Saw this on FB. Note that in 1972 you could actually order the Y70 narrow side pinstripe and the Y73 hood stripe decals around the raised areas on a Cutlass or Cutlass S 2dr. The wide W30 side stripes and the 1971 center hood stripe, not so much.

 

I would bet a lot of money there are 2 stripes on the trunk lid.

Don W

 

But not the ones you expected.

 

Needs something on the roof

 

Joe, how many time have we told you to stay off Facebook? It just upsets you.

 

I hear sirens in the distance

 

Why in the hell do people think that looks good? Both the hood stripe and the deck lid stripe are laughable. If you build a car for you go for it. You choose to sell it? Yeah not so much. Seriously WTF is up with that trunk stripe?? 🤪🤔🤣😂

Anybody got a buffer and sandpaper?

 

Frieburger just endorsed the ever hated W-36 stripe on IG

 

When the W-36 stripe is done Right I dig it.

 

Id like to see it phantom or flip flopped,,,very subtle;

 

Nothing wrong with a properly-applied W-36 on a '68. As for his favorite 4-4-2 being the '68, I can dig that. Its oddball transition-year status makes it kinda cool.

 

Yeah, see, I think the 67 and the 72 are the best and the last of their models.

 

Logically that makes sense -- the last year of a model run should be the best, all the bugs having been worked out. I just find the one-off weirdness of the '68 attractive, is all.

 

whats one off weirdness mean? Or odd ball transition year ?

never heard either to describe the 68

 

Maybe that's just the way I think of it, but it's because of this combination of firsts and lasts:
-- Holdover '67 headlight layout
-- Holdover vent windows on all vehicles, including hardtops and convertibles
-- Last year for ignition key in dash and no steering lock
-- Last year for ST-300 (SBO only)
-- Last year for Turnpike Cruiser option
-- First year for 400G
-- One year only 4-4-2 emblems
-- Aforementioned one year only W-36 stripe.

These are just the first things that come to mind. If I sit and think on it for awhile, I'm sure I can think of other things that make the '68 unique and yes, just a little bit weird. "But wait,' you may be saying, "didn't some of those things apply to all the A-bodies that year?"

Well, I'll be willing to concede that maybe '68 was just a weird year at GM.

 

The ST300 was available in the 1969 model year. And you can make a list like this for just about ANY model year in the 1960s. Unlike today, cars changed every single year. Sheet metal, bumpers, grills, taillights, were all one-year-only. 1964 was the only year for shaft-mount rockers. 1965 was the first and only year for the B-block 400. 1966 was the first year for the E-block. I mean, seriously, what's your point?

 

I think the point is that the 69-72 are more similar to each other than the 68 is. Thus, it's a little bit more different.

I have heard 68 Corvettes are possessed.

 

I'd argue that the 68 and 69 cars are more alike. As you know, GM was on a two year minor/four year major refresh cycle. 64-65 are very similar, 66-67 are a minor refresh from 64-65. 68-69 were a major redesign; 70-71 a minor. And the 72 cars were supposed to be the first of the colonnade cars, but as we know, that was delayed at the last minute, which is why the 72 cars are nearly identical to the 71s.

 

I recall that Car & Driver sent their '68 Corvette test vehicle back to Chevrolet due to its multiple deficiencies and gremlins.

 

Just makin' conversation, Joe. I was asked to substantiate my opinion and I did my best. Sorry I pissed you off.

Having owned two '68s among the several other A-body Oldses I've had, I always thought of them as being a little different. Why don't we just say that's an impression, any peculiarities to that year notwithstanding.

 

Whats similar on 69 compared to the 70/71/72?

emblems?

 

Correcting misinformation isn't being "pissed off".

 

This one's for you Joe.. 154K !

 

I'M GUILTY!

71 Cutlass Supreme never had any stripes that I am aware of.

 

It's a "tone" thing. And what misinformation, except for the error with regard to ST-300 availability ...?

Anyway, you're a very valuable resource in this forum, and I wouldn't want to upset you with my unfounded opinions.

 

My point was that 1968 was far from unique in terms of "first time" or "only time" elements. A lot of people dislike the 68s for some reason. I personally like them, but likely that has something to do with the fact that my first two cars were 68s (a Vista and a 442).

 

I completely agree on the 68's being unique. Kind of the same lines as the 69's. Yet front end wise totally different. I get what is being said about them. I am trying to hold off chasing a 68 myself. I didn't care for them so much when I was younger but I do dig them now. 68 was the last year for many metal parts for GM. 69 became the plastics. Grilles dashes etc.

 

68 and 69 Cutlii use the same dash. The grills on both are plastic.

 

I thought about that after I posted that. I was thinking about the 68 Chevelle and the 69's.

68 Cutlass A bodies look completely different than a 69 from the front. I have owned multiple 69's but not a 68 yet...

 

But the only differences are the hood, core support, bumper, and grill pieces. That's exactly the same as the differences between 70 and 71, or 66 and 67, or 64 and 65.

 

Maybe you are missing my point. The front end of a 68 A body looks nothing like a 69 A body.

 

And yet the difference is only skin deep!

 

And the spaced out headlights.
So grille. Hood. Bumper. Headlights. Marker lights. But other than that they look the same...🤣😂

 

68's are easily my favorite of that run of A bodies. My Dad briefly had a 68 442 when I was little, and had a 68 Chevelle when I was in jr high. I have always been a fan of the headlights and taillights on the 68 Cutlass.

 

Never did like the tooth underbite on the 69s

 

So..Joe P

Did you buy it

 

So how is that different from 66-67?

 

It's true -- many people of our generation like or dislike these cars for no reason more rational than our own experience with them. When I was 7, our next door neighbor had a '68 4-4-2 and I just couldn't get over those exhaust trumpets, and so have had two of those cars (and two '69s). The neighbor across the street had a Verdoro Green '67 Firebird 326 HO -- I've wanted one ever since I first saw it. Same neighbor also had a red Triumph TR4A -- if I was to stumble across a nice one now, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

 

We have discussed it many times here. That damn tooth clipped how many of us? I love it but ouch.

 

Joe and Canadian,

I believe the 68-72 shared the same frame. As noted 68-69 had same dash and maybe seats? I don't know about welded in sheet metal compatibility.

The reason that I think 68 is an oddball is because the major model changes were 67-68, and 72-73. The minor model changes, as Joe noted, were next to nothing in 72 due to strike, very little in 71, and somewhat bigger in 70 from 69. Perhaps the 68 and 69 were as different as the 69 and 70.