Of the 886 1980 Oldsmobile 442 W-30’s built only 346 were the gold over white version. For the enthusiast looking for the harder to find color combination that needs some attention this one might be worth considering. Found here on Craigslist in Haysville, Kansas the $2,500 asking price doesn’t seem out of line.
It seems that most of the GM G-bodies from this era are hard to find in their original condition. I’d be curious to know what percentage of these cars ended up in the crusher, were turned into circle burners, or have been highly modified. Finding one in original condition is hard, but even harder when they are a more unique car like this W-30.
The seller states that the car only has 96k miles. A potential buyer might be more interested knowing that the deal includes extra parts and the original wheels with newer tires. The extra literature is also a nice added bonus from an originality aspect.
The listing states that the car runs and drives, but that it has been sitting. It would certainly need some attention to make sure it is in good driving order and it could use a repaint. It’s a little hard to know the full condition of the interior with pictures through the glass, but it appears to be all there. So, is the $2,500 asking price fair for a 1 of 346 442 W-30 in this condition?
Sooo, what exactly did one get with the W/30 package in 1980? Not gonna riddle it up with negative remarks, but it has zero in common with the radical cammed blue printed specimen from the muscle car wars. Of course the days of finding those rare machines for 2500 dollars are long gone.
straight outta wikipedia………
in 1980 if you checked the w-30 option you would have paid an additional $1,255.12 and received the following:
Gold Accent Paint Scheme (Y71), Painted Grille Face, Applique Pillar Molding, Aluminum Sport Wheels, “W-30” Decals on Front Fender, Tail Lamp Bezel and Rear Window Molding to Match Body Color, “442” Emblem on Sail Panel and Deck Lid, Engine 5.7 Liter (350 CID) V8, 4-bbl (L34), Sport Console (D55), Rallye Suspension Package (FE2), Tires P205/70R14 Steel Belted Radial Ply Blackwall with Raised White Letters (QFV) and Digital Clock (UE8). The W-30 4-4-2 option was not available in California.
the 350 v8 was not available on other cutlass models that year.
Correct me if I am wrong ,but those are ’78 tail lights
Four headlight front end is correct for a1980
dual vertical bars is correct for 1980.
Front end and tail lights are correct for a 1980. I owned a 1980 Brougham model, my first new car, and worked at an Oldsmobile dealer at the time.
I don’t believe Olds offered a 442 package in 1980
I worked for Belgrave Oldsmobile in Great Neck N.Y. in 1980 . We actually delivered 2 of these cars in May of 1980 , every tech in the shop took “test drives “and I remember getting a chirp on the 1-2 shift . None of us could believe a car from the factory would be set up to shift so hard.
They offered it. As the article says, it’s very rare. My understanding was that they are essentially 1979 H/Os with different badges and the 1980 front end. Even the colors are the same – black/gold or white/gold. Maybe there were some leftover parts from ’79 so they made this model to use them up?
I lived in California at the time that why I never saw or heard of it
You could have lived in Lansing and never saw or heard of it. They didn’t advertise it and they only built a handful.
If you look at the ’80 Olds brochures on oldcarbrochures.com, I believe there’s just a tiny little reference somewhere in one of them. Certainly no photo. As I said, it must have been a way just to dump off some leftover parts.
I cannot believe that listing is still up. Unless it is eaten up with rust underneath, I cannot see how that is not a great buy just based on being a 442 with the “W-30” option regardless of having any legitimate muscle under the hood.
I don’t think those are the correct taillights. My 1980 Cutlass Supreme (purchased new) had a body colored trim piece between the bars of the taillights on each side.
The car looks a bit rough, but a little bit of effort might payoff huge dividends.
I like it and agree it’s a great car!
I had. 78 cutlass with the v6 and drove for 140k then sold it and it ran great for. Base model.
This looks like a great deal !
Those are definitely 78 taillights. 80 did not have the rocket insignia. 78 was the only year with the insignia. Have owned numerous 78-80 cuttys.
Back in 1979 I was 8 years old and a friend of my cousin’s parents bought him a brand new Black/Gold 1979 Hurst Olds. I got a ride in it and it was “fast”. I fell in love with that car. The next year a neighbor bought a 442 exactly like this one. I thought those four headlights where ugly back then and I still do. 10 years later I ended up buying a 1983 Cutlass Salon because I couldn’t find a Hurst I could afford. If I could find a clean 83 Salon I would buy it in a heart beat.
OK,,,If it’s a ’78-81 it’s an A body,,I love my barn find daily mail, so help me out and quit calling a Trans am with “6.6 litre” a 400 and ’78-81 Cutlass,Regal,Monte Carlo a G body.lol..rant over
Someone did change the tail lights on this one, the ’80 has a colored strip down the middle, black or white depending on the color, it looks legit I couldn’t read the VIN on the broadcast sheet but if it doesn’t start out 3K47RAM than it’s not a ’80 442. I have one of these cars, mine is White/Gold like this one. it’s one of 346 in that color, the rest were black/gold. They made a total of 886 in ’80. something of interest on these cars, I have a small registry of them going back 15 years, most of them were shipped and sold new in Canada. Mine was special ordered by a Oldsmobile salesman at Lokey Motors in Clearwater, Florida to use as his personal car
I have a White one now. Who has the registry on these cars?
Chris how would I go about finding the registry. Im looking at buying one just like this one. I have 2 cutlasses now a 1980 and 1985
There use to be a registry on yahoo .. but it’s probably long gone, It was probably about 10 years ago .I have a few that I personally kept.. let me know if you want to start another registry of these. I’ll be interested as well