If you ever doubted the ongoing supply of desirable Barn Finds, this 1966 Oldsmobile 442 may help to allay your fears. The owner recently located it squirreled away in a barn, a spot it had occupied for four decades. He has breathed new life into this muscle car, and it needs someone to return its panels and paint to a factory-fresh state. Located in El Paso, Texas, the owner has listed the 442 for sale here on Craigslist. If you hand the owner $18,500, you could drive this baby home.
Once it emerged from hiding, this 442 had a pretty positive tale to tell. Its Royal Blue paint looks tired and baked, and there’s no doubt that a cosmetic restoration would transform the car enormously. Beneath the tired paint are panels that look relatively good. There may be a few flaws and marks, but nothing that would justify wholesale panel replacement. The story is similar when we confront the ever-present question of rust. Externally, there’s nothing for potential buyers to fear. The floors and frame are rock solid when we delve below the surface. The only issue the seller identifies is a rusted trunk pan. It isn’t clear how extensive the problem is, but with complete pans available for under $700, repairs should be straightforward and affordable. The exterior trim looks restorable, while I think that the Magnum 500 wheels may be new.
Apart from the identified rust repair, the other aspect of this restoration that could consume a few dollars is the interior. It looks like the seats wear new covers, while the remaining upholstery looks good. The carpet set might also be fresh, which all sounds pretty positive. There are a couple of negative points to consider, with the dash pad falling victim to the harsh Texas sun. This isn’t a disaster because reproductions sell for around $315. However, the tired dash housing may hurt the buyer’s wallet. Before sourcing a replacement, it may be worth attempting a restoration because its condition leaves little to lose. If the buyer can’t achieve a satisfactory result, they may face spending $550 on a new housing. From a luxury perspective, this 442 scores relatively well. Apart from the optional bucket seats and console, there is an AM radio to provide entertainment on the go. Evidence suggests that the original owner ordered this classic with air conditioning. Whether it remains intact or functions correctly is an unanswered question.
The owner supplies no engine photos, and that’s a shame in a car that is a mystery machine. The owner states that the engine bay houses a 400ci V8, but its specifications are unclear. Bolted to the V8 is a three-speed Turbo 400 automatic transmission. The previous owner told the seller that this 442 was initially equipped with the optional L69 Tri-Carn engine producing 360hp. That’s where things become complicated. This car would never have featured an automatic transmission if the engine claim was true. The original buyer could have chosen the three-speed manual or either version of the four-speed, but the auto was not an option. It’s also worth noting that buyers in 1966 could not order a 442 with a Turbo 400 transmission. If they craved an automatic, it was the two-speed Jetaway. Reviving this Olds after four decades of inactivity was a labor of love, but the seller achieved success. After replacing the carburetor, water pump, starter, plugs, plug wires, and battery, this classic runs and drives well. It is a turnkey proposition for potential buyers intent on a spot of immediate enjoyment.
Finding a restoration project where you are not faced with hundreds of hours of cutting and welding to address significant rust issues is never bad. That is what this 1966 Oldsmobile offers its next owner. Its rust problems are minor, and a cosmetic refresh should prove a straightforward process. When it comes to its potential value, the going becomes pretty grey. If the car were numbers-matching and matched the specifications suggested by the seller, I would have no hesitation in suggesting that it could be worth more than $70,000 if restored to a high standard. However, it appears that neither the engine nor transmission are original, which will negatively impact its potential worth. However, if the buyer remains focused on the finer details, there’s no reason why it couldn’t fetch $40,000 or more in the current market. Is that enough to tempt you to pursue this one further?
Man….even with all the battle scars, the mystery drive train, etc., it wouldn’t deter me. I really like this one.
Right now, all funds are going to a garage project, so I can keep them all together inside.
Alas, I hope this will go to a loving home…
This ain’t no 4-4-2. It meant 4-speed, 4 barrel and dual exhaust. I see an automatic shifter with console in this car. Possibly, someone just put 4-4-2 badges on the car.
It only meant four speed the in 1964, when the car came with a 330 ci engine. After that, 442s came with either manual or automatic and the four stood for 400 cubic inches.
You’re correct, and as the years went by the 4-4-2 meaning kept changing.
Ummmmmm…you could get an automatic in a 442 from 1965-onward. You should do a little research, lol. In all but the first year, 442 stood for four-barrel, four-seat, dual exhaust. From 1965-on it meant “4 (400 cubic inch), 4 (4-barrel carb), “2 (dual exhaust)”.
Eventually, they were calling Gutlesses with the smog choked 260 V-8 442s. They also called an N-body Calas with the Quad 4 a 442.
This car has already made the rounds on the Oldsmobile forums (fora?). The vacuum gauge on the console is factory-issue. The tach is not. That’s a 64-65 tach that someone added, and unfortunately drilled holes in the die cast top plate to do it. The seats are 1967 frames from the side release button. The plastic seatbacks and trim are 68 or repros (66-67 got metal). The headrests were a rare option on the 66-67 cars (my 66 also has them). The Buick wheels have to go (no, those are not Olds SuperStock I wheels – look closely). The dash implies that the car sat out in the desert for a while before the interior was redone. No engine pictures, unfortunately.
Funny it looks an awful lot like my 66 Dynamic 88 he’s continuing to over my lifetime I have seen a hodgepodge collection of 442 I did a 67 442 plane Jane other then motor trans and rear I mean scriptown column shifter everything he did have the right 400 motor and trans good running car hell on stopping the mid-size Oldsmobiles did not have very good brakes from my experience Oldsmobiles are a lot harder and more expensive then a Chevy or a Pontiac keep that in mind when you want to restore something like this at the end of it you’ll have one hell of a nice Jewel regardless but without the right drivetrain I would go ahead and Beef It Up shut up
I don’t know where Michael did his research, but “four- seat” was never part of the 4-4-2 name.
I don’t know where these people get this stuff…
You mean the ‘2’ doesn’t mean 2-Door?
No, it was “four door” based on the 11 four door 442s built in the 1964 model year. ;-)
Looks like a 1966 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 Holiday Coupe which only could come with 425 HO High or Ultra High Compression Super Rocket engine. They only made 20 something thousand, but this one with the floor shift is definitely different.
Looks like it is a dash and interior from a 442 In fact the dash is shorter and someone has added ends to both sides, Every dash I have ever seen over the past 60 years always go from side to side never have tried to add to them but the dash you might could still find the 425 engine not do sure about.
Uh, no. That’s a correct 442/Cutlass dash in a correct 1966 442 body. The warping and sun damage is misleading. The “added ends” are the factory A/C outlets. Whoever thinks this is a Delta or Dynamic or other Olds full size has no idea what they are looking at.
I did not say it was a dynamic my comment was GM use the same styling cues for their midsize and full-size cars just like my 63 Catalina 2 door looks a lot like the 64 GTO yes my denouement 88 comes with the ultra high compression in Super Rocket V8 one badass motor I’ve never seen one in a Cutlass or 442 it’s always been the four hundreds or 3:50 maybe later on with the 455 an interesting note they used the 425 in a lot of old boats built in the sixties basically the same motor and they were notorious for being held at four or five grand continuously Under full power and they wouldn’t blow you could not do that to most V8 motors
The 425 was never used in the A-body line, though some people swear their sister’s milkman’s cousin had one back in the day. The 400 was exactly the same as the 425 except for the smaller bore. 4.000″ in the 400 vs 4.125″ in the 425. Both used the same forged crank with 3.98″ stroke.
Joe, you are right about the stroke dimension for the 66 and 67 400 but was lengthened in 68 to 4.25, same as the 455. Just had a smaller bore.
I had a ’65 with the 425 4bbl … my (ex)wife’s aunt gave it to us used as a wedding present as my ’59 Chevy was stolen in Chicago … not a 442 but basically a Cutlass with a big engine, AT, and no air, but it would lay a solo rubber streak for half a city block … replaced a few right rear tires …
Marty, yes, I’m well aware of the short stroke and long stroke 400s. This car is a 1966. I wasn’t attempting to write a history of every motor Olds made.
The 2 is dual
Exhaust
I can blow all your minds, I had a 432 Olds Cutlass Supreme conv I ordered in ’67! At that time it was a 4 barrel, 3 speed Hurst Compation shifter on the floor with duel exhaust thus “432”. The tranny was a lower geared Ford truck 3 pints larger 3 speed straight from the factory (look it up). The engine I think was a 310- 300 H.P. It ran like a scared rabbit, Couldn’t keep the tires on the ground. Loved that car, wish I still had it. Here in PA the frame was rusting from the inside out and you couldn’t jack it up. I found this was a common problem.
My 67 Plain Jane Cutlass came with a 3:30 two barrel three on the tree and some sort of 12-bolt rear
The three speed manual with floor mounted Hurst shifter was the base trans in the 442 from mid-1965 through the 1971 model year. For 65-69 this was the “Dearborn” (don’t call it a Ford) top loader three speed. In 1965 and 66 you could even get a column-shifted three speed manual. And that three on the tree was the base trans in the F85 and Cutlass lines through 1972. Not really that unusual at the time.
442 for sure. Has the fender vents. Deck lid, 442 only stainless trim. 442 badges inside and out. Madlad, Ford did make the 3 spd.for Olds.