455Olds

I'm testing the waters here to gauge interest in my 1970 442 Sports Coupe. The car is a rather large project, but has a lot of unrealized potential. The car decodes as a factory Ebony Black exterior, Ivory bench seat interior, manual transmission 442 post car, built at the Linden, NJ plant. I'm told the car could have been one of the rare 3 speed manual cars, but I have no documentation to prove it and the original drivetrain is long gone.

There is currently a 2BBL 455 (with C heads) out of a 1969 Delta 88 in the car that's mated to a T400 long shaft trans. The driveshaft is actually two driveshafts cut and welded together by some shadetree mechanic. The rear end is a 3:23 posi, with all the heavy duty 442 suspension in place. The car will start and run, drive short distances, and the four-wheel manual drum brakes were bled and adjusted. Since I got the car, I removed all of the carpeting and powerwashed the floors, underside, and engine bay. I replaced the fuel pump, spark plugs, plug wires, ignition coil, and distributor cap. The exhaust is headers/duals/glasspacks. The wheels are SSII 15" rears and 14" fronts with nice tires. The car needs a full mechanical and cosmetic restoration, in my opinion, but I have admittedly high standards.

The car has rust. It needs floors, trunk, quarter panel patches and a hood. The good part is, the frame is 100% structurally solid, with no rust to be found as far as I can tell. The car will need a full interior and dash restoration as well. It has a 1971 front clip on it right now, but I can't find any evidence of a front-end collision.

I would like to sell the car outright for the asking price of (PRICE DROP $4750), but I am very open to trades. I would trade for a nice F85 or driver quality Cutlass. I'm open to all possible Oldsmobile trades from 1960 to 1972. Four door cruisers/sedans will be entertained as well. Let me know... Thanks!


The vehicle is located on Long Island, NY.

Chris
Call/Text 631-252-9785

More pictures to come tomorrow...

455Olds

Picture of the cowl tag...

455Olds

350 views and not a single comment? Do you guys have any opinions on my price point or how I've represented the car? I'm going out right now to get pictures of the rusty areas.

I also have some parts for sale along with the car. I'm offering them up to the buyer first before starting a parts thread on here.

OAI air cleaner assy.-- very nice
7040263 Carb-- all replated and fresh
sport steering wheel (beautiful)
very nice black dash pad
correct driveshaft for 455/4 speed
correct intake manifold
new black carpet
beautiful hurst bench seat shifter
repro parts place rear spolier

z11375ss

Don't take offense to no replies. There are a lot of guys looking at your post. It's a MAJOR project, not numbers matching. If it were a car with the original drivetrain intact I bet interest would soar. But it's not. It's just another 442 bench post car. Nothing special. I have no idea if your price is too low or too high. It is obviously higher than people want to pay because you still own it. Glwts.

RetroRanger

Without actually seeing the car and any rust I agree w Z, price may be little high, but that's just a guess cuz I haven't really looked at it....that plus if you sell a black 4 speed 442 theres interest ( your title). But if you sell a rusty project automatic theres a lot less interest lol. So in essence the title of the thread generated a lot of the interest, some of that initial enthusiasm waned at automatic rusty and welded driveshaft.

z11375ss

How the heck did that thing get balanced anyhow?

nj_cutlass72

the hood on the roof or driveshaft?

nj_cutlass72

on a serious note, convert back to 4 speed and it will sell b4 you know it!

z11375ss

That's a special cowl induction.

455Olds

If you saw the hood, you wouldn't care that it was balanced on the roof. It not original, and it became a sail at some point in it's past when someone forgot to lock the hood down. The underside is separated from the top, and it would be prohibitively expensive to repair. I take no offense to any comments or opinions in here, as that's the definition of an open forum. After all, I asked for them. We're all here for the same reason-- we love Oldsmobile.

As for the driveshaft, it was likely never balanced. It's scrap. This car was slated for a full restoration, body off the frame, but it's a lot to handle with a new wife and new house (read: fixer-upper). It's a big project, and that's no secret. This car is an ideal project for someone who can do sheet metal work himself competently. Here are a few honest pictures of the rust and interior... Honest, not glamorous.

455Olds

One more...

z11375ss

Wow! Swiss Cheese! Good luck man.

455Olds

Thank you for the good luck wishes. It's a floor pan, a trunk pan, inner wheelhouse repair, and two new lower quarters. I've seen much worse brought back from the dead. They're not making any more 1970 black, four speed, 442s any time soon. I, for one, think this one deserves to be saved. At this point, I'm likely going to hold onto it until the funds are available to get it back on the road. Just seeing what's out there...

StickW31

Any idea where the original drivetrain went?

z11375ss

I like the car. Bench, 4 speed, black. It's a lot of work. If you can do that kind of stuff I would keep it too.

Dave Siltman

The car does have some advantages, but it has some disadvantages, too. IMO, unless it would be a passion to do that particular car, you'd be "spinnin' your wheels". I agree with Jim on the black/white, stick, etc., but there isn't enough left of the original car to make it worthwhile----you could get upside down REAL QUICK!!!!!

z11375ss

Oh, heck. I hadn't even thought of that. I had thought of that as a given!

455Olds

First of all, PRICE DROP TO $5,000


I wish I knew. I'd drive anywhere to get my hands on it.

To me, all of the things that made it "nothing special" back in 1970 make it special nowadays. It's a low option car. It's fun to sit and speculate about why someone ordered a low option, lighter, post car 442 with a bench and 4 speed. I always thought of Oldsmobile as "going fast with class". Why not order a stripped down Camaro or Chevelle? Judging by the condition, this car was used up well and gave a lot of people a lot of fast (and hard) miles. Hopefully I can keep it somehow and give it the attention it deserves without losing my shirt in the process.

Is a restoration of this magnitude ever a money-making venture? Very rarely, in my experience. If we all sat down with our receipt folder, I think we'd find that most of us have $40k into a car worth $25k more often than not. It's just the nature of the beast.

RG70442

With a 71 front end and the original drivetrain missing I would verify the vin on the frame matches the dash vin plate, should be on the driver's side.

nj_cutlass72

vin on the frame, had no idea, where exactly again? thx

455Olds

The VIN on the door sticker matches the dash VIN plate. I will try and get pictures this weekend confirming the VIN matches if you can elaborate on where the frame VIN stamping is and how I can access it. Thanks!

455Olds

Anybody out there? Willing to make someone a nice package deal with the car including all the nice parts I listed above.

455Olds

Any trade offers?

455Olds

Open to offers for the car by itself -OR- the car with all of the restoration parts included.

oldsdoctor

What is the rear-end 12bolt or 10 bolt later model? Maybe I missed it, the 71-72 hood is it original and what does it look like underneath if original? Can you get it to StLouis?

455Olds

The rear end is the original unit with 3:42 posi and all heavy duty 442 suspension intact. The hood is all fiberglass, and badly damaged. I can get the car to St. Louis for the price of shipping from NY, sure.

455Olds

I'm on the fence now about keeping the car and starting the restoration in stages, beginning this summer. I am still open to trades and offers. If I decide against restoring it, and I have real interest here, I may start selling a few parts in my stash...

OAI air cleaner assy.-- very nice $800
7040253 (4 speed) Carb-- all replated and rebuilt $600
sport steering wheel (beautiful) $275
very nice black dash pad $250
correct driveshaft for 455/4 speed $125
correct intake manifold $200
new black ACC carpet $100
beautiful hurst bench seat shifter $450
repro (Parts Place) rear spolier $225

455Olds

Still for sale... Someone out there needs this project.

455Olds

Bump... trades?

buzz lightyear

Are you selling parts from your stash??

455Olds

PM sent.

455Olds

Some interest in parts, but not much. Lots of local tire kickers and guys who like to send a cryptic text at 3:30 AM on a weeknight. Plenty of guys who have not read the ad at all, and just call instantly after looking at the pictures. I love when they kick off the conversation with "does the car have the original motor?" or "is there any rust?" Funny how that coincides with the exact moment I hang up the phone.

Oh well, I guess I'll keep bumping this until someone gets serious...

455Olds

price drop to $4750

RetroRanger

LOL i know right who are those people and what are they thinking ( or not thinking I guess)

455Olds

They must be unemployed or insomniacs, or some combination of both!

JOHNNYOLDS442

Still forsale? i was wondering what parts you have left?

455Olds

Still for sale Johnny! The OAI air cleaner is sold, spoiler is sold, and sport steering wheel is sold. Everything else still available. I'll go back and update the parts list.

455Olds

Beginning of summer BUMP. Still open to offers, trades, bartering, whatever.

455Olds

Deposit received. SOLD pending payment.

455Olds

SOLD

Thanks for the ad space CO! The UPS man is the one who got it sold for me, though.