The 1987 model year marked the end of the line for the rear-wheel-drive Oldsmobile 442. The badge would later be revived in a front-wheel-drive version, but this never captured enthusiasts’ hearts in the same way that its predecessors had. This 442 is an original survivor, and it is a spotless looking vehicle. It has a genuine 31,000 miles showing on its odometer and seems to be ready to be driven and enjoyed. Located in Palm Beach, Florida, you will find the Olds listed for sale here on Craigslist. If you hand the owner $12,000, you could be parking this classic in your driveway. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder Pat L for spotting the 442 for us.
The 442 is finished in its stunning original combination of Metallic Burgundy and Metallic Silver. I find this to be the nicest combination available in this model year because it imparts a stylish look to the Olds. The paint shines beautifully, and the panels appear to be laser straight. There is no evidence of rust, and the owner makes no mention of any issues in the listing. The original 15″ chrome-steel wheels are flawless, while the same appears to be true of the plastic trim and glass. Oldsmobile built approximately 4,208 examples of the 442 in 1987, but this is 1-of-1,111 that featured the glass T-Top. The panels look to be in excellent condition, while the lack of any water damage inside the car indicates that the seals are in good order.
The photos that the owner supplies are pretty limited, and it is hard to paint an accurate picture of every aspect of this classic. The interior is trimmed in Burgundy to match the exterior, with the upholstery and carpet appearing to be in excellent condition. However, some of the plastic is marked, and there could be some deterioration just beginning to become evident. However, my biggest concern revolves around the state of some of the plated components inside the car. There is evidence of corrosion on items like the lever for the tilt wheel, and this could indicate that the Olds has spent time in a damp environment. Not only will this need to be addressed, but that would make me inclined to have a good look around under the vehicle to ensure that it isn’t hiding some nasty surprises. The original radio/cassette player has made way for a CD player, but there are no other apparent additions. The 442 comes equipped with air conditioning, power windows, a leather-wrapped tilt wheel, a remote driver’s mirror, and a full set of sports gauges.
The seller provides no engine photos, but this shot graphically shows the corrosion issue mentioned earlier. The Olds is a numbers-matching car that features the 307ci V8 hooked to a THM 200-4R automatic transmission. Power steering and power brakes are standard equipment. The poor old American V8 had become quite asthmatic by this stage, although some progress was being made to recover lost ground. However, the most significant strides were always going to come with the development of sophisticated fuel-injection and electronic engine management systems. The 307 didn’t have these features, breathing through a 4-barrel carburetor. The result was a power output of 170hp and the ability to cover the ¼ mile in 16.7 seconds. The glory days of a 442 being capable of producing a sub-14-second pass must have seemed like a distant memory to buyers in 1987. The owner claims that the 31,000 miles showing on the odometer are genuine, although he doesn’t indicate whether he has evidence to back this claim. He also doesn’t provide any information on how well the 442 runs or drives. There are times when less is more, but in this case, less is…less!
Taken at face value, this 1987 Oldsmobile 442 is a tidy car that seems to offer a lot for the asking price. However, it is also a classic that raises more questions than it answers, and the seller has done himself no favors with the supplied photos and information in the listing. We can only hope that he is willing to field questions by genuinely interested people because I’m sure that there are plenty who like this car’s looks as much as I do. Do you feel the same way? More importantly, is this one that you might be tempted to pursue further?
That is odd corrosion, making me think that the tops aren’t sealing well, or the windows were left open. While carbonated cola drinks can be great for removing rust, I’d be concerned about other moisture in the soft materials, and any resulting aromas.
Bring a good schnozzer for an inspection…and maybe some underhood shots would be helpful…
BTW this is a nice looking car otherwise!
I always liked the look of these but not the anemic engine. They should of dropped the 3.8 Turbo from the GN and the lightning rods in these from the factory- then you’d have my attention.
I used to “wake these engines up” with a little carb work, timing recurve and a very slight mod to the EGR control. Ran much stronger WITH the EGR, after I got done with them. Oldsmobile “detuned” these cars because of a defective purge control issue instead of fixing the purge control.
Wesly I have (2) of these. One just like it with 13k miles and another one with 75k miles. Can you be so kind as to give me your specs as to what you did to waken these motors up?
Thank you.
I had an 87 442 back in the day. The biggest problem with the H.O. 307? It couldn’t breathe. The only option for more flow was modified 330 heads with a matching aftermarket intake.
I ended up swapping in a “warmed” 403.
Tommy t how about one that has a 455, long tail 400 and a posi rear from a gn?as well as almost the same color paint how would that fancy you? This is what I have in mine minus the ac of course,lol
The only difference between the 8.5 rears in the 442 and the GN are the gear ratios. The Olds had 3.73s… the Buick 3.42s…
I had an 87 442 back in the day. The biggest problem with the H.O. 307? It couldn’t breathe. The only option for more flow was modified 330 heads with a matching aftermarket intake.
I ended up swapping in a “warmed” 403.
I love how the seller provides almost no information in listing and has the audacity to say “no time for a million questions”. I’m thinking it’s because he doesn’t want to have to explain things like the frayed seatbelts, the missing dash trim & ill-aligned glovebox door, warped/unraveling steering wheel, or the soiled sun visor and improperly secured spare tire & lug wrench in the trunk.
The exterior of the car certainly presents like a low-mileage rig, but the rest of it tells a very different story. The odometer on this Olds has definitely rolled over and the true mileage is 131k. The relatively fresh paint is just lipstick on a pig.
So original that the person installed metal 442 emblems on the doors…
These came with 442 emblems in the doors.
The 85 through 87 442 door insignia were decals, NOT metal emblems.
No sorry, they’re not, here is an 86 and an 85 with the same emblem, every 442 I’ve seen from this generation has those same emblems, different door panels, but the same emblem, how does one even apply a decal to fabric?
https://barnfinds.com/59k-original-miles-1985-oldsmobile-cutlass-442/
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1986-Oldsmobile-Cutlass-442/164661253150?hash=item265693541e%3Ag%3AL5EAAOSwzkVgC5v7&LH_ItemCondition=3000%7C1000%7C2500
I think were talking about 2 different things here, I just noticed the outside ones, they’re wrong, I thought you were talking about the 442’s on the door panels.
@Ralph
Yessir, I was talking about the outside of the doors. I know the inside has the Metal emblems.
I worked at an Olds dealership 85 through 87 and I got to drive these when new.
Sorry for the confusion.
Maybe it met Katrina ?
Miami car, likely driven around a lot with the T-Tops off and exposed to salt air and perhaps a few rain showers. That could explain the corrosion on parts in the car. I’d want to see under the carpet to see if that moisture had done any other significant damage.
Sun and salt-water air have taken it’s toll…likely, the body looked like crap prior to the repaint, as well. The destroyed steering wheel, pitted chrome, and faded, worn-out and dried-out interior pieces make for a mediocre example, at best. Maybe a $3,000 car to someone that wants to modify it. There are FAR too many really nice examples out there to settle for this money pit.
Oh, and the Kmart Kooper Kobras don’t help either.
Reading the comments, the consensus is ‘NOPE!’
Olds did a nice job to put together a “performance” package during this period. Pontiac should have done the same with the Grand Prix and made a GTO out of it. They paled in comparison to the “real” 442’s of the 60’s up through’72. But, it was a nice try given the times.
I always wanted to buy one and put a healthy 350 Chevy in it!
Matt, thank you. The car is bizarre and if the seller won’t cooperate don’t cooperate with the seller and stay away from the car while making your opinion known to the Seller.
Looks more like 131k miles to me, with a repaint to spruce it up. But what do I know? I know one thing: “NO TIME FOR A MILLION CRAZY QUESTIONS” means no thanks!
My grandmother lived in Ft Lauderdale, and when grandpa passed, she moved up to Illinois with us. She had a 1970’s Pontiac they purchased new, with less than three thousand miles on it. After the first year in Illinois, the car began to rust out terrible, due to the salt air in Florida. It showed absolutely no sign of rust prior to that. I always wondered it this was a common issue with other cars.
Had a few of these. Best thing you can do is R&R the motor with a 350 chevy or 403 olds with headers. Way more fun to drive after that.
Unscrupulous seller trying to pass off a roached ride…caveat emptor!
Should have left the “442” label in the grave as not to disgrace it with only stickers and a tachometer. At least give it a Buick 231 turbo and call it the Cutlass GT (?). I had an anemic ’79 fox Capri (mustang) that smoked these. By 1987, why would you even try against an IROC or Mustang GT. All said, there are those who love these and I respect them for it.
It’s amazing how so many people lie about their ad thinking everyone in the car world is dumb. We see a great picture of the passenger seat & dash interior but the driver’s side blocks the truth of its true 131.000 thousand miles not showing the brake & accelerator pedals plus a clean clear pic of the steering wheel. STAY CLEAR FROM THIS SCAM. I’ll do $2500.00 if the body is rust free and no Bondo, trash the driveline, drop a turbo or supercharged V8 in it, and repair the interior, then fear up the track.
Had an 82 Gutlass. Found out the hard way an oil filter can suck tight from the inside and the 3.8 was no more. Tore a 350 rocket from a friends Vista cruiser demo car and suddenly she had guts again. :-)
Interested
Who’s the owner
Where located
There is an engine photo in the listing of