Difference Between 76 Cutlass "supreme" And 76 Cutlass "s"

[THAT_76_CUTLASS]

I'm curious...

Is there a difference between the 76 Cutlass "Supreme" and the Cutlass "S"? If so, how do I tell the difference?

I have a 76 Cutlass and it says "S" on the door panels and on some of the sticker/badging on the glove box door and under the hood.

If anybody can help, I would really appreciate it. Thank you.

(Even though I'm restoring it and it's in pieces right now, if you go to "76oldscutlass.blogspot.com" you will find pictures of my cutlass before I started on it.)

-Todd
(858)568-5032

[damaged442]

From your pictures, it's apparent you have a Cutlass S, not a Supreme Brougham. It's a Y-76 regional car too with the chrome mirrors, roof band and gray wheels. The Supreme would have a steeper back window or more of a "notchback" design. The S has more of a "fastback" design. I don't really like using terminology like that, but I guess it's most easily explained that way. If you look at some of the cars in the 73-77 registry, you'll start to see what I mean. I could continue by saying that the Supreme has smaller rear side opera windows and the S has larger triangular ones. Yours has the larger triangular ones, but they're partially covered in vinyl. Hope this doesn't confuse you too badly. I'm sure others will chime in soon enough. Good luck with your restoration.

[THAT_76_CUTLASS]

Thanks Damaged442. Maybe you can help me with my next question? What the heck is the difference in value? When I try to search for the difference, I turn up nothing!

Thanks
TNT

[Stocker]

Your car has a '77 S header panel with Supreme grilles in it. I can't remember what the Y76 option did to the front end in '76... but I'm almost positive that's '77 parts on your car. :confused:

[THAT_76_CUTLASS]

Stocker,

Do you mean just "S" fenders? Because this car is completely original. I am the technical 2nd owner and I am the only one who has ever done any type of work to it. Also, I have all of the paper work to back up that it is actually a 76. But what exactly are you trying to say?

Thanks
TNT

[damaged442]

Thanks Damaged442. Maybe you can help me with my next question? What the heck is the difference in value? When I try to search for the difference, I turn up nothing!

Thanks
TNT

There won't be that much difference in value. I don't know if you'll ever get out of these cars what we put into them. The S was a less expensive car to begin with in comparison to the Supreme. As far as the Y-76 option is concerned, it was basically a dealer promotion based on geographic region. The car got the different trim I mentioned above, and for 1976 gave the front end that you have. ZolaV8, on this site, has the best breakdown of what the Y-76 was. I think we decided that a regular 1976 Cutlass S had a "sloped" header panel, that you would find on the 76 and 77 442. The Y-76 gave it the "waterfall" header panel that you have. There are others that can correct me if I'm wrong. As far as I can see, you have one hell of a neat project on your hands.

[THAT_76_CUTLASS]

WOW! That's as lot of information to take in. Thank you damaged442. I really appreciate this. And I really appreciate you telling me that I have a neat project. I really enjoy this car. It drives like a Cadilac.

Do you know of a certain website that I can go to, to do a breakdown of the numbers on this car? (Ie: Vin#, Block#, door jam tag, etc.)

Also, where is a good site to go to, to do a classic car value check? I can do the guess work on how much to sell this car after it's done but I want to get the general value of this car first.

Thank you again for all of your help.

[smblkolds]

^ True. What damaged said. I've got the "Centennial". It's a stripper, bench seat, crank windows etc. But usually the stripped down versions are lighter so that is better for power to weight ratio. Besides, I feel better when I Bastardize it with different rear, tranny and engine combo knowing I'm not messing with a 442 or Hurst model.

[mrblackwell17]

Here is a picture of the header (nose) of my dad's 76 Cutlass 'Edge' Y76 model from Montana.

I like this header better than the Supreme version. Looks cleaner to me.

Also, every 1976 Cutlass with the Y76 option I have seen did not have the metal/aluminum roof band that is commonly seen on the 77's. My dad's did have the argent silver windows and the chrome sport mirrors. I've been trying to get him to dig out his paperwork from when he purchased it new to see if there is any documentation mentioning the Y76 package, but he doesn't seem to think its that important.

Oh, and yes, that's me standing in front of it. Picture is dated 1979.

Hope some of this helps!

Scott

[Stocker]

Stocker,

Do you mean just "S" fenders? Because this car is completely original. I am the technical 2nd owner and I am the only one who has ever done any type of work to it. Also, I have all of the paper work to back up that it is actually a 76. But what exactly are you trying to say?

Thanks
TNT

Hmm...
The car in the picture Scott posted has the same header panel as the '77 S, so I can only guess that Oldsmobile introduced that header on '76 Y76 cars and it was so well-liked that they made it standard for '77? I tried to find the information before but I couldn't.

But the grilles on your car are definitely the '77 Supreme type. Maybe they were stock?

I ought to start putting together a spotter's guide of some sort for times like this.

[damaged442]

WOW! That's as lot of information to take in. Thank you damaged442. I really appreciate this. And I really appreciate you telling me that I have a neat project. I really enjoy this car. It drives like a Cadilac.

Do you know of a certain website that I can go to, to do a breakdown of the numbers on this car? (Ie: Vin#, Block#, door jam tag, etc.)

Also, where is a good site to go to, to do a classic car value check? I can do the guess work on how much to sell this car after it's done but I want to get the general value of this car first.

Thank you again for all of your help.

I'd say throw your numbers up here and we can do our best to dissect them. I'd say most of us here can tell you what the VIN breakdown is without even looking it up at this point. We will, however, be the first to tell you that we don't know EVERYTHING. What's good about this group is that what one might not know, another will pick up where they leave off.

As far as a value check, it's hard to say. I'd like to think my cars are worth more than they are. I'm sure everyone here would think similarly. They're both worth more in pieces, that's for sure. Your car, being a regional car, is more rare than a regular Cutlass S. According to the info I've got, there were 59,179 Cutlass S G37 2 doors built in 1976. Can anyone else chime in with an estimate of Y-76 cars? I've gone to nada.com and checked there, but it's hard to say what your car is/will be worth. I think it's cool that you think it's worth restoring and keeping on the road. Basically, with these cars, they're worth what someone will give you for it. Recently, someone here scored a sweet 76 442 with a 455 for less than a grand. We think that was a great score. What is the car worth fully restored? Tough to say. Only time will tell. The 73-77s don't win any popularity contests against the 68-72s, well except with us, but we're biased!

[mrblackwell17]

Regarding Y76 numbers, all I can add is about my dad's. It was a regional model from Montana, and they called it the 'Edge'

There were 200 'Edge' models in 1976 in two available color combinations. 100 made of each combination. When my dad bought his, there was one of each on the lot. He chose the one with the black stripe and interior, with white top. I guess having a 5 year old at the time made him stay away from the white interior.

Both cars were silver.

One was silver with a black stripe and black interior. This version had a white 1/2 vinyl top.

The second was silver with a white stripe and white interior. This version had a black 1/2 vinyl top.

Both had the Y76 option specific argent wheels and chrome sport mirrors. As far as I know the metal/aluminum band across the top was specific to 1977 Y76 models, but not standard on all of them. I also believe, but have no concrete proof, that all Y76 models had the wider, 'stacked' tailight as opposed to the skinnier version on most supremes. I have acquired some photo's from my research on the Y76 model, because, for some reason it has fascinated me. Most of these have come from what I have seen for sale on ebay and other car sites.

If anyone would like to see some of these pictures, let me know and I can post them.

So far, I have come across these versions: Edge, Dakotan, Silver Bullet, Starburst, MOD, GMO, W-19, and a Pennsylvania version that I don't know the name of.

Hope this information helps in some way or form.

Scott

[ragz442]

Here's the link to Zola's page on the Y76's, alot of good info:

http://v8cars.hu/cutlass/stuff.php?page=y76

[damaged442]

But the grilles on your car are definitely the '77 Supreme type. Maybe they were stock?

I ought to start putting together a spotter's guide of some sort for times like this.

Now you got me thinking. I think those grilles are different from the 77s. Here are my grilles on my 77 Supreme. The ones from 76 seem to have a different pattern/number of dividers/whatever the hell you want to call them. Interesting. Maybe too many beers. Southern Tier Old Man winter ale tonight! :D :D :eek:

498

[texxas8902]

Do you know of a certain website that I can go to, to do a breakdown of the numbers on this car? (Ie: Vin#, Block#, door jam tag, etc.)



There is a link on the registry
http://v8cars.hu/73-77cutlassregistry/
for the
OldsVIN - Postwar Oldsmobile VIN decoder
http://v8cars.hu/oldsvin

I can't believe someone didn't tell you this sooner.:eek:
and please go register your car.:D

[76Supreme455]

Regarding Y76 numbers, all I can add is about my dad's. It was a regional model from Montana, and they called it the 'Edge'

There were 200 'Edge' models in 1976 in two available color combinations. 100 made of each combination. When my dad bought his, there was one of each on the lot. He chose the one with the black stripe and interior, with white top. I guess having a 5 year old at the time made him stay away from the white interior.

Both cars were silver.

One was silver with a black stripe and black interior. This version had a white 1/2 vinyl top.

The second was silver with a white stripe and white interior. This version had a black 1/2 vinyl top.

Both had the Y76 option specific argent wheels and chrome sport mirrors. As far as I know the metal/aluminum band across the top was specific to 1977 Y76 models, but not standard on all of them. I also believe, but have no concrete proof, that all Y76 models had the wider, 'stacked' tailight as opposed to the skinnier version on most supremes. I have acquired some photo's from my research on the Y76 model, because, for some reason it has fascinated me. Most of these have come from what I have seen for sale on ebay and other car sites.

If anyone would like to see some of these pictures, let me know and I can post them.

So far, I have come across these versions: Edge, Dakotan, Silver Bullet, Starburst, MOD, GMO, W-19, and a Pennsylvania version that I don't know the name of.

Hope this information helps in some way or form.

Scott

Here is an original newspaper ad from the Nashville Tennessean for the 76 Y76model called the Tenn/SE....check out the front grille..the other picture is a 1977 ad for the same car. I think all the Y76 cars had the same grille as the 77 Cutlass "S':)

[THAT_76_CUTLASS]

Do any of you know where online I can go to do a breakdown of the numbers off of the screwed in tag that's located on the cowl (firewall)? That tag has a lot of numbers and I would love to find out what each one of them means. Thank you in advance. Here's a picture of it.

[texxas8902]

Do any of you know where online I can go to do a breakdown of the numbers off of the screwed in tag that's located on the cowl (firewall)? That tag has a lot of numbers and I would love to find out what each one of them means. Thank you in advance. Here's a picture of it.

Where can you go? You're already here. I'd bet you can get it deciphered right on this very site. I know there are members who practically have this stuff memorized. Not me... OTHER members.:D

[gabes455olds]

Scott, don't forget the SGX II.

514

[mrblackwell17]

Gabe,
Do you have a full size picture of that car or know what area of the country it is from?

Thanks

Scott

[gabes455olds]

I found it on ebay when I was thinking of buying it a few months back.:cool: 515

[gabes455olds]

I mean SGX II Custom Built Regional Car

[ragz442]

Do any of you know where online I can go to do a breakdown of the numbers off of the screwed in tag that's located on the cowl (firewall)? That tag has a lot of numbers and I would love to find out what each one of them means. Thank you in advance. Here's a picture of it.


I'll give it a shot:

ST76 1976 - 3 [Olds Division] A [body type] G [Cutlass S] 37 [hardtop Coupe]
LAN [Lansing MI Assembly plant] 500705 [plant no.]
TR [trim] 26D [blue] 28 [lt. blue metallic/exterior] 11U [white/upper]
04C [build date] A52 [cloth bench] CB4 [landua roof] 26X [related to blue trim?] B84 [body side moldings]

Still haven't figured out exactly what the ##X is, I think we've determined it's related to the trim code and possibly compacticolor, but not sure. This info is not cast in stone, just what I could decipher.

[Stocker]

That looks right.

26D is dark blue interior with cloth/vinyl seats, 11T is a white vinyl top, and the build date of 04C means the body was built the third week of April.

[THAT_76_CUTLASS]

Stocker,

Are you positive that 11T means white vinyl top? The reason why I ask is because every number that's on this tag is matching the car except my Cutlass has a Black top. So, do you know how I can find out exactly what color top this thing had in 76?

ragz442,

When you say "TR [trim] 26D [blue]", what trim would be blue? I can't think of what trim would be a different color than the car.

Thank you guys again.

[ragz442]

I'm pretty sure it refers to the interior color. From your cowl tag I'd say it came from the factory with light blue metallic paint, white landau vinyl top and a blue cloth bench seat interior. Other than the vinyl top color, does everything else jive? Someone probably put a new top on at one point and went with black. My '76 Supreme has the same 11T code and it had a white landua top from the factory, I changed it to black.