eou_edu

Just a warning this is the male equivalent of "do you think these shoes go with this outfit?"............... I have a 69 oldsmobile 442. I bought the car with two big stripes lined around the edge with two smaller stripes on the hood. I see similar things on other olds 442s and I'm not sure if it's stock or just a popular aftermarket add, or possibly dealer add. I'm going to have the car painted pretty soon and throwing around a few options:

1) Taking the stripes off and having the same detail painted on the hood.
2) Continuing the strips or paint to the trunk like the previous owner almost did before I bought the car. This would not be on the roof
3) Taking them off altogether and just going with one solid color
4) Changing it up and going with a vertical strip that goes down the side of the fenders on the "442" badge like some of them I've seen, I think convertible and vinyl tops mostly.
5) Not touching the stripes and just having the rest of the car painted. Cheapest option is often the best.

I'm not really obsessed with keeping things original. But when it comes to the choice of "original vs aftermarket" I usually like the look of more original. Did the 442 have any original stripes, other than a hurst olds?

droptopron

JMO but I like the hood stripes. They were an option on a 69 442. Phoenix sells a stencil or decals. You don't mention it, but hopefully the 442 emblems are going back on.
Re the trunk stripes, many people call them Chevelle stripes even though the 72 H/O came with them. Personally I wouldn't do it.

https://www.phoenixgraphix.com/gm/1969oldsw42.php

w/ just a pin stripe
https://www.phoenixgraphix.com/gm/1969oldsy73.php

The fender stripes you mention are 1968

Allan R

1. Same result
2. No, the 442 didn't have the gawdy Chevelle stripes on the deck lid. It did have thin reveal stripes around the tail lights and along the bottom of the deck lid though.
3. Another choice, less money.
4. NO. The W36 stripe was a 1968 442 option only. And to do it right the stripe and 442 numerals have to be placed in the correct position.
5. If the paint is in good shape, why not just have it cut and buffed?

I like Ron's idea - order stripe kit and install it. If you don't like it you can always remove it. They're just decals

Allan R

From the 1969 Cutlass Assembly Manual, here are the options for stripes on your car as per factory

don71

This is always a personal decision. I've owned my car a long time. From 1989-1999 I had stripes like yours. The 99 repaint I chose not to do it and am not dissapointed at all. I still wonder if a couple of narrow parallel pin stripes might look good though.

My logic would be to not do them. After some time and you really want them, it wouldn't cost too much to add them.

rcorrigan5

...and here's what they look like in real life!

Randy C.

Yellowstatue

Wasn't there also narrow hood stripes on '69 442's?

Allan R

See the middle diagram on my post

anthonyP

Unless a W-30, or an option when ordered, I prefer the standard hood pin striping on a '69 442. Sometimes less is better.

I think seeing a '69 442 with the standard hood pin striping is unusual nowadays, as '69 W-30 stripes on an Oldsmobile have become like the cowl induction hood scoop - now being the norm on almost every Chevy car or truck ever built.

For some unknown reason, the standard pin striping is hardly ever reapplied on the hood when a '69 442 is repainted, even when the trunk pin striping is reapplied.

Definitely dislike '69 W-30 stripes added to a '70 442 with the standard hood. The optional '69 type pin striping or the standard hood with no striping is rarely seen nowadays on a '70 442.

RetroRanger

im w Ron leave em on

Frisbee_k9