During the limited run of the Hurst/Olds in 1983-84 (remember the Lightning Rods Triple Shifter?), the Oldsmobile marketing gurus were looking for an encore. That led them to resurrect the 442 nameplate from the 1960s. The reborn 442 would also be a limited run car, too, with less than 11,500 of them over three years. This edition is from 1985 and gives the impression of a car that was squirreled away early on in anticipation of an appreciated value later. The seller’s ad reflects just over 10,000 miles which – given its overall condition – could be possible. It’s located in St. Louis, Missouri, and available here on eBay where the reserve auction sits at $3,499.99.

Oldsmobile had an on-again, off-again love affair with the 442. Initially named 4-4-2 (for the 4-speed manual, 4-barrel carburetor, 2 exhausts), the muscle car started out in 1964 as an option package on the F-85/Cutlass. Just like its Pontiac cousin, the GTO, the 4-4-2 became its own series in 1968 and reverted to option status again after 1971. Following the 1985-87 version of the 442 that the seller’s car represents, it made yet another comeback in the 1990s as an option package for the front-wheel-drive Cutlass Calais.

When the 442 reappeared for 1985, the first “4” in the name now referred to the car’s 4-speed automatic transmission. Like the Hurst/Olds, the automobile was powered by a modified 307 cubic inch V-8 rated at 180 horsepower and 245 pound-feet of torque. Back at the rear wheels, there was a robust 8.5-inch differential with 3.73 gears. The suspension was of the heavy-duty variety and the car had disc brakes upfront. To separate the car visibility from the Cutlass it was based upon, the 442 had two-tone paint with a trim stripe and subtle 442 markings. 15-inch Super Sport wheels were employed with Goodyear Eagle GT tires to meet with the pavement. The car was deliberately subtle in appearance as to appeal to the audience that probably bought cars like the 442 a couple of decades earlier. Thanks, Hemmings, for the story of 1985-87 442.

The seller’s car looks good overall after 35 years. The black paint is said to be original, although the sun-facing surfaces may have faded some over the years. Rust doesn’t appear to be a problem except in one spot at the bottom of the driver’s side door. The gold pinstriping on the car is chipped, cracked, or flaking in several places. Unlike so many of the Hurst/Olds that preceded it, this car didn’t come with T-Tops. The grey interior is virtually spotless. The driver was treated to a performance set of gauges, which included a tachometer, and they all look good. The 442 was well-appointed inside, with bucket seats, air conditioning, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a center console. While this may disappoint fans of the Hurst/Olds, the Lightning Rods shifter was gone, having been replaced with a routine automatic transmission shifter. From the passenger cabin, it has all the earmarks of a 10,000-mile car. It would be hard to think of something this nice having 110,000 miles.

This machine is one of the 3,000-even 442’s made for 1985. Production would go up slightly for both 1986 and 1987 before the 442 name would be mothballed again. This generation of the 442 doesn’t seem to go for nearly as much today as its predecessors do. Perhaps that’s because the cars aren’t nearly as powerful as they once were. Hagerty doesn’t even quote a value and the few I found online for sale were in the $10-15,000 range. So, if this car was set aside years ago in anticipation of a big payoff one day, that hasn’t come to fruition – at least not yet.