For people who love the Oldsmobile 442, finding a solid example to restore can be a frustrating business. This 1968 442 is a solid example, and it looks like it would make a really good restoration project. You will find it listed for sale here on eBay. It is located in Portland, Oregon, and has been listed for sale with a clear title. At the time of writing, bidding has reached $3,100, but the reserve has not been met.
While it might initially look a bit tired, this is a really solid car. The owner provides a good number of clear photos, and the floors (including the trunk), all look to be really solid. There is some rust visible in the rocker on the driver’s side, and a bit above the rear wheel arch on the same side, but that really is the worst of it. The paint looks a bit sad in a few places, but that’s about it. The car is also fitted with a power top, but I think that the top itself will require replacement.
The interior is complete but will need some restoration work. Thankfully, the dash is original and unmodified, and the dash pad is crack-free. The original owner has ticked a few options on the order sheet, and the result of this is a car that is well equipped. As well as bucket seats and a floor console with a Hurst shifter, you get a factory sports wheel that tilts, power windows, a power seat, a factory FM radio, a factory under-dash 8-track player, air conditioning, a power antenna, and Rally Pac instruments.
The car also features its original, numbers matching 400ci engine and Turbo Hydramatic transmission. This is where the news gets really good. The car runs and drives, and it apparently does it well. The owner has undertaken some pretty thorough work to ensure that the car is strong and healthy. The car features a new gas tank, new brake lines, new wheel cylinders and master cylinder, a new water pump, new fan clutch, new points, and a new condenser. The car is also fitted with power disc brakes and a 12-bolt Posi rear end.
This 1968 Oldsmobile 442 Convertible looks to be a very straightforward restoration project. It doesn’t appear to need any major rust repairs, and it is a numbers-matching car with a lot of nice optional extras. Given the fact that nice examples are fetching anywhere from $37,000 to $75,000 at present, it will be interesting to see what this one finally sells for.
Bring a magnet. Quarters, rockers, fenders, and trunk all show signs of previous repair. The dual radius around the quarters and fenders should be consistent…
On a positive note, at least the new owner won’t have to worry about the floors.
These were once nice, comfy, semi-muscle cars. However, the later 455 engine would be a better performance engine, and I believe it even weighs a bit less than this 400. Oh what the heck, just buy a Hurst 455 Olds to begin with.
@2foolish2day – I used to know a guy who had (over time) a bunch of semi-muscle cars. He had a comfy 1970 black 440 Challenger A/C convert., but yes, it was sadly an automatic. Same for his 1968 Shelby KR. Super comfy; A/C and Automatic would’ve landed it squarely in the semi- category, right? He also had a very rare 1968 SS427 convertible, but again there’s that ol’ bugaboo about factory A/C and automatic. Besides; power-to-weight… you know. Ultra comfy, though, as he motored around town looking semi-tough.
Sure, he had Hemis, 440 SixPacks and others. True muscle, I guess. Have to check with you, first, of course.
One in particular would be certainly cause for debate, though.
It was another 1970 Challenger – a 440 Six Pack, 4-speed convertible. On the surface, a muscle car for sure, wouldn’t you agree?
But, wait, there’s more.
It had FACTORY A/C!
Impossible, you say? We thought so too, until we finally decided what had happened: This one likely started life as a factory press demo car. Supporting that was the fact that it was red, with a white top and interior: the Good Guy Special. But Chrysler was beginning to wise up (the full realization had not yet permeated the corporate consciousness), and decided that they didn’t want the press tooling around Arizona in the 120 degree summer heat in a ‘hot’ car.
They were re-thinking their parochial stance on big engine, convertible, 4-speed, yet arriving looking like you had been for a swim.
So, yes, it did have factory A/C, but probably installed at the dealership. And, yes, that made the car both brutal AND comfy.
It is possible that this car was the analogue to the fossil fish with legs (Tiktaalik roseae); evidence of primitive marine life as it took the first halting steps out of the primordial ocean of the primitive (the Hemis, the L-88’s, Boss 429’s and the like), onto the Terra firma habitat of modern animals (ALL of the more enlightened muscle (if I may be permitted the use of the expression) of today), and their forebearers?
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But, of course, you know that entire argument is silly. The GTO literally defined the muscle car segment. 442’s, GS’s (except 350’s), Shelbys, SS/C and Rebel Machine Ramblers, R/T’s and Super Bees (even 383’s) were ALL “muscle cars”, along with myriad others. The addition of power steering, power brakes or even A/C took NOTHING away from the formula (and arguably made them better examples, since they were more usable).
What, you say? They were race cars that could be used on the street? Nope. Ronnie Sox never had a HemiCuda with power steering, or power brakes. Richard Petty’s 1966 Hemi Charger didn’t either. For that matter, his didn’t have a full interior air cleaner, or an automatic transmission, either. No, theirs were race cars. So-equipped, these were STREET machines that had racing potential, given enough varying levels of preparation, plain and simple. They were muscle cars.
Otherwise, we would include the B029 Barracudas (among others) in this group, where they clearly do not belong. They were race cars that had marginal street potential.
Semi-Muscle? Hmmm. Maybe the Rallye 350’s, GS350’s, Dart 340 Swingers, various 351 Cleveland-powered Ford and Mercury offerings, and many similar others.
But 442’s? Semi-muscle?
Ignorance. Ignorance, arrogance and Chauvinism.
Sigh.
I gave you a thumbs up for your blistering post. I used the word “semi” only to bait you for fun (sorry, bad idea), but instead you chomped onto the bait, yanked onto the fishing line, pulling me and my boat all around the lake with it! I’m pretty sure that the guy you described with all the cool cars would agree that all 442s are muscle cars, and they can be comfy too. I was only implying that the 400 wasn’t as potent as the 455, using that as an opportunity to drop in my trigger word. So, I may be arrogant, but I’m also a helluva fisherman too!
@2Arrogant2Play – The first trap, some threads ago, was 2weak2be. This second, looked 2sweet2me.
When the Megalodon can read “Made in China” on the lure, but decides it would be fun to drag the foolish fisherman around for a while any way, then let him go, did it really “take the bait”?
It was fun 2play, now I need 2go2day.
Pretty cool
Up over $7000 at 3:30 eastern time, reserve still not met.
Do those floors look replaced to anyone else ?
My favorite 442 body style, almost got a 68 Culass convertible as my first car, pops shot it down because of rust behind the windshield. I doubt he wanted his crazy kid with a Vert at 16, I really liked that Cutlass !
Looks like a rust bucket to me. Rust though on the trunk lip and hood ! Floors have been painted or replaced. Look this one over really close if interested.
There was a time I would have given my eye teeth for this car.
Like maybe when it was new.
Floors are replaced, rockers are rotting, decklid is done, door panel is missing(?), corrosion abounds under the hood, and it’s got a snow tire on the front.
On the other hand it has all the best options (minus a 4-speed) and well-restored ones are indeed worth a small fortune. But this one is up to $7,200 already – reserve not met – and it’s gone past the realm of reality.
I had a ’69 Cutlass Holiday coupe as my 3rd car. They changed the hood hinges from ’68 to ’69.
Ask me how I know…
Okay, I’ll bite. How?
My little brother whacked a mailbox with the right front fender. I replaced it with a ’68 from a junkyard. The hood hinge came with it. When it came time to test the hood, it was a little lopsided.
Little brother inherited the ’69 and had a friend of a friend of a friend paint it. Last I heard it ended up in a snow bank in Colorado.
Still ticks me off…
I thought it was because on Skylarks & GS the ’69 hinges let the hood open further, and you’ve bumped ya head on a ’68, so I wondered if the Olds is the same
Unless you’re selling a jeep, don’t photograph your car in the mud. Especially if it’s rusty.
I found one of these in a barn for $3,500. It was a 3spd stick which was weird for a “442”. Got it home and decoded it and found that it had “D” heads on it. The “D” head was from the Hurst Olds that year and are very rare. I took off the D heads and put them on ebay where they sold for $5,500 and were put back on a 68 Hurst Olds. Then sold the car for $12,000 with the correct heads on it after a little clean up.
This is what it looked like cleaned up and running well. These are great driver cars.
Well done, sir.
I’m an Olds fan and would buy this, retire it to the Left Coast and have the work done over time. What stopped me was the current bid price, I don’t participate in auctions for a variety of reasons, I’m too far away and I don’t have time.
“some surface rust”…. is that not a rust hole in the trunk lid? And rocker panel rot? I hate these kinds of sellers….
What is this? Factory pop rivet access panel?
Rare options right there…..
OHIO, That says it all…….The way the floor pans look this POS most likely goes down the road like a BOW LEGGED DOG. At $8200.00 The Flipper Must Be Bidding On His Own Car.
It’s the strangest feeling… I am known for lengthy pontification on the most obscure subjects. Usually, it takes little or nothing to get me started.
However; as most regular readers know, I am currently restoring a 1968 442 convertible, and simply seem stymied for something to say. I know a lot about this subject. I have many experiences that others might find interesting. But, I’m locked up.
It’s the darndest thing!
I guess this article, and several that went before it, just proves my point though: Finding any muscle car as a convertible is tough. Finding one with factory A/C is even less likely. Then finding that same car with a manual transmission is the hat trick.
The car in this write-up again demonstrates that. Several other examples were from previous Barn Finds articles. They checked all the right boxes, except…
https://barnfinds.com/real-deal-1969-oldsmobile-442/
https://barnfinds.com/mostly-original-1969-oldsmobile-442/
Modern muscle almost exclusively has A/C. The New Dodge Demon even depends on its A/C system to make it the quickest production car in the world. This time, manual transmission… unavailable. Strange.
Now, we have virtually come full circle, with almost everything having factory A/C. Manual transmissions are becoming more rare again, thanks to giant advances in automatic transmission technology, the new crop of performance car-buyers having less exposure to manual transmissions, and to economies of scale. It is less expensive for car manufacturers to produce cars with a single type of transmission, than two very dissimilar types.
Old muscle that has the combination of High Output engine, A/C and manual transmission is beginning to seem advanced for its time. The best of the old, combined with the coming new. Civilized, yet brutal. Rare and prescient.
Harbingers.
I have been trying to post now, for several days. Once, it dumped my work. Every other time, it dumped it, and gives me a “500 Internal Server Error”. Ideas?
Just finished restoring a 68 Cutlass S covvertible bought new by my wife and I. Went to the Oldsmobile National meet in Gettysburg and came home with best ln class. First car show I have been to. In my opinion it take talent, time and money to do a first class restoration. I was fortunate to have a first class restoration shop do the work. Our Cutlass is the same color Willow Gold.