Hi Everyone!

I'm not an Olds owner yet but hopefully in the next couple days I will be.
I was hoping to pick some of your minds on a car I'm looking at shortly.

I'm checking out a 1972 Cutlass (they say Supreme but I'm not positive it actually is) with a rocket 455, 12 bolt rear and is an automatic. It also comes with it's original 350 motor on the side (although I'm not a matching #'s kinda guy)

It looks in decent shape from what I can tell. Needs the usual interior work that I would expect but I thought I'd see what you experts think I should watch out for? Where do these guys like to rust etc?

I love the curves on the old beast so I've got my fingers crossed that it's good and I can make a post soon saying I've got my first Olds

I've included a few pics that I have of it from the current owner.

 

Good luck,

I love beavers.

 

Not a Supreme. Looks nice though. Look for rust in the lower front fenders, around the rear wheel openings, the bottoms of the doors, around the bottom of the rear window, floorboards.

 

Welcome.

I'll add check the trunk. Also check body mounts and bushings, and the floor underneath.
Make sure it has good oil pressure, temp within limits after idling for say 10-15 minutes, and the trans fluid is not discolored. Listen for irregular noises.

How much $$$ is the candidate.

 

Cutlass S with Supreme grills. Non original high back bucket seats. Looks good in the pics.

 

Thanks for the spots to check guys. I know every car has it's own 'sweet spots' for the rust to start so up north here it can be a huge issue.

The person is asking $4500 but I'm pretty sure he's flexible and that feels on the high side to me even if it's in good shape externally.

1969w3155 - what's different about the the Cutlass S grill and the seats? Not that I care but I love knowledge. lol

 

Looks like a very nice car with nothing worse than typical issues.

You say you have your fingers crossed. About what? Where are you in the purchase process? Still making up your mind? Made an offer and waiting for a response? Waiting for the wife's approval?

 

jaunty75 - About the condition. Pictures can hide a lot. I'm going to take the drive to see it this afternoon. Well that and the wife's approval. lol She still doesn't know that it's got a 455 in it.

 

I see rust pimples under the top. That can be surface or rot through. Is the dash up by where the windshield meets the cowl/firewall area clean? All the typical rust spots were mentioned here. These two can be the most costly to repair. Chances are if the tops got rot so will both the windshield and rear glass channels under the stainless. All repairable if thats what your intent is. You dont mention what that is? Not trying to steer you away just making you aware of the costly trouble spots. You may be better off looking around for something cleaner? Or just buy it beat it enjoy it.

 

This wasn't clear from your first post. So you haven't actually seen the car yourself in person? What we're seeing are photos provided by the seller?

You're right. It'll be different in person. But it could go in any direction. People in your position sometimes find the car is better than they thought it would be, others find it to be what they were expecting, and others find it to be worse.

I once went to see a '65 Dynamic 88 convertible in a city 150 miles away with the full expectation that I would buy it based on the photos I'd seen and the description by the seller on the phone. I brought money to pay for it and my wife to drive our car home if I bought it.

Well, the car was dreadful, and I knew the moment I laid eyes on it I didn't want it. The worst thing was significant collision damage that he had neither told me about nor showed any photos of. I paid him the courtesy of looking the car over for 2 minutes, and then I thanked him and left.

Let us know your thoughts when you actually see it.

 

• Looks like some other pics tried to come along for the ride. Anyway, note these horizontal grills on this '72 S, which are not reproduced, it is not uncommon to see Supreme and 442 grills on S cars as they are reproduced. The seat should have a separate head rest.
  
  
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That's about the same situation I'm in so far. It's an hour and a half away and I've only had pictures so far but we'll roll the dice and see what I see.

I'm just looking for a daily driver and some fun. I had an old 73 Impala and I do miss the rumble of a real motor inside a steel body. If I find a good deal that isn't too far gone, it'll be a slow project that I work on while I drive it.

 

1969w3155 - Thanks for the info. See that's why sites like this are great. I never would have noticed that.

 

This is what the seats should look like, though the pattern on this one is wrong (rear seats are correct, and converts used the Supreme seat pattern).

 

Ahh ok got it. Makes sense now.

Anyone have any input on what a daily driver condition has been going for in your area? I know being up north I'll probably have a premium to pay but it's good to know what range people have been seeing.

 

cant see you spending any less than that, looks good from here. where are you?

 

Stan - Lets say I know Duncan very well I'm a Victoria boy born and raised who now lives in the middle of BC.

 

shoulda known by your handle you grew up around here,

 

The asking price is in line with what the car is by the pic's. You won't know how good ro bad it is unless you see it in person.

 

Well nothing quite like getting ready to leave on the trip to check out the car and to call ahead to make sure they're home and have them go "Oh.. hi.. yeah we just sold it. Sorry." Sure glad I didn't just go at the appointed time and waste 3+ hours of my day.

I personally don't understand people who don't honor their word anymore... *shakes head*. Oh well, it wasn't meant to be that car. The hunt continues!

 

In that case the car was an overpriced piece of crap. You are lucky to have dodged that bullet.

Oh, and I love both maple syrup and beavers. Sometimes at the same time.

 

That looked like a decent ride but going by those wheels the previous owner must have had some serious mental defects so the car was probably a piece of crap and you dodged a bullet...hopefully haha, nothings worse than missing out on a car you really were interested in and then seeing somebody driving around in it a few weeks later. I had that happen to me with an absolutely immaculate one owner first generation Mazda RX7.

 

I drove from Michigan to Indiana. 3 1/2 hour drive 1 way with a car hauler trailer one time only to return back empty.