People keep telling me not having AC is rare on a 77
Cutlass S. Wondering how rare it is or if it truly
is rare not having it?
Thanks!

 

Must have been purchased (ordered) by someone up North where they do not need "air conditioning". It might have been special ordered.

 

Agreed. Cars sold in some markets don't typically have AC. I was unaware of this for years as I grew up in the south on the Gulf Coast where AC was a no-cost option in cars (otherwise they wouldn't sell).

 

Here's why it was ordered like that....https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_cooling

 

 

My '73 Supreme did not have it, nor did my neighbors '75 "S". He tended to buy the lowest optioned cars that he could. It also did not have carpeting, just the rubber floor covering. I don't think that it is that rare in that era. In '84 I ordered a Buick Grand National, and was surprised to see that A/C was standard.

 

The base price of the car did not include A/C, so this is not a "special order" car. By 1977, only Cadillac and Lincoln had A/C standard in all car models. I suspect that most cars ordered by dealers to put on the lot had A/C, but you could certainly buy a car without it. "Special order" cars are those equipped with items that were not commonly available on the order form.

 

Thanks for the great info guys.
This is my first cutlass so learning allot.

 

I think it was more rare for a car to have A/C prior to the 70's. On a side note we were still using window fans at home until 1971. Don't even get me started on color tv.

 

The installation rate of A/C in new cars increased dramatically in the 1960s and 70s. In the 1961 model year, about 8% of all new cars came with A/C. By 1969 that number was 54%. By 1980, it was 72%. By 1990 it was 94%.

 

Up here, I seem to recall that there was also a federal tax on A/C in the early '70s'. Something like $500?

 

I have a 75 442 setting out back, no ac on it. gives a lot of room under the hood. also had a 81 cutlass with no a/c.

 

My 1977 442 doesn't have it either. Mine has the 403 so I wonder how many 403 powered 1977 442's didn't have it. Less than 50?

 

I read on another site that Canada still imposes an A/C excise tax on new cars equipped w/ A/C, $100 cn I believe.

 

Depends on where the car was ordered and sold new. Some markets such as Pacific Northwest and anywhere north of about 35 degrees latitude typically don't need it so new cars back then were ordered without it. But here in the Southeast a dealer would never have been able to sell a car without it past the early 1970s.

A pal bought a 1980 Cutlass a few years back from Washington State. No A/C.

Some of my dad's family were in upstate NY, Norwich area, where they routinely wore sweaters 4th of July. They bought a new 1967 Caprice Tropic Turquoise, black VT and interior and drove it down here in August for a week's visit. 3rd day it was here it went to Sears for a hang-on A/C unit.

 

That could explain it. Im in Olympia Wa (PNW)
and the last two owners have both been in Wa.
Based on the paperwork I have the 1st owner
had it for quit some time but im not sure if it
was originally a WA car or not.

The car was built at the Lansing plant

 

77 442,beautiful car,I still have the window sticker with my '74. And can say he paid for the a.c. as an option along with the 455 and 400 trans. That was in NE Tn. area.

 

Years ago I owned a 73 cutlass supreme 350,fact 4 speed ,no air and a 77 442 260 v8,5 speed car with no air. Talk about a car with no *****.