When an owner claims that their classic car could be 1-of-1, it is likely to open a can of worms. That is the situation with this 1972 Oldsmobile 442, so getting our reader’s opinions on this classic will be interesting. It’s a complete car that needs a new owner who is willing and able to return it to its former glory. It has generated relatively light interest since the owner listed it for sale here on eBay. However, I would expect that things may heat up as the auction draws to its conclusion. The 442 is located in Willoughby, Ohio, and while the subdued bidding has raised the price to $3,483, this figure remains short of the reserve.
There’s a bit to unpack with this Olds, and the buyer will be facing some work with a grinder and welder before they can apply a fresh coat of its original Nutmeg paint. Rust has managed to sink its teeth into the lower front fenders, lower rear quarter panels, and the bottom edge of the trunk lid. The fenders and quarters should be straightforward repairs utilizing patches, but the buyer may find it easier to source a replacement trunk lid. The doors and rockers look good, and there’s no evidence of any nasties emerging from around the back window. The supplied photos show the frame to wear a heavy coating of surface corrosion, although it appears to be structurally sound. The floors have developed a few holes, but only an in-person inspection will confirm whether the owner’s claim that these could be addressed with patches is accurate. The buyer will need to source a replacement rear bumper and a couple of hubcaps, but the remaining trim is acceptable if the project’s aim is to produce a driver-quality restoration. The original owner ordered the car with tinted glass, and this seems to be flawless.
Oldsmobile’s original aim with the 442 had been to produce a “gentleman’s” muscle car. It combined impressive performance with plenty of luxury touches. By 1972, the story was very different. The buying public had largely turned their backs on muscle cars, and the 442 improvements were largely cosmetic. It still included suspension upgrades, but if you had told potential buyers from the glory days that they would eventually be able to purchase a 442 with a 350ci V8 that produced 160hp, most wouldn’t have believed you. That’s what we find under the hood of this Olds, while the rest of the package includes a three-speed automatic transmission, power steering, and power drum brakes. Performance figures are all that you might expect from a package of this type. The journey down the ¼ mile would take a relatively sedate 17.4 seconds. The sub-14-second times of a mere four years earlier must have seemed like a distant memory for many potential buyers. However, it was indicative of the level of performance drop that buyers came to expect in cars of this era. The owner says that this 442 has been in storage since the 1970s, but it appears that he has gone some way towards reviving it. He says that it runs and drives but doesn’t indicate whether it is mechanically roadworthy. From a positive perspective, if the car has any needs, parts are readily available and are pretty affordable. That could mean that the Olds could be gracing our roads once again without costing its next owner a fortune.
When we turn our attention to this classic’s interior, we find another area of the car that would benefit from plenty of TLC. It is also an area that may assist in cementing its status as the genuinely unique vehicle that the owner claims. The mechanical configuration suggests that the original owner might have been on a tight budget when they ordered the car. However, the interior suggests that the truth may have been that their goal was to buy a car focused more on comfort than performance. That would explain why they ticked the boxes on the Order Form to equip the vehicle with the optional bucket seats, console with dual-gate shifter, the AM/FM radio, and air conditioning. When combined with the drivetrain configuration, it is unusual. Whether it justifies a 1-of-1 tag is something that potential buyers may have to research to confirm. The interior generally looks tired, but I would be inclined to perform a deep clean before compiling a shopping list of required parts. The carpet is a no-brainer, but there’s no way of knowing what is hiding under the slipcovers. The console has some wear but looks fit for restoration, while some of the faux-woodgrain and plastic pieces have deteriorated to the point where replacement would be the only viable option. The A/C kicks in, but there is no indication whether it blows cold. Given how long the car has been in storage, I would expect a service and recharge to be on the agenda. Otherwise, the dash and door trims look good, and if the buyer has some luck finding some of the required parts through online auction sites, whipping the rest into shape may not cost a lot of money.
As I said initially, suggesting that a car may be 1-of-1 is a bold move, and there’s always a chance that a knowledgeable person can shoot the claim down in flames. Before I commenced writing this article, I performed my own research. I could not locate any information that confirmed the claim, but I also couldn’t find any to deny it. However, that also represents a single person undertaking the investigation. I know that we have an enormous pool of readers and that some of them may have significant experience with the Oldsmobile 442. If you are one of those people, I would be interested in hearing your opinion on this vehicle. Do you believe it is unique, and do you feel it is a classic that tempts you enough to submit a bid?
This has to be the most pathetic 442 I have ever seen.
They got worse after this, believe it or not. The 78-80 cars were probably the worst.
@ Scott C Williams…..but as well, the unrivaled success that Olds had w/their middle-to-late B-body, is what propelled Oldsmobile into its unprecedented 3rd place in total sales!
I like the 442’s, maybe the W-31 350 Cutlass a little better, but this is all about a badge. Those kind of performance figures are not fitting of a 442.
Interior looks fairly decent, those wheels and tires need to go bye bye.
Wow…… a 321 with a Hurst shifter. Yea, I can’t say I’ve ever seen that before but the rest of the car certainly doesn’t make that fact exciting. Makes me wonder what you even received ordering 442 package in 72(?!) There is no performance mechanical upgrade anywhere on this car to make it any different from the tens of thousands of cutlasses ordered the same way? And OK geezer cruiser here, not a muscle car…….
Not a 442, says cutlass on the glove compartment, missing the 442 bumper with the cut outs for dual exhaust
The 1972 cars did NOT have a 442 emblem on the glovebox. Since the the 442 package was demoted to an option that year, the cars got the glovebox emblem from the model of the particular car (Cutlass or Supreme if it was a convertible). And as I’ve noted here previously, the small block cars did NOT get the cutout bumper. Of course, the first thing all of us did when we got a 1972 car is to run to the dealer parts counter and order a 1971 442 glovebox emblem. The second thing we did was score a notched bumper from a wrecking yard.
Elephants are invading Wichita…
“I could not locate any information that confirmed the claim, but I also couldn’t find any to deny it”
Sometimes things are rare because nobody wanted them in the first place.
I am also unable to locate any information to confirm I was once a handsome young stud back in the 1970’s. You will just have to take my word for it.
Actually it is 1 of about 1,000,000 clapped out cars that are worth about one-half (At best) of what the delusional seller thinks it is worth.
Ok I get that it was special ordered but how in the world is it even a 442 with a 2 barrel carb, automatic transmission, and single exhaust. For real its just and old cutlass with some numbers on the side. I am sure it is rare though, its a 442 with NONE of the features that make it a 442.
What people who didn’t grow up in the 60’s and 70’s don’t realize is that this is typical of a lot of early muscle cars. While earlier 442’s, Chevelle SS’s, Road Runners, etc originally came with engines in the 383 to 400 range, by 1970, 340’s and 350’s were becoming standard in these cars. Ford’s Torino GT had come with a 2bbl 302 since 68. Also, rarely did any of the muscle cars come standard with bucket seats, console, rally wheels, etc. There were a lot of GTO’s, Road Runners, etc with bench seats. A friend of mine had a 68 Chevelle SS with a 396/325, bench seat, column shift Powerglide, white walls, and SS full wheel covers. In 68 my mother came close to buying a GTO with a bench seat, column shift auto, full wheel covers, red lines and a 2bbl 400 (unfortunately she decided on a 350 2bbl 2 door 68 LeMans instead).
By 1972 the 442 was no longer a separate model, but instead was being sold as a option package on the base Cutlass, the Cutless S and the Cutless Supreme. I think the 350 4bbl was standard on the Supreme, with the 2bbl 350 was standard on the lesser Cutlasses. The package was sold as the “442 Appearance and Handling Package”, and included hood and body side stripes, hood grills, 442 emblems, “Rallye Suspension” and a 442 specific grill.
I’m not sure what the seller thinks makes this car 1 of 1. I think the Hurst Dual Gate was included on the 442 when a console and automatic were ordered, at least on the upper trim S and Supreme models.
Very accurate GB, My nieces husband orderded a 67 Chevell SS with a 6 in it, buckets consol and all..
Well Dom, it wasn’t an SS if it had a 6 cylinder in it. But, at least the Chevelle part is believable. The base model SS came standard with a 327/325…
…but, thanks for the cool story bro!
The Hurst Dual-Gate was not standard. A column shift was, even with buckets. A console got you a console-mounted shifter. The Dual-Gate was another option on top of that. The console was required, obviously, if you ordered the Dual-Gate.
Some things are rare for a reason…
The VIN H 350 2bbl single exhaust was rated at 160 HP net. Of course, this car will get a repro W25 hood, repro red inner fenders, and a repro wing just like every other 1970-72 car out there. I’m not sure which is worse.
From the long shots it looks decent but when you zoom in this car has a ton of rust.. I would worry that the frame has serious rust. This car is not that desireable the color especially.. We can all tell needs alot of work.
Sorry, but Olds did not offer the smaller motor in the 442 until the 1972 model year. Other than the 330 in the first year (1964) cars, the only engine available in a 442 was the 400 (1965-69) or 455 (1970-71). Starting in the 1972 model year, the 442 got demoted from a stand-alone model line with a unique VIN to a “handling and appearance package” available on one of four two door Cutlass models that year. That RPO W29 package included sway bars, springs, shocks, and the emblems and grilles. Any engine otherwise available in the Cutlass line could be ordered – including the pathetic VIN H 350 2bbl single exhaust motor.
Yes good observations. This was the 1st year of the milquetoast 442 we would come to know and not so much love during the rest of the 1970s. Buick had been doing small engine versions of the GS400 for awhile with the GS340/350, and Chevy came out with the Chevelle SS350 the year prior. It was a trend, and Mopar and Ford were doing it too. Big motor muscle car sales were declining rapidly at this point.
This is just a workaday 350 2-bbl Cutlass S with a trim package and some handling bits you probably could have ordered separately. By 1976, you could even get a (G)utlass 442 with the 260 V-8.
No one of one. Thousands of cars came out in 72 with bucket seats and dual gate shifter. I had 72 Supreme with bucket seats and dual gate. Not even a 442. Definitely a budget 442.
A mathematician/statistician could compute the all the possible permutations based one the number of options available. 1 of 1 or 1 of how many? Who cares? I see this like most of you, that it is a matter of popularity, not rarity. It’s like voting for Homecoming Queen, this one got a single vote. Not much of a selling point.
Another way to look at it, it’s like baseball stats, put in enough categories and you could be the leader. Lowest era of a switch hitting left handed pitcher born on a Tuesday, who a attended a Catholic high sigh school with an enrollment of less than 400.
Sad
Can’t prove or disprove if it is one of one, as records for Oldsmobiles of this era don’t exist. But, it ain’t one of one, because I have seen a couple configured this way.
Had a friend who bolted a front clip of a 72 onto a 69……body lines didn’t match up but hey, it drove fine🤣🤣
Rear Bumper? Cutouts for exhaust………………….
Only big block cars got the cutout bumper. The 350 cars did not. Heck, the W31 cars didn’t even get the cutout bumper in prior years.
My buddy’s Dad had a ’68 442 Convertible 400, 4brl , dual exhaust, light metallic blue, white top. black bench seat column shift automatic, steel wheels with hubcaps. Drum Brakes all around, that the car was too fast for, but was still a nice car. So Besides being a boring color, and down 50 cubic inches, the subject car will make someone a nice driver that they don’t have to worry about, or Imagine building the 442 of your dreams, and it’s not even a clone!
One on One,,,, Rare,,, I doubt it. rare doesn’t mean desirable.
How awful it is have weak down 350 v8 only 160 hp thats fake 442 Oldsmobile where is big block post have
That is an S body, the 442 had the supreme body’s
Sorry, Ken. Not even close. The notchback Supreme was NEVER used with the 442 package. The only Supreme that ever got the 442 emblems was the convertible (since all 1970-72 Olds A-body convertibles were the Supreme body).
And FYI, here is the factory advertisement that clearly shows which body styles could be ordered with the W29 442 package for the 1972 model year.
http://www.classiccarstodayonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Oldsmobile-1972-Cutlass-ad-a1-724×1024.jpg
I have a 1970 455 HP premium fuel only out of an Olds 98 and a TH400 trans that would work well in that car. My cousin had a 69 442 with the 400 engine, 4 speed, buckets, center console and loaded with all the options that I have driven. Loved the car. Closest I ever owned was a 68 Cutlass-S with the 350 engine.