The Cutlass is a fabled name in the Oldsmobile family and was one of the most popular intermediates throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s. Few remember that it started out as a compact called the F-85 and Cutlass was an option for several years. The small Olds didn’t meet sales expectations, so the F-85 became a mid-size car in 1964 and the rest is history. This 1965 Cutlass Holiday Coupe belonged to the seller’s grandfather and is located in Homestead, Florida. The car is available here on eBay with a Buy It Now price of $4,995. Thanks, local_sheriff, for another great tip!

For the second generation of the F-85/Cutlass, it was promoted to intermediate status, in part due to the sales success Ford had in 1962 with the downsizing of the Fairlane. The reworked F-85 now rode on a body-on-frame chassis w/a perimeter frame that it shared with Chevrolet’s new Chevelle and the Buick Special and Pontiac Tempest. A 225 cubic inch V6 borrowed from Buick was now the standard engine and the new small-block Rocket V8 with a displacement of 330 cubes being optional. The infamous 4-4-2 debuted mid-season and in 1965 it got the bigger 400 engine. The VIN of the seller’s car tells us that it’s the 2-door Cutlass Holiday Coupe/330 V8 that saw production exceed 46,000 units in ’65.

The seller’s car was purchased new in Miami by his grandpa, so we assume the car has been in the same family for 55 years. We’re told the Olds has never been in an accident and is original except for new front A-arms and a conversion to front disc brakes (original parts are included in the sale). While the paint job has had it, the body and frame either look good or we’re told that they are. However, the car is not rust-free, with some “on top” that needs repair and, of course, some surface rust from sitting outside for the past year.

From what we can see of the interior, it appears to have held up pretty well, but it’s really dirty and is going to need a good scrubbing. That process would reveal whether the headliner or carpeting will need replacing. The driver’s side door panel at a minimum is going to need work.

Quite a few parts have been replaced on the car, with a bunch more in boxes for the buyer to take home. From the parts installed list (besides the A-arms and disc brakes), we have a new fuel tank, new bearings, used Rally wheels (Chevrolet) in excellent condition and a recent tune-up was performed.  The boxed parts include a rear drum brake kit, power brake booster, and master cylinder, an aluminum radiator, rear springs, brake lines, and an air cleaner. No actual reference is made as to whether the car runs or how well.

So, we have here a car that needs bodywork and paint, a bunch of new parts to be installed, and possibly an engine to be nursed back to health. Is such a car worth nearly $5,000? If this were a 4-4-2, the answer would probably be yes, but if top dollar were to be, say $20,000, would you be able to restore the car and have equity when you got done?