I came across this Canadian 72 442 optioned car. https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/...197011640.html

 

Nicely done car. Not many U codes so this is relatively rare.

 

Canadian Olds had better documentation than US Olds had back in 1972. Why is that?

 

There was a fire at the location where all the US Olds documentation was stored - up in flames. Canada carried its own records on Oldsmobile sold in Canada.

 

The real answer is that Oldsmobile had no reason to pay to store decades-old production records and simply threw them out. That was a boatload of paper. Pontiac was about to do the same until those records were rescued by what became PHS.

 

Got more photos of car. Rust bubbles popping up through paint. Not a good sign. Usually means there is major rust happening underneath the paint and the cars body was NOT prepped properly before repaint.

For a 20/20 car, it might be OK but maybe at $20k asking price, not $30k.

 

Would a 1972 Olds 442 have "C" heads?

This one does.

Also, what is the difference between a 396021F block and a 398021F block?

 

Look again, they should be GA heads. It's not unusual for the G to look like a C. Casting number above the center two exhaust ports will be 409100.

The difference is that you need to look again at that, too. That "8" is really a "6". Casting flash or grease can cause it to look like an "8".

 

It's definitely a C casting head. Here is the photo...

 

Well, obviously the heads have been changed. Any photos of the block casting number and VIN derivative stamp?

 

The car looks fairly stock now but with the AC ripped out the way it was you do need to question its history

 

The Canadian GM docs look legit so I believe the car is a real 442. What concerns me is the rust bubbles showing up underneath the paint. So that means there are problems on the sheet metal that would cost thousands to fix.

I doubt the block is numbers matching as it has "C" heads and other issues going on.