I have a '72 that appears original and the previous owner swears was a factory 442. Don't know how he would know without documentation, but that's what he said. It has the 442 emblems, but not the wide side stripes that go from the quarter panels,over the wheel wells, across the door,and across the fender. It looks like the front fender emblems would have to be moved up, because if I add the stripes, they would go across them. It now has a piece of molding that goes from the front fender to the quarter panel above the 442 emblems. I don't see that on other 72's but this car is a convertible, so maybe it's a convertible thing ? It also has some thin pin strips on the hood, sides, and trunk, but they are vinyl so I guess they were an add on. They aren't really that noticable. My question is, should I add the side stripes or leave the molding on it ? The molding prevents other car doors from dinging the paint. If I add the side stripes to the sides, trunk and hood, should they be painted or would vinyl hold up? Since it is a '72, does it really matter ?

 

You should post some pics. But the die molding could have been added my aprev. owner to, as you suggest, protect against door dings. Also, not all 70-72 442s had the wide side or hood stripes, and is seems that many who add these end up doing them badly anyway.

 

NOT SURE WHICH ROUTE YOU WANT TO TAKE WITH YOUR STIPES BUT I USED TEMPLATE TO PAINT MINE ON.

http://www.stencilsandstripes.com/pr_olds.asp

 

The wide side stripes were only factory installed on W-30 cars (and W-31s in 1970), but it seems like every 1970-72 that gets repainted now has them...

If the side moulding you are referring to is stick-on rub molding, it likely isn't factory.

 

If it has the side moldings, I don't think that came with any of the 72 442s. Could be wrong, just have never seen it. The Assembly manual for 72 doesn't show extra piercing for a molding on the front fender; just the 442 numbers and the w-30 badges. The thin striping you are talking about was definitely part of the W29 appearance package for 442, but the wide stripe I believe was reserved for the W30 cars.

Not all 72 442's will look the same when it comes to striping. This one is claimed to be a restored 72 442 is a 350/350 3:23 posi. Note hood decals and side. This matches Assembly manual pics. According the the manual, the hood stripes were decals in 72, don't know about the side ones though
RarePair72w29_0001.jpg?t=1288551604

or exterior trim. This is claimed to be an unmolested 72 442 (about 4800 actual miles) owned by Tom Krause. 455/400 3:42 posi There are no hood decals, just side ones.
DSC01906.jpg

This 72 442 has the wide stripes you were referring to? It is a 455/400 with W-25 and the W29 appearance package
1972RarePair_0003.jpg?t=1313360853

Note that in all 3 pics, the 442 emblems appear to be in exactly the same place? Keep in mind that body side moldings could have been added to the car, or the PO could have added the 442 emblems. Like you said in your OP, there's no real way of knowing? If you pop off the side body rail, and the plastic fastener is held by a pop rivet or screw, it was added afterwards - the factory welded little pins to the door to fasten the clips on). Piercing the skin for 442 emblems is not hard to do, just need a good template. One of our members has a 72 vert 442 clone with body side moldings. (ref: Lady72n'Rob71) But, no stripes. His car looks like this and you can see the 442 numbers are higher because of the molding. He represents the car as a clone, not an original 442. He would be a good source of info on your car as you go through your build.

 

Thanks guys. The car is having some work done on it right now, but I'll take pictures as soon as it's drivable again. That may answer some questions. May be a few weeks.

 

I had a silver w/black stripe 72 442 non-W30, with a 350 and 3 on the floor way, way back when. Car was pretty much all original. Hood stripes were decals, but the side pin stripes were painted on. I think prior to 72 on 442, all stripes were painted on.

 

If this was a 442, I wonder why it had the rocker mouldings since they would've been deleted for the W29 option...unless they decided to add them during the restoration. Also there is no 'Oldsmobile' emblem on the hood, unless that only came on 455 W-29 cars (?) or maybe the hood came from another non-W29 car. Man sounds like i've owned '72 Cutlasses waaaayyy too long .

 

I appreciate your comments and am not defending the mag pic or write up. I was only providing pics to help with the striping question from the OP. You are most likely 100% on the issues mentioned, I can find no evidence in the mag write up one way or another. It just says the car was an original 72 442 with 38K miles found in Joplin Missouri. The articles are from Feb 91. Also one thing I believe is wrong for this car is the back wing. According to my AM, the wing was discontinued in 71 - Maybe some were built in 72 with that carryover or it was added during resto - but it seems to add to the cars look.

It's a beautiful car either way, and I wouldn't care one way or another if I owned it. It presents very well. On a personal note, I actually like the look of the rocker chrome better than the bare rocker - but that's just my opinion.

Your W29 442 is another example of a fine looking Olds and your pride of ownership shows.

 

Alan, I was just looking at the pic for the W29 details and correctness. Correct or not, i'd entertain having mine towed to the local salvage yard if offered that one .

 

Dang, 72 w29, that was some good observations. I remember my 72 442 did not have the lower chrome piece and 442 standard hoods did come with the Oldsmobile script.

Also, and I can't exactly tell on that brown car, the hood stripe looks like it's just one. Maybe it's just my eyes. To be correct it would be two stripes. I'm just not seeing body color inbetween. And for some reason the side stripes look way to "thick" for lack of a better discription. The Tom Krause car looks more like originals that I remember, obviously. Maybe not enough space between the stripes or something makes it look odd to me. At least they didn't drop them down on the body line like most mistakenly do.

 

69HO43 I agree with your observation on the side stripes. It looks like one stripe to me also. I wonder what the vinyl kits have in them ? One stripe or two? I'd like to see some paint between the stripes too. It looks good either way, but my preference would be two stripes.

 

I think what you meant to say is that this W-29 car has the W-30 package, which would include the W-25 hood and wide side stripes, correct?

 

Yes, that car has the stripes I was referring to. I thought all 442 stripes were the same. Are they all different, and if so, what are the differences ?

 

In 2008 it definitely had hood stripe decals. What a fantastic car this is, by the way... Is Tom Krause the current owner? It went from NH to Ohio in 2007 or so and that's the last owner I was aware of.

DSC05028.jpg

Terry

 

I'm looking at the pics from Muscle cars and the hood stripes are correct. There is a wide one on the inside flanked by a narrow one on the outside. I think the reason you're seeing a lack of defintion could be the light conditions of the pic shoot. There are actually 3 stripes on the side of restored car. and I think the brightness of the white on saddle bronze makes them overpower the lens. If you look at Toms car the angle is different, catching less glare or reflection.

Yes.

Terry, as far as I know Tom is still the owner. He emailed me some detail pics of the 455 back in late 2009 or early 2010. He also produces oil filler decals he claims are more GM correct than most of the ones currently on the market. If you hear anything different, please feel free to update us. From what I understood in my emails with him, he had no plans to sell it.

Here's a better pic showing the actual detail of the side stripe on Toms car. I believe they are decals - note the chipping on the leading edge of the front door, and unevenness approaching the wheel curve
DSC01863.jpg

I like this shot because it also shows the rear deck striping details
DSC01918.jpg

DSC01912.jpg

 

Looks like Tom is affiliated with Dave Perry of Ohio in some way. Dave had this car at the N. Ohio show in 2008 and also at the Nationals in PA in 2009, and he was selling those decals at the N. Ohio show. Also, I printed out the Ebay listing for this car when it was for sale in ~2001/2002 - I think it was in MA at the time before going to NH. I'll try to find and scan that Ebay listing....
Terry

p.s. - my '72 442 also has its original thin side stripes that are decals as well.

 

How did this get in here?
As far as I know, there is zero W29 correctness in the striping or mouldings. This is just how the car came... I may try to make it correct later. I do look forward to putting on the hood stripes though. She needs some makeup........
She was repainted, so it is probably a 'one of none' creations...

 

Rob, it was a shameless plug for Lady.

No, actually it wasn't. It was in reference to the OP comment that his 72 Supreme vert was allegedly a 442 and also had body side moldings, which as you know simply not done back then. Including your sigpic was not a reference to striping or decals. I think the makeup you put on her already makes her shine. Specially when she has that lovely young lady friend of yours sitting on the top of the back seat

 

My 72's W29 side and trunk stripes were painted on from the factory. As were all the 71 442s I ever owned.

Tom's car appears to me to have painted on side stripes from that close up. Trust me, the original pinstripes looked like that on most applications. They weren't interested in 100 point quality control back then.

 

Those wide side stripes are RAD. That car looks so much cooler than the others.

I'd usually insist that adding them if they weren't originally there (on a collector car lucky enough to have made it this far with most/all of its OEM parts) would be bush league--but couldn't blame you if did.

Can't you tell whether it's a factory 442 by some code on the cowl tag?

 

Leave it original (ie no stripes). Was your 442 repainted?