4 speed tri carb, nice car. I dont know how to transfer the ad here. Maybe one of you can. Just Fyi.

 

Done;

1966 Oldsmobile 442 4-Speed for sale on BaT Auctions - ending March 5 (Lot #44,101) | Bring a Trailer

 

thanks

 

Nice car, but why would you make such a feeble attempt at adding the "T" to the stamping on the head, when you have its documentation?

 

Exactly my thought, but the ad does claim that a prior owner added the Tri-Carb setup.

 

What did you get with the $6.27 heavy duty manual steering?

 

RPO N38, though here it's $6.31. This page is from the Oct 1965 printing of the 1966 SPECS booklet.

 

A couple thoughts on this.
First regarding the Feeble T. I have a 1967 442 with the Protect-O-Plate and the number stamped on the head of my car has a Feeble G. I'm guessing that all the heads had the Vxxxxxx placed on the head during the machining process and that the G was added manually at engine assembly where it was determined if the engine was to be a 300 HP motor which had no suffix or a 350 HP motor that required a G. I'm not familier with 1966 cars with respect to having different suffix designations.
Second, it appears to me that the Protect-O -Plate in your screen shot has been altered with a sticker applied over the area where the numerical data is located and new data applied to the sticker. I have never seen a Protect-O-Plate like that before.

 

The seller admits in the ad that the tri-carb setup was installed by a prior owner. The "T" would not have been factory stamped.

 

Thank you Joe. I was wondering what ordering N38 got you for $6? A thicker relay rod? Different gear box ratio?

 

You piqued my interest, so I had to look it up. The parts book shows that the normal manual steering box is 24:1 ratio. The HD box (used in police applications) is 20:1.

 

Here's the metal portion of the P-o-P, looks legit.

 

Have you ever tried driving one with the HD quicker box? Damn near have to get the car moving before you can turn it. Ask me how I know.

 

I can see why. 20:1 is the ratio for power steering. It would be the same as driving a PS car with the belt off the pump.

 

Actually, most Saginaw PS boxes are in the 16:1 to 12.7:1 range. And in my young and stupid days, I did have a car with a PS box but no pump. Definite upper body workout.

 

At least you had a good ratio. I have had customers want to take the PS off their cars. When I tell them that they will have four and a half turns lock to lock they always reconsider, especially when they have suspension and/or tire upgrades.

Wasn't that in the later 60s and 70s? I found this on powersteering.com

"In the 1960’s , GM used, almost exclusively, a 20:1 ratio power steering gear in most of their cars. Some of the exceptions were the 1969 Camaro and some full size Pontiacs that had the popular 16/13:1 variable ratio power gearbox. Those that came with 20:1 ratios, turn a full 4 to 4.25 turns lock to lock. The cars with 16/13:1 ratios turned from 3.50 turns lock to lock to 3 turns lock to lock."



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in 1966 standard manual steering was spec'ed at 6.25 turns lock to lock, and the HD was 5.33.

 

Beautiful car, love the color combo. Looks like it was done well when restored.. Appears to be an honest seller as well.

 

With regard to the beautiful 442 sold on BringaTrailer: The body of the ad stated clearly that the TriPower was added during its restoration by a prior owner, A copy of the Dealer Shipping Order, included as a photo, does not list a TriPower Option, the POP stamp and metal plate do not include a T which would indicate a factory installation, no less than four (4) times in the questions from bidders, the seller indicated the TriPower was not factory installed and several more times participants made that point also! Understandable that not all readers would read the entire ad, photos and questions and answers as closely as the seller, that being me.

 

As pointed out in Post #5, above.