So many of the vintage and otherwise cool cars that we run across here at Barn Finds are light on details. This one is the exception as the seller provides an extensive detailing of this automobile which he/she has owned for a dozen years. This 1969 Olds 442 may have left the factory as a W-30, but that motor was lost long ago and replaced by a 425 cubic inch V8 from a ’67 Toronado. This older restoration presents quite well and should be a great car to both drive and show. Located in Asheville, North Carolina, this Oldsmobile is available here on eBay where the bidding has reached $30,201.
The Olds 442 (also 4-4-2) was born in 1964 as the GM division’s entrant into the new, mid-size muscle car market. The models would share bodies with the Cutlass or Cutlass Supreme for many years to come. In 1969, the machines were similar to the all-new-for-1968 editions and used the Holiday Coupe fastback body style. At the time, the hot cars topped out with 400 cubic-inch V8s, and – with Ram Air Induction – they were good for 360 hp. Just 297 of the W-30 editions were built, with 247 being the 2-door hardtop.
This car was about to be parted out when the seller found it in 2010 and began to restore it. Much of the Oldsmobile was already missing, including the 400 engine. Instead, a 425 V8 (385 hp) from a Toronado was there and the seller decided to stick with that since those engines never saw factory use in a mid-size car like the Cutlass/442. It also had a Muncie 4-speed manual transmission, which helped sweeten the pot. While the motor was in great shape, the rest of the auto was not such much, with the body and interior needing the most attention.
After the seller whipped the exterior into shape and removed several layers of Sebring Yellow paint, Trophy Blue was applied and it looks great today, though it has several years to its credit. The restoration process on this Olds was quite documented, but sadly most of the photos were lost when the seller’s computer crashed (no Cloud backup?). He/she believes the car was originally a rare W-30, but there is no direct evidence as such, but all the earmarks are said to be there to suggest that it was. The VIN helps a little; for example, the 7th character in the VIN is an M which stands for Lansing, Michigan, which is the only place the cars were built in 1969 (according to the seller).
With a different motor and other mechanical adjustments the seller has made, this car will never be original again and may not ever be proven to be a real W-30. As such, the seller doesn’t expect it to draw big bucks by today’s collector standards. But it looks to be a cool car to show off and you could spend hours sharing the story of how this Oldsmobile came to be. Several videos are offered to further illustrate the 442. Walkaround. Driving. Inside.
Haven’t been a big fan of this body style but this is a beautiful, well done car. Love the “since it was there” on the engine and transmission. My kind of guy.
Looks like he threw a lot at the car. Don’t know if I would have gone as far as throwing all the W-30 items on it. Nice car though and the 425 is no slouch. Anybody catch the rally wheel for a spare and steelies with dog dish hubcaps. Just saying the guy went to all the trouble to get that look and kind of dropped the ball there. Looks quite nice though. (A-) Tach under the dash and spare tire lol.
I’m not that familiar with the GM color pallet. Trophy blue wouldn’t be my pick in the color book but it looks interesting on this car. I’m also not the kind of person who would perform a nut and bolt restoration with a goal of a 100 percent factory original down to overspray and chalk marks on components. It’s not the way I intend to use a classic. I want a good driver I can enjoy that going to get dirty and get used as it was intended. It will be taken care of though and kept nice. If I can’t drive it I sell it. This car fits the build. Really nice and well put together. Yea I would change a few things but that’s what they call a personal touch. This one checks all the boxes.
Amazing how much difference a nice set of wheels makes.
When I first saw that first picture,I thought to myself “Something doesn’t-
look right with this car”.
Weird color too.
It really needs the matching number block or one that’s close.
I’ve owned a few full size Old’s w/ the 425, and have researched the way these motors were designed and assembled by the factory. Always wondered why it wasn’t used in muscle car applications. Plenty of torque too.
Nice build here, and I appreciate the 425 just happened to be included.
It was about selling the cubic inches. 396 was 401 in 68 of course who would buy an ss401 Mopar was 440 and add the 426 hemi, Chevy 427 Ford 427 and 428 so the sale in 68 and 69 was HP and Ci. Not many remember Buick was selling tourqe and that’s what starts the race!
I like the 442 also, but like other comments the issues like the spare is a ralley-I know that some wheels are date coded so that might explain the steelies,but at least stay with the program and do a steelie for the spare, its a detail thing. The color, that blue i would like to know is that original color I’m guessing not. All that said very clean build.
My first car was a loaded 69 442 my Grandmother bought new , I got it @ 16 in “77” and proceeded to beat it . Eight months in I totaled it and have had many , 69 , 442’s since , one was a W30 I bought from the original owner , many 69 Cutlass parts cars and a 69 W31 Cutlass . I have a 68 442 , 4 speed convertible now and I would love another 69 , especially a W car . I have no doubt this is not an originally built W30 car . I do have some questions , all Toronados were automatic and motors installed at the factory didn’t have a hole in the crankshaft for a pilot bearing . I have heard of the hole being put in an automatic crank while it was still in the motor but I always removed it to have it drilled (many 4 speed Olds were junked & parted because of the pilot bearing issue as most every Olds was automatic) . If the original motor was present when the swap was done it had “D” casting heads (very valuable) witch are better than the “C” head that was on the standard 400 in 69 and on the 67 Toronado . Why not change them out ? Why not fix the floors right when doing the resto. ? Why not make the factory tach work , maybe the clock and radio too , especially when you install a new wiring harness and fuse box ? And I know “If my Aunt had nuts she’d been my Uncle” but I just wonder about these type of things . The manual discs are a W30 & 31 only thing , the red fenders are reproduced now as the breather and scoops . I think it’s a nice car but I would spend more and get a better example . It would certainly be a fun driver . I’m sure the new owner will have fun .
I also had a bunch of 69’s including a W30 convert, as well as a bunch of others from 1966 through 1972 vintage. I chuckle reading about the crankshafts… I got that rude awakening around 1973 or so when I attempted to put a 4 speed in my other 69 442 automatic convert! The really obvious thing to me is the hood tongue, straighten that thing!!!
There used to be a bearing or bushing you could buy for the auto crank and nip the tranny I think it was 1/8″ maybe a 1/4″ off the end of the input shaft. Or just drill into the crank by hand to get the clearance and use the bigger pilot bushing. And yes that hood needs fixed, easy to bump them.
Gotta love the personal effort over return. Any of these bodies 68-72 certainly have come into their own in terms of desirability. The drivetrain is real nice.
Lose those ugly, ugly, steel wheels with dog dish hubcaps. Olds had some of the best looking factory wheels, but a set on and the car will look a 100% better.
Sold as of yesterday the 12th. His side of 35K. Nice car. Always liked the 442.