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Apologies for a shocking first post but I was hoping to get peoples opinions on a car I've found in Europe. I know the only way to find out what it really is would be to get the cowl tag, but the garage owner speaks literally no english and I don't want to pay $500 for a flight over nothing. I'm no expert hence the question but its appears to be a white 72 442 W30 Supreme bodied Cutlass with gold stripes.
Obviously I was hoping its some H/O Halo car but there are a few things that don't add up which suggest not. No H/O emblems and I read somewhere that all the 72 H/O cars came with a black interior. I also read however that they didnt offer a 442 pack on the Supreme in 72 hence I'm confused (is that true?). Granted I guess anyone could stick some 442 badges on anything but wanted to get peoples opinions. Some images of the car attached.
The VIN # in all 1972 442 W30s must have an X. Start there. If there is no X in the VIN then it is not a W30.
If I'm not mistaken, in 1972, W30s were not available in the Supreme body style unless it was a convertible or Hurst.
Run, don't walk, away from this car.
1) It is NOT a 442. No 442s were ever built using the notchback Supreme hardtop body
2) It has Cutlass Supreme, not 442 grilles
3) As noted above, the W30 motor was never installed in the Supreme notchback body EXCEPT for a handful of 1972 H/Os. The VIN on such a rare car MUST start out 3J57X2M... I can guarantee that the VIN on this car does NOT have that. You can count the number of H/Os built with W-30 motors on the fingers on one hand. Price for a real one would be well into six figures in USD.
4) The 1972 H/O did not have 442 emblems, and the handful of cars built with the W-30 motors did not have W-30 emblems. This car is neither.
This car is some home brew conglomeration of parts. Whatever the seller is claiming, it is likely a fabrication. No car ever came from the Oldsmobile factory looking like this.
It's kinda hard to tell for sure, but it looks like there's a 442 emblem on the glove box door. That would not be correct for a real 1972 442 and is likely part of the "home brew conglomeration of parts".
It's kinda hard to tell for sure, but it looks like there's a 442 emblem on the glove box door.
Heck, that's the least of the problems with this car. The 1972 442 that I owned in the 1980s also had a 442 emblem on the glove box - I put it there.
The bottom line is that this is appears to be a perfectly fine car for driving IF the price is right. Given that the photos show it in what appears to be an expensive dealership, I'm guessing the asking price is in the "real" 442 range. At that point, it is not a good deal for a "faux-four-two". FYI, real, documented 1972 W-30s sell in the US$35,000 range. Here in the US, this car would be worth at most US$15,000, depending on the engine and overall condition.
Of course, here in the US the owner would have to put up with constantly being told that it isn't a real 442 or W-30 every time you show it.
The VIN # in all 1972 442 W30s must have an X. Start there. If there is no X in the VIN then it is not a W30.
Just to clarify, the "X" that designates the L77 (W-30) engine option must be in the FIFTH position of the VIN. Olds also used the letter "X" to designate the Fairfax, KS assembly plant, but that would appear in the SEVENTH position of the VIN.
So it's on for just under $20K which may be a fair price if it's in decent condition but it's listed as a 1974 442 which is what peaked my interest as it suggests that he doesn't actually know what it is.
Although not either a 442 or a W30, its still a nice car thats been tastefully restored into a sweet driver. If you just want something nice to drive offer up less than asking price and enjoy it for what it is.
So it's on for just under $20K which may be a fair price if it's in decent condition but it's listed as a 1974 442 which is what peaked my interest as it suggests that he doesn't actually know what it is.
Well, as I noted above, assuming the car is as nice in person as it looks in the photos, $15K is not a bad price for a completed, driving car. It's not a 442, but one could drive it and enjoy it (assuming you can live with constantly being told it's a fake - though maybe not as much of a problem in Europe).
'V' in 5th position: 455 4bbl 4 speed, 270hp
'U' in 5th position: 455 4bbl automatic trans, 250hp
This is important on these cars. In '72 the value comes from being a factory 455 car. 442 was an option package on '72 and the value of a small block car isn't much more than a comparable Cutlass.
Maybe to much
