SEMA 2022 – 1970 Cutlass SX 455

Posted on February 1, 2023 by Cameron Tunstall

Brought to us by T&D Motorsports this extremely rare 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass SX 455 convertible is something I would have expected to find at our local Scottsdale Barrett-Jackson auction.

Originally ordered by Rice Oldsmobile in Fort Wayne, IN this piece of classic Detroit design was purchased by Tim Leffler for $4,283.00 and he has owned it ever since. It still features the original drivetrain and has only 32,000 miles on the odometer.

The SX is a small footnote in Oldsmobile history. Essentially you could order a Cutlass that contained some of what made the 442 great with the impressive torque of the 455 cubic inch Olds mill. What kept it from being a true 442? No four-speed transmission, instead optioning with the automatic and a lesser ring and pinion set in the rear. You also sadly gave up the four-barrel carburetor, instead opting for a two-barrel unit. Dual exhaust however remained intact. I guess 232 didn’t have the same marketing oomph that the performance moniker had, and as a result we ended up with “SX”

To someone accustomed to seeing the top performance models showcased at a car show, perhaps an automatic, 2-bbl, convertible Cutlass isn’t ideal performance… But it sure beats the 307 V8 that was found in every RWD Olds product 20 years later.

Just Hop On The 101

Posted on May 10, 2016 by bryan lusk

While digging around the comment areas of various Facebook groups I have determined that the driver was likely not drunk, just trying to show off, with some of the other cars being ‘spotters’ and not civilian traffic. While it’s still incredibly dangerous it’s somewhat relieving to know that at least few precautions were taken. I’m not sure the benefit/risk ratio would have made it worth my while though.

Barrett-Jackson 2016: 1969 Olds F-85 W31

Posted on April 10, 2016 by Cameron Tunstall

So this is one of those cars where you wonder if at first it could actually be real. The seller attempted to advertise it as a Cutlass/f-85 but really that’s like calling Chevrolet’s platform twin a Chevelle/Malibu. This is an f-85, which was the name for the base model of Oldmobile’s A-body car.

To most people this is just another old muscle car. To the slightly more “initiated”, they might say it’s just another variation of the platform shared by the aforementioned Malibu, the Skylark or the Tempest. For the rest of us, the w-31 emblazoned on the fender says a little bit more.

How much more? How about 0-60 in 6.6 seconds and a factory rated 325hp, same as the 396 BBC found in the Chevelle. Look closely under the bumpers and you’ll see ram air scoops designed to shove cool outside air directly into the engine via snorkel tubes. This a design that is still found on modern cars today.

To find a combination of the base trim car with the high performance motor is really intriguing. More intriguing though is the car itself. Let your eyes be the judge.

Spinning Tires

Posted on March 9, 2013 by Cameron Tunstall

Let’s take a look at the week gone by:

1984 Oldsmobile Hurst/Olds Cutlass

Posted on July 6, 2012 by Mike Ross

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Aside from those BMW wheels (huh?) and the fire department wanna be pinstripes this is a pretty interesting car.

Back around the time when Oldsmobile made the ridiculous decision to make a small, front-wheel drive car and call it a Cutlass while continuing to make the same old rear-wheel drive car and also call it a Cutlass, they remembered an old gimmick they had tried before with moderate success: trying to make an automatic transmission fun to use.

Starting in 1983, you could order your Cutlass Supreme with the Hurst/Olds package, which had some pretty decent options, like a better flowing exhaust, 3.73s, and supposedly the 307 had some slight improvements.

The main feature though, were the Hurst “Lightning Rod” shifters. I’ve been watching a couple videos of them in operation and I really can’t see any benefit from using them at all, other than showing them off and pretending you’ve got a Lenco or something. They make for an interesting conversation piece though.

The Hurst/Olds was only made in this body style for two years, 83 and 84, and it’s really easy to spot the difference between the two years. 83s were black with silver rocker panels, and 84s had a reversed paint scheme. 84s also came with the 8.5″ rear end from the Grand National while the 83s got the 7.5. After 84, they started calling the car the 442 again. As far as I can tell, the Lightning Rods were only available in the 83-84 Hurst/Olds car though.

I hope that one day this car gets reunited with its stock wheels (for that matter, any old set of 15’s would be a major improvement) and cleaned up a little bit, but I’m still just happy that someone is keeping it on the road in any capacity.