Hi all. Have questions about my 68 Cutlass optioned with 310 horse 350,4speed,3.90 posi,heavyduty cooling,f-41 suspension.Have original build sheet.Do these seam to be odd options for a Cutlass?It is as if this car was supposed to be a ram rod car but came with standard 310 horse engine.Heard the ram rods came with bigger or better diffs than standard cars.Any info on this? Thanks, Tim
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There is a 31 spline O-Type rear that is the HD option and is probably what you heard. From what I have been told, the HD rear was used behind the OAI cars, perhaps 4 speed only?

 

All of those are available options that someone could have ordered on any 1968 Cutlass. Don't read anything into this - someone just ordered those options. The 3.91 rear axle was RPO G88, a whole $21.06 additional cost. G88 was only available with the HD rear axle, so again, not anything unusual. The V01 HD cooling package was a mandatory option if you ordered the G88 axle, since you would be revving the engine higher than on most Cutlii. It was ironically also a $21.06 additional charge. The L74 engine, either M20 or M21 transmission, and FE1 Rally Sport suspension were also just a matter of checking the right boxes.

People who were not alive in the 1960s don't realize that this a la carte process of ordering a car was the most common way to do it then. Unlike today, where you are forced to buy a total package to get specific options you want, in the sixties every manufacturer offered a lengthy list of options and the buyer would pick and choose to taste. More people bought cars to order than bought pre-ordered cars sitting on the lot. There's nothing unusual about this.

 

That sure is something I miss. You could build a real, all business, no frills, unmarked sleeper. Of course, during that era I was too young or too poor to do it.

 

Supposedly there were 30 Ram Rod 350s built on the Cutlass Supreme model. Total production was either 642 or 742, depending on who you believe.

Of course, this has nothing to do with the OP's question...

 

3:42 and up had 31 spline axles

 

Thanks for the replies. I understand that one could have ordered different options available not only to the ram rod but also to the standard cutlass,but how many standard cutlass's have you seen with these options? I would guess there were more w-31 or ram rods that came equipped like I mentioned than a standard cutlass optioned like I said.How many 68 cutlass's has anyone personally seen that came equipped like I mentioned?Thanks,Tim

 

Did most 1968 Cutlii come with a 350, Jetaway, and 2.73 gears? Of course. Considering that few people have seen more than a handful of 1968 Cutlii, what do you expect people to say? Yeah, relatively few were optioned the way your car is. Unfortunately, without a build sheet or other paperwork to document how the car was built, it's difficult to prove it came that way.

 

Agreed,but this car has such documentation.I also have the original bill of sale.Again ,how many have seen a documented car like this?I have seen ram rods ,w-31 cars,but have not seen cars optioned like I mentioned. So if a car has rarity based on production numbers,why would not this car be considered rare?Can anyone guess at production numbers for a car optioned out like this?I am aware the records are gone.

 

i think you have a very unusual and cool combination of options for a 68 cutlass,i've never seen one equipped like that and my eyes have been focused on oldsmobiles for 45 years.

 

Thank you for the compliment.I really am just trying to find info on this car or if anyone has seen one themselves.Thanks,Tim

 

That's an outstanding combination then. Very nice.

 

And I'm fairly sure not one has ever been documented.

 

Thanks again.How do I post picture of build sheet?