 

His head may be in a strut though.

There's value to consider. It will cost the same to restore a 64-72, but the return on investment will be higher than a 73-87.

 

Hi Ya Allan, actually never thought about it but your right!!! I also had a 69 MGB convertible hard to get in but once in was very comfy..( however in those days I had a six pack, now I have a keg LOL) I always felt very good in the A Bodys I have had more GTO's than Cutlii however but the spacing is the same, Funny I never felt squished... even in a 67 Nova, early firebird and camaro.... as long as the seat went all the way back... but I am trying to remember, was I? I have an excursion now, as my Daily Driver ( yes I know and a v10 gasoline powered one to boot LOL.... The 455 olds will seem like a prius) so everything feels a little more cramped now... but not terrible.

Comments about the rust is a number one.... I would rather buy a rust free car that didn't run, then a rotted car with a new motor...

2nd is buy a car because you love it... not to restore it for a profit....

3rd be flexible don't get too hung up on exact year make or model... something might pop up that isn't in your plans that can be the love of your life ( car wise) I was looking for a replacement 69 GTO convertible 4 speed when I found my Oldsmobile, we have been best friends ever since...

 

If you've got your heart set on a G-body, you'll be tons happier with a Hurst/Olds or 442 than you will a plain-Jane Cutlass. The few extra horsepower and, more importantly, the 3.73 rear and 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission make the H/Os and 442s much more enjoyable to drive. Not to mention the better handling suspension.

Another alternative is to get a plain-Jane G-body Cutlass and improve the drivetrain with a TH-200 4R and 3.73 gears. This would also give you an opportunity to drop a 350 under the hood. Fuel economy should be very close to that of a 307, but it'll have gobs more torque.

Size-wise, I'm not 6-6, but I don't think you'll have any problems with headroom in a G-body. That is, not until the headliner starts sagging.
Leg-room is another issue. I had much more legroom in my '85 442 with power driver's seat than I do in my '87 442 with manual driver's seat. I assume this has to do with the seat, not the car's year. If you like to stretch out your legs and sit far from the steering wheel (like I do), you'll feel cramped with the manual seat. Having said this, modifying the seat mounting is not an impossible task.

Look for a low-mileage, well-maintained car. It's not uncommon for both the 307 and TH-200 4R to need major service by about 125,000 miles (or sooner). Find a rust-free southern or western car. Even if the body looks good, check for frame rust, especially at the body mounts.

 

G Bodies have a keen following with a dedicated forum, it doesn't restrict you to an Oldsmobile (heresy I know), but Cutlasses are well represented.
I had two G Body wagons, not high performers or highly sought after classics, but very easy to maintain, parts readily available (in the UK) and one of the last high volume cars with a body on frame, V8 from the factory traditional style American cars.


Roger.

 

I will weigh in here. I have owned a 1987 442 loaded except posi traction.
Originally when I first started looking, I was shooting for 85-87 442, ended up getting a 1970 Cutlass Supreme H.T. some minor rust but mostly unmolested car except for aftermarket radio and speakers.

I ended getting the 87 442 2 years after the 70. Put it this way the 442 has been gone for 11 years now and the supreme still sits in the garage after 17 years!

Buy what you like, they are nice because of the more modern creature comforts. They are dogs with 307 V8 and OD but you can get 25 mpg on the highway.
That era still has a good looking body style, I still contemplate about buying another but you see a lot of people having the 307 rebuilt with lower miles including another one our members (Ryan)

Pat

 

Obviously, one should pick what they personally like. However, my previous comment is still true about restoring something of maximized value. G bodies will usually be worth less than A bodies, and they usually cost the same to restore. The people who are not value conscious and dump money into something they can never recover it from are often, but not always, the ones who run into financial troubles, have to sell, and get cleaned out.

For instance, I bought a project car, with the bodywork done, that is a numbers matching 442 from a desirable year. I know I can get the price of the restoration out of the car, if I ever had to sell. I won't choose to sell, unless I have to, because I want to drive it for a long time, but it's nice to know the money is recoverable.

If your heart is set on a G body, please do like suggested above and get an H/O or a 442 or something of relatively higher value. The H/O's have a particularly enthusiastic club, the HOCA (which I pronounce "HO-CUH" just to annoy my friend the club president; it's pronounced 'H O C A') which really value the 80's H/Os.

 

If you are looking for a real driver that is different from the pack go for a big Olds. While I love the 64 and earlier cars they are getting hard to service. But if you go for the 65 to 84 cars you have a lot to choose from. The 65 and 66 Starfires are muscle cars with 375 HP but any 65 to 70 88 or 98 gets you a big cube high torque motor and just glides down the road. The 71 to 76 big cars had smaller motors and started to suffer from smog controls. The 77 to 84 cars were downsized but still were great on the highway and big inside. Good pampered examples of these luxury cars are still out there and they are an absolute bargain compared to the smaller cars - think about BIG!