09/03/2025
Special-Order Paint or One-of-None? 1972 Olds Cutlass Flexes Strange Color
Produced for over two decades, the Cutlass is one of Oldsmobile's longest-running nameplates. However, it's nowhere near as iconic as the 442, 88, and 98. Unless it's a potent example from the golden muscle car era, a Cutlass doesn't get much attention. This 1972 Supreme convertible, on the other hand, is an intriguing sight.
Spotted at the Fleet Farm Car Show in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, this Cutlass looks like it just rolled off the assembly line over 50 years ago. The exterior looks perfect from every angle, while the interior is flawless except for a bit of seat wear. It's unclear how original it is, but it's a museum-grade gem visually.
What's the intriguing part? Well, the very light pink color wasn't an official Cutlass hue in 1972. The midsize car was available in 15 paints. The palette included nine hues shared with other Oldsmobile models and six colors that were exclusive to midsize rigs. Pink wasn't among them. Moreover, no hue came close to it.
Could it be a special-order color, then? Well, it's definitely possible. However, special-order paints were usually shared with other automobiles. I've done a bit of digging, and the 1972 Cutlass could have been ordered in six colors from the full-size Olds lineup. The list includes Royal Blue, Ebony Black, Antique Pewter, Sovereign Gold, Saddle Tan, and Nutmeg. Again, no sign of pink. I can't completely rule out a scenario where a customer might have persuaded Oldsmobile (or a dealership) to paint a Cutlass pink, but it seems unlikely. The lack of paperwork doesn't help either. So, I'm going with a one-of-none color. The current owner most likely opted to repaint the Cutlass pink during a recent restoration.
While unusual on a 1972 model, pink found its way into the Oldsmobile color palette in the 1950s. In 1955, the company offered a very light shade of pink called Shell Beige. It was usually paired with Coral. The following year, Olds introduced Rose Mist, a darker and metallic pink. It also offered Island Coral in 1956.
The 1957 palette included no fewer than three pink-like hues: Rose Mist, Sunset Glow, and Desert Glow. The latter returned in 1958 with a slightly different hue, joined by more purple-ish colors like Mountain Haze and Heather. Pink disappeared from the Oldsmobile palette in 1959 and didn't return until 1963 when the company offered a metallic hue called Antique Rose.
Assuming this 1972 Cutlass is some sort of tribute to a color from the past, I'd say it's very similar to Shell Beige and Desert Glow. Whichever it may be, it looks fantastic with the white interior. The latter is correct for the 1972 model year.
Much like the color, the drivetrain is a mystery. The Cutlass came standard with a 350-cubic-inch (5.7-liter) Rocket V8 in 1972. The unit was rated at 160, 180, or 200 horsepower. A 455-cubic-inch (7.4-liter) V8 with 250 or 270 horsepower was optional. Oldsmobile sold 11,571 Cutlass Supreme Convertibles in 1972.