As a muscle car guy through and through I will never steer away from looking at a listing for a ’68-’72 GM A-body car. Emblems that contain such things as SS, 442, The Judge, and GSX will always hook me. That’s why this 1969 Olds 442 found here on Craigslist caught my attention. Submitted by Adam C, it is listed in Ventura, California.
The original finish is what first caught my eye with this car, but what was under the hood made it even more interesting. The original and tired 400 was replaced with a built 455; something that would get any muscle car enthusiast going. Being backed by a Muncie four-speed and 3.55 gears in a 12 bolt housing only sweetens the pot.
The interior looks decent, even with some seat covers gracing those front buckets. The seller does state that the material on those front seats has passed its expiration date so a repair would be in order. And man, there’s just something about that wooden steering wheel and that stick shift that makes me want to jump in take it for a spin!
Getting back to that original finish… I’m undecided on whether it should be repainted or not. It would certainly add some value to the car to have a cosmetic restore, but there is something about that original finish that seems to look just right. The red vinyl top even adds to that unique image. Keeping that finish would hide the power lurking underneath and likely catch unsuspecting street cruisers at the stop light. So, is the $15,000 asking price fair for this 442 that’s mostly original with tasteful upgrades?
I had a ’72 Cutlass vert w/a 350, and man it was fun. Not the bruiser this one is…you see the scoops under the front bumper…that thing could suck up a bird or three at WOT…sweet car!
Interesting. I don’t know if it’s worth the money, but it would be fun. One of the best things is the under bumper air induction scoops. I’m glad the seller didn’t suggest they were original, far too many do that nowadays.
Steve R
“Mostly original” is quite an overstatement…engine, trans, and rear end all replaced…dash replaced…the only things not replaced need replacing…that being said, though, it would be a fun car to tear up the roads with…
The article states a 12 bolt rear, all Oldsmobile rear ends were 12 bolt, but they are different than the desirable 12 bolt Chevy rear. The Chevy ring gear is larger, and is a bolted to the carrier with 12 bolts, the Olds had 10 bolts attaching the ring gear. I cringe every-time I see listings mentioning the 12 bolt rear…
Scoops under the bumper and faint “W-30” decals on the front fenders. Makes it even more tragic that the original engine is gone.
I am confused for sure.
So “the tired original 400 motor and auto trans were put into storage”……so does that mean the seller still has them AND they go with the car for the 15K?
IF he (you the seller) still has the original drive train PLEASE DO NOT hold them back…..be sure they go with the car. They are a VIN match…..pllleeaaaassee don’t separate it from the car.
You can sell me all day long that the 455 is better but that original 400 needs to go back in and restore this car. Now that the 4 sp has been put in that is a cool upgrade and I would leave it in BUT the original TH400 trans needs to stay with the car forever..
W-30, well is it? Big difference if it is or if it is not. I don’t know much about the whole W30,31,32 thing BUT I know they were significantly more special than even just a 442.
I had a very cool 67 442. But I thought at some point the 400 went to a 455 standard?
The dual snorkel/scoop air induction…..is that original to the car or was it added when the 455 went in?
@Tom Nemec – I just received a text from the seller… The original engine comes with the car, transmission is not the original one. It is “in escrow”, so technically sold.
@Tom Nemec – I’m sorry, sir. I guess I inadvertently ignored part of your question earlier, or just wrote it off as rhetorical. Just my bad.
To answer your question: the 455 became standard in 1970 in the 442. Previously, it had been available as a special option only (Hurst).
Dual snorkle was for hose induction from the grill on w30s originally. Red plastic inner front fender wells was a w-30 trademark. 455 did go in STD for a year or two sometime after 68, but it was the toranado/or olds 98 engine, not high ccomp. I think, and 350 were delete options by 72, I think too. So the 400 high compression turned out more horses than 455s. W-30 cams made it 15 more horses roughly. I have a 67 number matching full stock. So I’m doing some of this from memory.
Decals actually say “W-32.” If genuine, it would have been 1 of 297. I contacted the owner and he told me it is not a real W-32.
Ok Craigslist add says it had a automatic meaning it wasn’t a 442 4 speed 4 barrel dual exhaust hence the name 442
The 442 designation was only tied to 4spd, 4 barrel and dual exhaust its first year, in 1965 it stood for 400, 4 barrel and dual exhaust.
Steve R
I always thought when it had an automatic the other 4 was for a turbo 400 transmission.
Did that even exist?
@Miguel – My friend… No. It did not.
Miguel, auto trans became optional starting with the ’65. Turbo 400 came along for the 1967 models.
Beautiful A body Cutlass !
As a classic collector and fan early this year bought ALL original A body 72 Buick Skylark coupe has 55K miles with all documentation since new. I have most GM brands I needed a classic Buick there it was!
here is link to original ad before I bought it :
https://www.connorsmotorcar.com/vehicles/445/1972-buick-skylark
This man’s ’69 is one hellofacar. So what about the original 400? Back then, everyone I know would have dropped in a 455… naturally a 12-bolt… most would have done a 4-speed as well. This is a very special car that should be restified.
Originality is hugely overrated, unless you have a museum worthy example… And you want to run a museum. I am tired of that.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I can no longer stand it.
I have been hinting at having bought one of my myriad bucket list cars. I wanted to do a full writeup on it, but I can’t decide what the mechanism for posting it on BF would be. So here it is:
I actually found it in a (steel) barn in Phoenix. It is a 1968 Olds 442 Convertible, 4-speed WITH FACTORY A/C!!! This is the holy grail of muscle cars (if you live anywhere other than the north east or west).
Back in the day, Oldsmobile and Buick were very accommodating of people who wanted big muscle, but couldn’t live without the ability to manage sometimes 123 degree outside temperatures.You could get the vaunted Hurst Olds, W-30, GS Stage I (and by extension, Stage II)… all with factory A/C. But hey, if you live in Detroit whats the big deal?
I have had two 427 Tri-Power Vettes. BOTH had factory A/C. Chevy wouldn’t sell you a big port engine with A/C, but you know, the ‘small port’ engines did just fine. I had a set of oval port (small port) iron heads with 2.3″ intakes! Small, my you-know-what.
In one impromptu encounter, I towed my friend’s Hemi Charger. Another time, I buried a vaunted Turbo Porsche. All the while, I could survive the Arizona summers.
Even though today ALL of the highest performers have A/C (just try to live with a Ford GT40 – either original, replica, or mid-2000’s series without A/C), nobody ever orders their new fantasticar without it (except maybe a few Mustang Laguna Secas, and similar). A Dodge Demon even integrates it into the performance formula!
So, finding an iconic muscle car like the Olds 442, with ALL the right boxes checked, AND having factory air is like finding the holy grail to me. They were at least ahead of their time.
The example I bought was originally Dark Blue Iridescent, with a Pearl interior, White top and White racing stripe. The original 400 is long gone, but in its place is a 1970 455 (which is fine with me). The Muncie 4-speed and 12-bolt appear to be original.
Another interesting piece is the Hurst shifter. To the best of my knowledge and experience, 442 is the ONLY model that did not have ‘HURST’ stamped on each side of the Competition Plus shifter… IT HAD 442 (with an ‘H’ at the bottom)! Can you dig it?
By the way, Oldsmobile 400’s and 455’s of this era have no special casting marks that determine year, month, horsepower, etc… A re-pop of the pad with the current VIN, and voila! the original engine. I am not going to do it, because I have always thought serial number freaks are anal retentive. Even though the engine is represented to be rebuilt, I will be concentrating on that area after it is a car again.
There is minimal rust. No rust underneath. Apparently; this beauty was owned by animals who left it out in the weather, long after the top began to leak. One or maybe two partial floor pans will need replacing and some work in the trunk and very lower parts of the fenders (where internal water accumulates – not sprayed up from underneath). That’s it. Enjoy the couple of pix I have included. I have millions more. And, no, it’s not for sale.
I will be posting more as the project goes along.
When it is done, this will be breathtaking!
Here is a pic loading it and driving off.
…and, by popular demand (my email pen pals who read BF), this is a pic of the ACTUAL BARN. The 442’s winking from behind some barn stuff.
Here is a dark picture of the interior showing the optional and rare simulated wood steering wheel (which looks to me exactly like the 1968 Corvette’s).
I had to add this picture from the opposite side. The ‘442’ and ‘H’ are pretty clearly visible (also, the rather sad condition of the passenger’s-side footwell).
The ever-popular engine compartment… the color is only dust (and an open carb… sigh).
TPV, I totally agree with you, that third pedal IS the key.
Good luck with your project, you have a very special car there, and I love your enthusiasm!
tom
I’m sure any a/c muscle car would be desirable in Phx, and I’m surprised they’re that rare? We see plenty of a/c convertibles here in Detroit.
@tom – You are correct about the Great Southwest and A/C.
Not to split hairs, but there are FAR more A/C convertibles and coupes with automatics, than there are A/C convertibles w/ manual transmissions.
That is the key.
When I was much younger, an old Corvette racer explained it (as we observed my 1969 427 4-speed A/C convertible Vette; “When you get A/C, P/S & P/B with a car, it was generally considered ‘loaded’ (big engine or small).
Dealers generally considered that the market for ‘loaded’ cars liked the luxury more than the race-car potential. Therefore; most were ordered with automatic transmissions. That combination, then became the standard for a ‘loaded’ car”.
Finding a mid-1960’s anything convertible with A/C was fairly rare, since the brain trusts in Detroit felt that the need for A/C was reduced in cars where you could just put the top down (the southern part of the U.S., West, Central and Eastern, was still more of a curiosity to them, than a marketing consideration).
So; to find a mainline, genuine muscle car, with the convertible top, P-S, P-B, Fact A/C, AND 4-Speed xmission, was really at the scarce end of the scale.
FAR more big-engine street machines so-equipped came with automatics.
Note: the subject of this thread, the 1969, is a COUPE, came with P/S, P/B, and had fact. A/C, but started life as an automatic.
It was FULLY LOADED.
Gave you a thumbs up.
I have a 1968 442 matching numbers also with air conditioning and also a convertible with special order headrests and tilt column. Talk about rare. Mine was and still is red exterior with black interior
@Diane hatfield – Swweeeeeeet! That’s my thumbs up.
Sure an interesting color combo. Beige/Green and red with red interior. Doubt you’d see another like it.
This car looks like the one they shot up and burned on “Better Call Saul”.
@Miguel – Did not see it, sir. However; when it is finished, it will look like your best dream.
It was the latest episode.
Maybe it was a Cutlass dressed up as a 442. We can only hope.
Having owned dozens of 442s, I would make an offer if it was closer to me.
The ’69 Cutlass/442 hardtop was GM’s cleanest A-body design ever, right up there with the ’66/’67 Riviera and the ’63 Sting Ray, not a wasted line on the whole car.
Looks like a 69 W32 442. Scarce as….
Question is whether it is a genuine W-32 car. They only made 297 of those.
I contacted the owner. According to him, it is not a W-32, despite the badges.
When I saw those dual hoses coming out of the air cleaner I thought W-30 right away, when I saw ramrod on the air cleaner lid made me think it was a 350 cube W-31, doesn’t matter though. A 455 really wakes up an already quick ride. I like drivers like this as opposed to delicate trailered show queens, which gets kinda boring after awhile. Make sure it’s road worthy and just enjoy the ride, that’s the way Dr. Olds would have wanted it!
@Troy s – Amen.