viper771

Hey everyone! I got a 442 a little while back, and I have been trying to do as much research on it as I can. I think they are cool looking cars. I posted some picts of it on cardomain:http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2554680

I traded in a nissan truck I was trying to sell + a little loot for it. My wife and I are stationed in germany right now (i just got back from kuwait) so the car is being stored at a relatives house back in the states. I have only started it ONCE since I bought it

Anyway, the body is straight. The guy I brought it from said it was a turnpike cruiser at one time. Bench seat, column shift, prob the 400 CI with the 2 b carb, etc. He took out the bench seat, put in some buckets for now, it has a ratchet shifter in it, and a 455 engine out of a tornado, I think. The heads are Ga heads out of a 72? W30. There are headers on the engine right now, but I plan to put on stock manifolds on it, and put everything back to stock on a 455. I guess someone in the past also filled in the holes on the trunk lid for the lower trim and the rocket emblem. There is no rust on the car, except for a bit on the rear passenger side quater window right below the drip rails. Hopefully I can get that fixed without having to re do a lot of the paint job.

The back window leaks a bit into the trunk. The trunk is coated with some kind of black coating like you would find in a truck bed. The interior looks shot, BUT it came with a new interior, dash, everything. The car came very complete.

I need to get the bucket seat braces and center console braces welded in so everything can go in correctly. I hope you guys can give me some info since I don't know a whole lot about 442s. Let me know what you think of the car. Thanks!!

joe_padavano

Cool. I've always thought the 68s were the best looking 442s. The 2bbl carb was actually an option in 68 (the 290 hp Turnpike Cruiser package), but on a 400 motor. There was never a 2bbl Toro motor, so the original intake must have been put on the 455. 68s used the X/Y exhaust manifolds that do not flow as well as the 69-72 W/Z manifolds, but the latter will bolt in if you don't care about complete correctness.

The water leakage is a bad sign, and the fact that the previous owner coated the inside of the trunk tells me it's been going on for a while. You may be lucky and find that it's the trunk weatherstrip or the rear window sealant, but these cars are notorious for rust in the pinchweld area where the window seals. The metal rusts through due to debris being caught under the chrome trim. Welding in new metal is the only real solution. Good luck.

viper771

Yeah, think the 68 and 70/71 442s were the coolest looking. Yeah, thats right about the turnpike cruiser option. I ment the orig engine was gone. I did get some x/y manifolds, but would they bolt in on a 455? I would like to get an orig intake and carb if I can. right now I think the intake and carb are edelbrock ones and I don't really like edelbrock. I like things looking more stock.

I hope there isn't a lot of rust in the pinchweld area. I took a look around but didn't see anything from underside. But I guess I won't know for sure until I pull the back window out. Hopefully I made a good decision with this car. I am pretty sure it isn't a cutlass S clone. The engine runs strong, but the exhasut leaks somewhere. Its a work in progress, so I can't complain too much

joe_padavano

All big blocks use the same heads and exhaust port locations, so manifolds bolt up just fine. As an example, the 68 Hurst/Olds used the X/Y manifolds on the Toro 455.

viper771

Ah thats good news to me! thanks! Now just for an intake and carb, and ill be happy with the engine, unless I can find better heads than the Ga heads on it now. thanks for the info

2blu442

Cool looking car, welcome to the world of Oldsmobiles! If your not sure it's a factory 442 or a clone check the vin number on the dash. The 1968-71 442's should all start with 344. The 3 is Oldsmobile division and all 442's are the 4400 series. Convertible is 4467, Sports Coupe (post car) 4477, Holiday Coupe (hardtop) 4487. John

Olds64

Nice car. Welcome to the site. Where in Germany are you stationed? I am currently in Ft. Sill, OK with the US Army.

viper771

I think I did check the vin, but i can't remember what it said now. I read on 442.com that some of the 68 442s didn't have the 344 if they came from the lansing MI plant, or something like that. I will have to look into it again when i find out where i wrote down the vin #. I do know it is a holiday coupe. Come to think it, i think it said 34487. But I will have to check on that. It should have the boxed control arms. Someone took out the rear sway bar, but I already have one to put back on.

Olds 64, my wife is active army and is stationed in landstuhl at the hospital. I am reserve and my unit is in Kaiserslautern. My cousin is out of Ft Sill, he is a forward observer and is on his 2nd tour in afgan right now.

Thanks for the help fellas! OH, what are some good places that sell resto parts. I found fusick.com, but are there some others you can recommend? I also have a 68 GTO convertible and a 56 chevy bel air I am working on. I think I am going to try and sell the 56 to fund my other 2 projects

Olds64

Check it out BATTLE!

http://www.kanter.com/
http://www.yearone.com/
http://www.supercar.com/
http://www.rockauto.com/
http://www.gmobsolete.com/

viper771

Thanks! Hooah to that!!!!!

joe_padavano

I wrote that on 442.com and you don't quite have it right. ALL 1968 442s have a 344... VIN. Most came with Cutlass body data plates from Fisher Body, however. This is well documented in the 1968 and 69 Fisher Body Manuals.

viper771

Yes, you are right. My vin is 34487, i was thinking about the cowl tag. The cowl tag # didn't match up and I thought that ment I didn't have a real 442. But my vin is legit, which is good. Yeah, after I wrote that I took a look at 442.com and saw that I was just mixed up hehe thanks for the heads up though I do appreciate it!!

Jolly Green

Anybody have an idea where I could buy a trunk lid filler panel for between the rear window and trunk? So far that's the only place I have rust.

joe_padavano

What body style? The only repro panels I'm aware of are the ones for the 70-72 Supreme hardtop and the 66-67 Cutlass hardtop and sport coupe.

Jolly Green

Unfortunately a 68. I may be able to save the original panel but I have to get the window out first to check.

Olds64

Again, I wonder if a Chevelle panel would fit the Cutlass for the same year? I know Chevelle panels are a dime a dozen.

joe_padavano

Are you talking about the stamping that includes the package shelf and the upper lip of the trunk weatherstrip? If so, this panel is the same on all 68-72 A-body "fastback" hardtops and sport coupes. It is not reproduced to my knowledge. There is no exposed sheet metal panel between the top of the trunklid and the chrome trim at the base of the back window on these cars.

Jolly Green

Sorry I should have been more specific. Yea, the only bubbling rust I can find is on the inside at the bottom of the rear window, so I believe that would be the package shelf and all. I haven't gotten the window out yet, so it may not be too bad.