It is part of what is called the “Third Generation” of the Oldsmobile Cutlass line, manufactured from 1968 to 1972. It sports a 350 cu. in. Rocket V-8 engine with four barrel carb making 260 HP, driven by a Turbo 400 automatic. It weights in at about 3,600 lbs. running on 112 in. WB. It cost $4,240.08 new according to the original invoice and about 32,000 Hardtop Coupes were made. It was sold new in Bowling Green, KY and manufactured in Lancing MI GM plant.

The Oldsmobile Cutlass line of was produced by between 1961 and 1988, and again briefly in 1997-1999. The Cutlass was Oldsmobile's smallest, entry-level product, an approach not used since the 1940's and which were discontinued in 1950. The all new Cutlass began as a unibody compact car , but saw its greatest success as a body-on-frame intermediate. Introduced in Oldsmobile's compact F-85 line in 1961, the Cutlass evolved into a line of its own, spawning numerous variants, including the formidable 4-4-2 muscle car in 1964, premium Cutlass Supreme in 1966, and outright performance Hurst Olds in 1968. Over time the Cutlass name accumulated great equality, becoming not only Oldsmobile's best-selling model but one of the most popular nameplates in the industry in the 1970s.

The first Oldsmobile Cutlass was an experimental sports coupe designed in 1954. It rode a 110 in wheelbase, and featured a dramatic fastback roof line and stock V8. Its platform was quite similar to the later compact F-85, which was not introduced until 1961.

First-generation Cutlass was a top trim level of the F-85 compact line manufactured from 1961 to 1963. General Motors began developing its first compact cars in 1956, beginning with the Chevrolet Corvair which was released in 1960. The following year a second series of somewhat larger cars was released for Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac, termed the "senior compacts." They would share the same body shell and lightweight engine. Oldsmobile designer Irvin Rybicki began work on the Olds model in 1957. It finally went on sale in the fall of 1960 as a 1961 model. The Oldsmobile F-85 shared the new y-body platform with the Buick Special and Pontiac Tempest, using a 112-inch wheelbase and still-novel unibody construction. It was Oldsmobile's smallest, cheapest model – some two feet shorter and $451 less than the next-smallest Olds. The F-85 had double wishbone front suspension and a four-link live axle in the rear, suspended with coil springs all around. Standard engine was the new small V8, all aluminum, displacing 215 cu in. With a two-barrel carburetor, it was rated 155 bhp and 210 pound feet of torque. Transmission options were initially three-speed manual or the newly introduced three-speed Roto Hydramatic. The F-85 had drum brakes of 9.5 inches diameter. Overall length was initially 188.2 inches, and curb weight was around 2,800 pounds.

Five more generation's would follow: (Note that only the first-generation would be known as compacts).

• Second generation (intermediate) 1964–1967

• Third generation (intermediate)1968–1972 - As we are featuring Don's 1971 Cutlass, only this generation will be expanded.

  • 1968

    • The F-85/Cutlass underwent a major body restyle in 1968, as did all other GM A-body cars. Oldsmobile's was penned by the styling studio headed by Stan Wilen. Two-door and four-door models now rode different wheelbases: 112 inches for two-doors and 116 inches for four-doors. Overall length shrunk about 2.6 inches, but curb weight rose approximately 75 pounds to 3,465 lb for the hardtop coupe. Two-door F-85 and Cutlass models adopted a semi-fastback roof line with a massive rear end. Base model remained the F-85, with mid-level Cutlass S, and upscale Cutlass Supreme, as well as the 4-4-2. A limited-production model the Hurst/Olds, was a special 4-4-2 marketed by Oldsmobile and Hurst Performance. The H/O combined the 4-4-2 suspension package with the big 455 cu. in. (7.4 L) V8, not ordinarily offered in Cutlass because of a GM policy limiting intermediates to engines of 400 cu. in. (6.6 L) or less. A redesigned base model F-85 and mid-level Vista Cruiser station wagons were also available. F-85 station wagons without the rooftop glass were also available with a 350 CI engine with a 2 barrel carburetor and two-speed JetAway automatic transmission. Engine options were similar to the previous year, although the Cutlass's V8 option was expanded to 350 cu. in. (5.7 L). The variable-pitch stator feature of both optional two-speed Jetaway and three-speed Turbo Hydra-matic automatic transmissions was discontinued.

  • 1969

    • The 1969 F-85/Cutlass models received only minor trim changes from their '68 counterparts such as a now-Olds trademark split grille with vertical bars and vertical taillights. Headrests were now standard equipment and the ignition switch moved from the instrument panel to the steering column to lock the steering wheel when not in use. Engine offerings were unchanged from 1968, but a new three-speed Turbo Hydra-matic 350 transmission was added to the option list and available with all versions of the 350 cu in (5.7 l) Rocket V8, including the standard two-barrel 350 cu in (5.7 l) version, four-barrel "Ultra High Compression" 310 hp option and the W-31 option, conservatively rated at 325 hp, The old two-speed Jetaway automatic was still available with the Chevy-built 250 cu in (4.1 l) "Action-Line" six or the two-barrel 350 cu in (5.7 l) V8. The Turnpike Cruiser two-barrel 400 cu in (6.6 l) Rocket V8 was dropped and the four-barrel 400 engine from the 4-4-2 was available only in the Vista Cruiser wagons.

  • 1970

    • The 1970 Cutlass was available in seven body styles: the base F-85 two-door sedan, as well as two-door hardtops offered in both notchback Cutlass Supreme and fastback Cutlass S and 4-4-2 body styles. Also available were a four-door hardtop, four-door sedan, a convertible and a flat-top station wagon called the Custom Cruiser, as well as the fancier Vista Cruiser station wagon. With GM tossing out the 400 cubic-inch limit for intermediates, the 4-4-2 now came standard with the larger 455 cubic-inch, The 455 was also offered as an option in the Cutlass S models and the Vista Cruiser wagons. There was an SX option available only on the Cutlass Supreme hardtop and convertible, the SX cars had the 455 engine and TH-400 automatic transmission. The same assortment of three- and four-speed manual transmissions were available with Hurst shifters used on floor-mounted three-speeds and all four-speeds. The Turbo Hydra-matic was the sole offering for shiftless driving. Cutlass S coupes with the optional Strato bucket seats and Turbo Hydra-matic could be equipped with the Hurst Dual-Gate shifter in conjunction with the extra-cost center console. The Hurst Dual-Gate made it possible to either put the transmission in Drive, and let the transmission decide when to shift. Or it could be placed in a manual mode, much like today's computer-controlled automatics.

    • 1971

      • The 1971 model shared much of the same exterior sheetmetal as the 1970, but with a new hood, grille, and headlight assemblies, as well as new bumpers and taillights. The famous "Rocket" V8 continued in several different sizes and power options, with both the large 455 and 'small-block' 350 available with either 2- or 4-barrel carburetors. In 1971, all engines came from the factory with hardened valve seats, The 1971 Olds engines also featured lowered compression ratios designed to run on regular leaded, low-lead or unleaded gasoline.

    • 1972

      • For 1972, there were minor style changes to the Cutlass, and the 4-4-2 reverted to being a trim line (W-29 option) on the Cutlass instead of an individual model. The primary changes to the 1972 Cutlass were the front grilles and the tail lights. The new 1972Hurst/Oldsused the Cutlass Supreme notchback hardtop and convertible body. A Hurst/Olds Cutlass 4-4-2 paced the Indianapolis 500, and Olds built about 630 replicas, some 25% of them convertibles. The low-line F-85 series was down to a single four-door sedan and was then discontinued during the course of the 1972 model year.

• Fourth generation (intermediate) 1973–1977

• Fifth-generation (intermediate) 1978–1988

• Sixth generation (midsize) 1997–1999