1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass

The 1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass was a very versatile vehicle with many different engine choices, option packages, and body styles to select from. The wheelbase for the 1977 Cutlass Coupe measured 112 inches while the Sedan and Wagon measured 116 inches. For 1978, the wheelbase now measured 108.1 inches. The fuel tank also became smaller, now accepting 17.5 gallons in most body styles and 18.2 gallons on the wagons. The Cutlass was available in eight different models consisting of the Salon, Salon Brougham, Supreme, Cruiser, Supreme Brougham, and Supreme Calais. Body styles included a coupe, sedan, and station wagon. The standard engine was a 231 cubic-inch V6 with two-barrel carburetors. A three-speed manual shift was standard; wagons came standard with an automatic gearbox. Optional engines included a 260 and 305 cubic-inch V8.

The Cutlass models had different styling, especially in the front grille. All models had single rectangular headlamps with clear vertical park and turn lamps enclosed in the same housing. Inside, was a restyled instrument panel and the headlamp dimmer was now part of the turn signal lever.

Coupe body styles had frameless door glass while the sedans had door frames with bright window frame scalp moldings. In the back were square taillamps with integrated backup lamps located in the lower section. The Cutlass Salon had a four-section egg-crate grille enclosed in bright moldings. The Salon Brougham models had an eight-section upright vertical egg-crate grille. The 4-4-2 appearance and handling package (available on Salon and Salon Brougham coupes) had a blacked-out grille. Supreme models had a vertical six-element grille that wrapped over the front end panel. On each side of the center divider were vertical bars split into three sections. Supreme Brougham models had a similar front end design as the Supreme, but with a Brougham name on brushed chrome background. The Cutlass Calais was built on a Supreme body but were given their own unique grille that had a wrapover vertical egg-crate-style design. They also had a stand-up hood ornament. The Cutlass Cruiser was given the same front-end appearance as the Salon Brougham.

The Cutlass Salon models rode on chrome wheels and P185/75R14 glass-belted radial tires. The Salon Brougham had P195/75R14 tires and the Supreme and Calais had P195/75R14 steel-belted radials.

The 4-4-2 models had a wide '4-4-2' stripe that ran along the lower sides and decklid bottom.

The Cutlass Supreme Coupe was the most popular body style in the Cutlass lineup, with 240,917 examples produced. The Cutlass Supreme Brougham Coupe was also very popular, with 117,880 examples produced. 44,617 examples of the 4-door, 6-passenger were built, along with 40,842 Calais Coupe models.

by Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2014