FlatOut442

I've told a few members in another thread about buying a 1978 Olds Cutlass 442 (Salon body style). Since the Salon body was not a totally hot seller, most resto companies don't make these parts. Would anyone here know where I might be able to get some of the trim pieces around the rear window & side windows? I'm totally lost on this. Your help will be greatly appreciated.

FlatOut442

Here is a link to some of the pics of the 442 project that I am undertaking. http://imageevent.com/sccagto/project442

HAFROD

When you say TRIM, do you mean new window felts or the stainless below the side windows? If you want the new outer felt strips, you will have to buy them for a 78,79, 80 Malibu and buy 2 sets. They are the same length on the doors and just cut down the rears. I ordered my felt kit, door seals, and roof rail seals from Dixie Monte Carlo Depot. They were the cheapest. You might have a surprise under your rear lower window trim like I did!!! RUUUUST!!!!

FlatOut442

I mean the stainless trim that goes around the rear slant window. The side windows for the back seat I'm not as worried about. I have already seen that I've got some rust in the rear window area. I'm a little busy this weekend, so this week after work I've got a lot of chores to do on the 442.

FlatOut442

Progress Update:

Today I got just enough time at work to do a basic tune up. Simple things: spark plugs, wires, dist. cap & rotor & a new coil. After fighting to get the car to start before the tune up, it jump started (dead battery) on the first try & ran under it's own power. Now onto making it pass my county's emissions test.

Atdog

Hey Flatout442: If you want to bypass the emissions test, I can let you use my address in Bedford County!
I've heard of people doing that...
by the way-nice car!

FlatOut442

Sadly, we both drive Dakotas as vehicles for work. And we got Oldsmobiles at nearly the same time. And, we are in neighboring counties. Twilight Zone theme plays Some of my co-workers also threw the idea of getting antique tags at me. But, knowing my luck, I'd be the first person they know of to get caught driving daily with it. police.gif I'm gonna have a new catalytic converter put on it & try again.

HAFROD

This is weird! I had saved some pics to my computer of a 442 off ebay for stripe reference. This is your car isn't it???? I know where the rear window trim is! But no trunk trim! There is a salvage about an hour from me that had a 4-door aeroback. I had bought the taillights from it. I'm going back next week to get a rear sway bar off an 84 Cutlass. I'll let you know!

HAFROD

OOOPS, that 1st pic is my ebay score of HOTWHEELS FLAT OUT442's. Here's the other pic!

FlatOut442

That is the Ebay car I picked up. I'm actually proud of my normally unmotivated self. In the last 3 days, I've done a tune-up, had to have a cat put on (& passed) & got it tagged and registered. I guess I really wanted to do this project. ha ha ha.

I'd gladly like to know where that salvage yard is. I'm guessing you are in or near Tennessee? If not, then I might not be able to drive that far.

HAFROD

I'm in OKLAHOMA!!!! I'll get them and you can send me a money order and I'll mail them to you! If that's cool??????

FlatOut442

It's cool if I can find out how much it would cost before you go through the work of removing it. You say you know where the rear window trim is but not the trunk trim. Since I don't have any trim at all back there, I'm not sure what piece(s) of trunk trim you mean.

HAFROD

PM me your phone number. When I go to the guys place and get a price, I'll call you. I'll get a pic tomorrow of the piece you need for the top of the decklid. You might have to grind the rivet heads off, weld up the 2 end holes and smooth it completely cause I don't see you finding that specific piece of trim!!!! I go to different salvage yards all the time and if I find it, I'll get ahold of you!

FlatOut442

Do you want to hear something funny, Hafrod? I was so interested in getting the car in basic driving condition that I hadn't checked out too much else with the car. So today while I was fixing the license plate frame & cleaning the tail lights, I checked in the trunk. Guess what I found. The mysterious trunklid trim. Also present were several other pieces of trim for the front & rear windows. That's not to say that I couldn't use another set in really good condition.

HAFROD

Man, you got lucky!!!!!

Kaline

I hope you "experienced" 1978 442 guys can help me out:

My step-sister's boyfriend just bought a fairly decent 1978 442 with 85K miles on it. It appears to have the 260ci V8, auto trans, nearly 100% complete (only the AC compressor and radio seem to be missing), very little rust and runs/drives decent. The VIN is 3G87F8M418236. We want to verify what engine is actually in the car (incase the engine was swapped with another Olds engine) so we can get the proper tune-up parts for it and learn anything else we can from the numbers on the car. My questions:

1. How do you decode the VIN on this 1978 442?
2. Where are the engine numbers? How do you decode them?
3. Where can I find general info on the 1978 442 (options, numbers built, etc)

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks