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I'm a long time Olds fanatic who just purchased the 77 442 that was being sold out of Canada last year with only 16k miles on it that was previously owned by Berejik Olds. I bought it from the local guy who bought it from the Canadian dealer in Ontario. I've previously owned a 70 Cutlass Supreme my parents bought new, a 76 Cutlass Y76 bought new, a 78 Holiday 88, a 79 Hurst and an 85 442.
I will be posting much more detailed pics soon but I'm not entirely convinced the mileage is accurate. Although very clean and rust free underneath, the lower half is very chipped up with drips and runs in some of the black paint. The white upper portion is lacquer and appears to be original.
Mechanically, a good friend owns a Goodyear shop and he has replaced all of the rubber bushings in the front and rear suspension with Kanter parts. The originals were dried out and cracked. The oil pan is leaking but that is the only leak found and is being addressed. The trans fluid looked original (dark brown) but very clean inside the pan. The rear diff fluid came out in a solid mass when the cover was taken off but no wear was evident in the gears or clutch packs. I replaced all brake components with Delco parts except for rotors, they looked original and were like new. The shocks were leaking (originals) and replaced with KYB. The temp sensor doesn't work and is being replaced.
I am going to replace hoses, belts and coolant including the thermostat. The carb needs a little work as it hesitates when accelerating. Plugs look original and will be replaced with new Delcos.
The tires are from 2001 so am replacing with new Goodyear repros from Kelsey.
I'm debating on whether I repaint it. Part of me says yes and part says no if it truly has only 16k on it. It just seems rough paint wise for 16k but mechanically seems like it might be. I'll post better pics soon but I've attached the dealer invoice and a crappy exterior pic until then. Suggestions and opinions are welcome.
Nice car, I'm familiar with the history of it the last few years. On your paint drips and runs, my original paint 76 442 built in Arlington, Texas has 4 or 5 paint sags, hardened drips in the upper color and a large spot (approximately 18" by 10") on the rear passenger quarter where a hose or paint suit brushed the still wet paint causing the metallic to be concentrated at the edges of the contact. Whoever applied my lower color did a much better job. So your paint defects could certainly be original. Personally I wouldn't paint it. It will only have original paint once and white cleans up and restores better than most colors. Oldsmobile didn't build show cars but yours sure is clean. Hope to see more pictures. Welcome!
Nice car & congrats. interesting reviewing the window sticker. Figure what that AM/FM costs in today's $$? Also, cost more than the 403. Do you know if that increase is over a 350 or a 260?
replaced all of the rubber bushings in the front and rear suspension with Kanter parts.
Just so you know, those suspension parts don't need to be sourced from a restoration house - they are readily available from your local auto parts store. Moog is one of the popular rubber bushing suppliers.
Nice car & congrats. interesting reviewing the window sticker. Figure what that AM/FM costs in today's $$? Also, cost more than the 403. Do you know if that increase is over a 350 or a 260?
Thank you, I believe that the increase reflected the option increase over the base 260 or possibly the 231 V6.
Nice car, I'm familiar with the history of it the last few years. On your paint drips and runs, my original paint 76 442 built in Arlington, Texas has 4 or 5 paint sags, hardened drips in the upper color and a large spot (approximately 18" by 10") on the rear passenger quarter where a hose or paint suit brushed the still wet paint causing the metallic to be concentrated at the edges of the contact. Whoever applied my lower color did a much better job. So your paint defects could certainly be original. Personally I wouldn't paint it. It will only have original paint once and white cleans up and restores better than most colors. Oldsmobile didn't build show cars but yours sure is clean. Hope to see more pictures. Welcome!
Thanks for the welcome. I hope to have more detailed pics by this weekend.
What are everyone's thoughts on just repainting the black striping with the correct stencil? That part is by far the worst and I will post pics to show the condition.
interesting reviewing the window sticker. Figure what that AM/FM costs in today's $$?
That's why some folks would buy a car with the base AM radio and swap it out for a nice aftermarket AM/FM/cassette and set of speakers. You got a lot better music for less money.
Welcome... Great score for that body style... Personally, based on the vehicle history, I would keep it completely original right down to the paint... Remember it will only be original once and with today's standards vehicles of this type are highly sought after and in some instances actually do better at shows then highly restored vehicles...
Here are a few pics to refresh everyone's memory on this car. These were taken prior to my ownership but within the last two years. I will post more on Friday highlighting the paint issues.
As I promised, here are some better detail shots of the car. The amount of road rash is what makes me doubt the 16k mileage. However, the underbody is very clean and rust free. The undercoating is original. The car is most definitely a 20 footer but would you Olds fans leave it as is?
I'm pretty familiar with mostly all of the Berejik cars, my club would meet monthly in his warehouse/museum. I don't actually recall that car, and had known George since the late 90's. It could have been kept in a different place, it could have been one of his brother's cars, it could have been sold long ago. I can tell you that most of the Berejik cars are/were really low miles, and rarely driven after the first year or 2 they were bought. They typically are not the best kept cars in the world, with many defects and rust you wouldn't expect to see on low mile cars. That's the problem when you have many cars and are busy all the time!
I'm pretty familiar with mostly all of the Berejik cars, my club would meet monthly in his warehouse/museum. I don't actually recall that car, and had known George since the late 90's. It could have been kept in a different place, it could have been one of his brother's cars, it could have been sold long ago. I can tell you that most of the Berejik cars are/were really low miles, and rarely driven after the first year or 2 they were bought. They typically are not the best kept cars in the world, with many defects and rust you wouldn't expect to see on low mile cars. That's the problem when you have many cars and are busy all the time!
Interesting, the paperwork that I have shows it was sold by Berejik Motors on 3/26/2001 with 8383 miles on it. The lower paint condition is in very rough shape for those miles, though.
Virtually all of his cars had very poor condition undersides. He lived on Cape Cod, on the ocean, so there was a lot of salt in the air. George had some boats over the years, some of his 442's were used for towing. That means backing into the ocean unloading the boat and pulling out. He had a really nice 70 W30 vert he towed a boat with, and the topside was really nice and the underneath was very rusty. They also use a LOT of salt on the roads on the Cape. They get a LOT of snow there. George had like 3 buildings with cars, and some in other places. 2001...I think his dealership was still open, too. It could have been in there, we didn't go in there much. When he closed the dealership, he had to sell some stuff off. That's also around the time he became aware of his illness (cancer). His garage had car racks, they were stacked in there! Before he passed, he had maybe 20 left that I know of. I think there are still at least 12-15 cars left there on racks. It's most likely the true mileage. As he became more sick, his cars mostly just sat on the racks. At one time there were maybe 20 double racks with maybe 15 cars in the space between the racks, so you couldn't get at them easily. There was boats in there, an Olds Aurora powered Shelby, a 442 golf cart or ATV, a LOT of Olds go-carts ( I think Fusick bought those).
Underbody shots indeed seems a bit rough for the miles.
I have just other way around, underbody at 48k miles at odo is like a new, but AZ sun has burned the paint badly on exterior, and even cooked some interior plastics.
This is one bad shot at my underbody @48k miles. Pass the greasy axle, its currently on rebuild.
Last edited by Inline; November 27th, 2016 at 07:46 AM.
Glad I came across this post.
This is a very nice car and deserves all the work you are doing on it.
Rare for its year and the color combo is strikingly formal and looks right.
Yes, it is one of those rare 403 '77 442's for starters.
Then, secondly, it is a very original car. Good chance over its years of storage and little use, some things will show up with wear. That paint issue is a non factor to me. If the goal is un-restored stock original AACA preservation, well then let the nit pickers have their way, and by replacing worn parts for safety, that alone vanquishes that thought of untouched originality down to the last screw.
If George owned this car, I would be certain he had it back in the 1990's when he mentioned to me he had a '77 442 in storage.
Good shot it was this car when we spoke back in '96. I was starting my 10 year part search to restore my Olds. He sold my car new back in Nov. '76.
Never asked him at the shows or meetings about the '77 442 he had, but he would mention the lines and loved the colonnade style, sold a lot of them he said.
Also, he would search out with his brother and order or buy Olds that fit the Berejik sport/racing/performance model, with the super stocks, heavy duty this and that, bigger motors etc.
Was always fun to talk with him on that subject on how they ordered their cars.
So with that said, would not be surprised to see if this was in his collection at one point.
Don't know who in the club may have knowledge of this car, but a few people come to mind. Maybe reach out to them see if they remember anything and if anyone has some archive paperwork on it in George's literature files, you never know, and this may answer some of the originality question you have.
The interior alone, hands down, is original and VERY HARD to keep that nice in the white.
Usually it flakes away to crap and ages to a yellow patina. 442 emblem on console was added as a little tribute.
Did you find the build sheet under the rear seat? May not be there are certain lines producing didn't put them there, instead behind rear quarter trim or above tank I have seen.
Glad I came across this post.
This is a very nice car and deserves all the work you are doing on it.
Rare for its year and the color combo is strikingly formal and looks right.
Yes, it is one of those rare 403 '77 442's for starters.
Then, secondly, it is a very original car. Good chance over its years of storage and little use, some things will show up with wear. That paint issue is a non factor to me. If the goal is un-restored stock original AACA preservation, well then let the nit pickers have their way, and by replacing worn parts for safety, that alone vanquishes that thought of untouched originality down to the last screw.
If George owned this car, I would be certain he had it back in the 1990's when he mentioned to me he had a '77 442 in storage.
Good shot it was this car when we spoke back in '96. I was starting my 10 year part search to restore my Olds. He sold my car new back in Nov. '76.
Never asked him at the shows or meetings about the '77 442 he had, but he would mention the lines and loved the colonnade style, sold a lot of them he said.
Also, he would search out with his brother and order or buy Olds that fit the Berejik sport/racing/performance model, with the super stocks, heavy duty this and that, bigger motors etc.
Was always fun to talk with him on that subject on how they ordered their cars.
So with that said, would not be surprised to see if this was in his collection at one point.
Don't know who in the club may have knowledge of this car, but a few people come to mind. Maybe reach out to them see if they remember anything and if anyone has some archive paperwork on it in George's literature files, you never know, and this may answer some of the originality question you have.
The interior alone, hands down, is original and VERY HARD to keep that nice in the white.
Usually it flakes away to crap and ages to a yellow patina. 442 emblem on console was added as a little tribute.
Did you find the build sheet under the rear seat? May not be there are certain lines producing didn't put them there, instead behind rear quarter trim or above tank I have seen.
In any event, keep us posted on the car.
Pete
Thanks, Pete. You have made me rethink that maybe I shouldn't paint it, just leave it as is with the chipped up original paint (patina, anyone?).
I haven't looked for the build sheet yet but plan to.
I've enjoyed your story and pics on this car, and the comments too. I like a lot of restored/restomod cars but my favorites of late are the survivors. It appears you have one. I can appreciate that.
Would it still be a survivor if you had those stripes touched up? or in fact redone to reflect the overall appearance?
My parents special-ordered a 403 442 in 1977. I grew up in this and learned how to drive in this car in the midwest as our family car and waxed it multiple times. Although beautiful, I remember paint quality lacking with an occasional sags and runs. You should be able to support the stated mileage based on the condition of the interior, for example the rubber on the brake pedal and as mentioned the white hard plastic pieces.
Our car was white with maroon striping. I remember a lot of chips in the maroon near the ground. Any chip is going to show up worse with a dark color stripe over a white base.
I started to go to the annual car show at Berejik Oldsmobile back in 1996 and went every year until his dealership closed. I took a lot of photos of his collection when he displayed it in the service bays and out front of the dealership. I think I might have a photo of this car. I have boxes and boxes of photos from all the local shows I used to attend so it might take some effort but I think I can find it. Plus, it'll give me a reason to look through some of the boxes in my basement and start cleaning things out.
I found it! I may have another picture but this is the best I can do for now. You can see the 1979 Hurst/Olds that was in George's collection (that car is currently mine now), the white 1977 Cutlass parked to the left of it, and then the white 77 442 parked to its left! Although there isn't much of the car shown, I remember the car and can tell that's it. If you look at the rear quarter window it's totally different than the other 77 next to it. This was taken in 1996 or 1997 at the annual car show at his dealership in Needham, MA. He had a lot of nice cars in his collection.
In regards to your car... I would leave it alone. They're only original once!
I remember that show as well, I remember all 3 of these cars. I had just purchased my 79 H/O and Phil's 79 H/O (Berejik's back then). It's condition played a big part in my decision to get mine restored.
November 23rd, 2016, 08:51 AM
