Buddy Holt's Cutlass Supreme Hardtop
Owner: Buddy Holt - Ordered this car new in 1972. Car is now MIA and was rumored to have been totaled in 1973.
Contact: midasgreenville@vol.com
VIN:
Color: Code 36 Radiant Green with white pinstripes
Top: Code 36 Radiant Green (no vinyl top)
Interior: White A51 buckets and console
Original 455: Yes
Original M20: Yes
A/C: No
Brakes: Power front disc
HD (FE2) suspension: Yes
Rallye Pac: Yes
Other factory-installed options: AM/FM
Stereo, 8 track, Radiant Green SSIIIs with raised white letters, No PW, PDL or
tilt.
Documentation:
Modifications: None
Added to registry: June 2009
History: Sold in 1973 to a kid in Newport, NC and rumored to be totaled shortly after that.
I contacted Buddy in December 2008 after he sent a comment to the seller of a V Code ragtop on Ebay stating that he had purchased a V Code Supreme hardtop new. His comment and an answer were posted in the auction Q&As, so I sent Buddy an email. In Buddy's own words:
"Thanks for the shout, Terry! Unfortunately, my car was sold long ago...like 1973 to some kid in Newport, NC. Have no idea what ever happened to it, but rumor was that he totalled it shortly afterward. It was a beauty, though! It was color code 36-36, Radiant Green, with no vinyl top and white bucket seats with white pin stripes. It was optioned with the M20 4 speed, AM/FM Stereo with separate under dash 8 Track (this was the last year of that option as the 73+ cars had the tape player built in the radio dash unit), SSII color coded wheels and white letter tires, dual exhaust, FE2 & Rocket Rallye Pac. I had originally ordered the car thinking I was going to be able to get a W25 hood on it, but we both now know better. My two most vivid memories of the car were 1) when it had about 3,000 miles on it (just before Christmas, 1971), I t-boned an old lady in a Plymouth Savoy wagon who pulled out in front of me; 2) I backed up in a parking lot one day and stuffed the tailpipes up under the rear bumper when I backed over an elevated curbing. Shortly thereafter, I noticed that both of the lower tail light lenses were melting and literally running down the rear bumper! I just didn't know how to appreciate a future classic back then!"
"... the car did have a console, but no PW, PDL, Tilt or other sissy options! I recall that when I ordered the car, my dad erroneously thought that you could get the 442 option on the J57 as well as the G37, J67, etc. Remember, this was the year that the 4400 series was dropped and the W29 option added. As a result, I "ordered" a J57 hardtop coupe with the W29 option and a W25 hood thinking it would have the notched bumper & trumpet tailpipes; however, when it came in, it was, of course, an L75, 4 speed J57 hardtop coupe with no such 442 options on it. Often wondered if any of the other [76 V Code Supreme hardtop owners] made the same ordering mistake back then! I was sick at first, but the car really grew on me! From '69 to '75 I drove nothing but 442's and Hurst Olds and this was the only notchback car I ever had; didn't even have a convertible!"