For most of its life span, the Oldsmobile Cutlass was ho-hum, a family car that was hardly ever exciting aside of 4-4-2 variants and the colossally successful Cutlass Supreme of the mid-1970s. However, our Pick of the Day, a 1964 Oldsmobile Cutlass Holiday Coupe, shows that this Olds was a nicely trimmed model packing a punch. This Olds is listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Woodland Hills, California. (Click the link to view the listing)
To appreciate this car, we should go back to the 1961 model year when Oldsmobile introduced the F-85, its “Senior Compact.” Unlike its Pontiac and Buick cousins, the F-85 was only offered with a Rockette V8, in this case an Olds-engineered version of Buick’s aluminum 215cid V8. Later in the model year, Oldsmobile introduced the F-85 Cutlass Sports Coupe, a spiffy two-door (with B-pillar) that came with the top version of the V8 (in this case, 185 horsepower) and, notably, standard bucket seats.
Oldsmobile expanded the Cutlass range for 1962 and, for 1963, restyled the F-85 series, giving it a little more heft and offering the first production turbocharged car with the Jetfire. However, for 1964, the Senior Compacts became true-blue mid-size cars on a 115-inch wheelbase, following the lead created by the Ford Fairlane in 1962. Trim levels were F-85, F-85 Deluxe, and Cutlass. The latter was only available as a two-door: Cutlass Sports Coupe (with B-pillar), Cutlass Holiday Coupe (hardtop), and Cutlass Convertible.
They all came standard with bucket seats and high-compression, 290-horsepower 330 four-barrel V8 (brochures showed 260 horses but this number was later updated). Three-on-the-tree was standard, but a three-speed on the floor, four-speed, and Jetaway two-speed automatic were optional. This was a strong package that outgunned most (all?) other brands with their standard configurations.
(Of course, later in the model year, option code B09 4-4-2 package became available with 310 horsepower from its 330, but that’s another story for another day.)
This 1964 Oldsmobile Cutlass Holiday Coupe is a two-owner SoCal car that went from white to red during restoration (extra pictures of which can be seen here). “Complete disassembly, quality two-stage paint,” says the seller. “All glass, trim, bright work, and chrome were sent out replated, and polished with side stainless moldings being hand painted.” Mags, of course, are an update, as is the Wilwood front disc conversion. The original, rebuilt 330 also features some tweaks you’d also appreciate, such as Edelbrock intake and carb “for better breathing.”
The Interior is stock and features the optional console and tachometer just ahead of the automatic shifter. There was a whole lot of style and power that came with the Cutlass of this era, and that hasn’t changed over 60 years of this vehicle’s build. The cost of entry for this Rocket Olds is a reasonable $34,900.
Click here for this ClassicCars.com of the Day
