It happened again. At a show over the weekend, a father showing his young son my car and I overhear him say, "You see those numbers, 4-4-2? It means 4 barrel, 4-speed, and dual exhaust. This car is an automatic which means it's not a real 442."
REALLY?!!! I just bit my tongue.

I guess it's better than when people say, "My brother had a Chevelle just like this!"

 

Well he is kinda right, 4 speed automatic.
http://home.comcast.net/~1972olds442...s_442_mean.htm

 

Think of that as an opportunity to educate/ get educated.

Listen to why they assert that position. Maybe we have been wrong all these years just because we believe the factory literature and such.

Wait 'til they find out that the '72 442 was available with the 250 2-bbl engine.

 

Lol this reminded me of when I was at a show and this guy is like wow look at that Chevell as his gf tell him it says cutlass on the fender !!!
It took every thing in me not to laugh

 

I love those. At a traffic light this week a little guy maybe 9 or 10 says sweeet ride and I give him a thumbs up. At the light he asks if it's a GTO. I say no it's an Olds 442. He shrugs his shoulders and says "It's still a sweeet ride even if it's not a GTO." I gave him another thumbs up....

 

"This car is an automatic which means it's not a real 442."

being a 72 442 owner this single statement drives me up the wall with people!
Instead I usually show them what it means 4 tires 4 you to see 2 tail pipes disappear

 

My cars kinda new on the scene. A guy I have known for years was looking at it last week and I overheard him tell somebody else about his friends SS442. I just let it go anymore.

 

At least they dont ask if it has a 442 in it. I used to get that all the time in my Cutlass. I would explain 442 is not the engine size.

 

Should have told him that he was wrong and that only Chevrolet had the SS package and that yours was a really rare Go Package 442 which should not be confused with the Drag Package that was offered on the earlier R/T 442's.

 

I do get asked if the engine is a 442, so those people are not gone from the face of the planet. while its tempting to further someones ignorance I think it might get too tricky to remember it all. The last time i "encouraged" someone was when I took my '69 el camino by my buddies and his neighbor and a friend boozily wandered across the street to check it out. The buddy leans over the tailgate with a beer bottle in his hands (the bed is as immaculate as the hood so this did not rub me well) and says "so whats this a '79?" I commended him for his knowledge and had to leave rather abruptly. Some people.

 

"Does that have the four forty two engine in it"? I have heard this many times, by guys commenting on 442's at shows.

 

The fact that the air cleaner decal says '442' just adds to the confusion over it being the engine size.

 

Just be glad you don't own an early to mid 60's Buick, in which case the torque rating often appeared on the air cleaner decal.

 

Must be what attracted the aliens!

 

I think you did the right thing, why embarrass his son.

 

Good point.

 

When I owned my 83 H/O I got really frustrated when people would comment "Nice Monte!" I'd usually tell them I was insulted by their comments and would spend a little time educating them. That was usually followed by "Oh, sweet!"

 

I have a co worker that was talking last week about the 445 & 465 Wildcat motors, I opted not to correct him.

 

At least he didn't ask if it was a "four forty two" that really bugs me. It's a four four two, the numbers mean something! But I guess the "forty two" could stand for the number of feet that I win the race by

 

It's our job to edumacate the dirty masses. Don't be shy ... speak out. Just make sure you know what you're talking about when you do.

 

can you imagine how I feel when someone says "wow nice 442"!!!!! LOL

 

What is the definition of 442 here?

 

Wishful thinking.

 

actually I prefer the novice clueless folks who seem to welcome learning the history of what 442 means. What I hate to deal with is the folks who spend their whole time trying to prove my W30 isn't a W30. UGH, that gets real old - especially when at least I drive mine and its not in a bubble in the living room (which by the why I understand and respect those that do that as well)

 

A guy walked by my 67 Track Pack and said, he put such a big engine in it he had to put the battery in the trunk.

 

A rich friend of a friend told me he was looking to buy a musclecar. He was asking me what I thought was the best value etc. I recommended a SS chevelle to him. He then asked, "Who makes that?" I told him, "We are done." I walked away. Mind you he was a Korean born and raised in the US that drove expensive exotics. I told him to stick with those and leave the old stuff to guys like us.

 

My ex wife asked that same question....and thats why she my ex wife

 

turd!

 

Ha Ha ! That's funny .

 

Hey! I like that body style. I remember a lady on my street had one when I was a kid. It was a diesel though. I just wanted to ride my bike and do a jump off the trunk

The worst I got was a guy looking my engine and telling me I had a BBC in the car. When I calmly told him it was an Olds 350, he insisted that I was wrong and didn't know what I was talking about.

The really sad part, is how my Alero is dissed at Homecoming Won't miss going there anymore

 

My brother in law Just gave me the what does it have in it a 442 ? Nice

 

After dealing with my engine rebuild/engine compartment project over the last several months, I have found out what 442 really stands for.....

4 steps forward
4 steps back, and do everything
2 times.

 

X2
Brother. Well said.....

 

Can't say but the one I had was a two barrel $hitty engine, four speed, and single exhaust.

 

About 8 years ago, I pull into a business in my 72 Cutlass Convertible. One of the employees of the business was late-20's/early-30's, and was obviously enchanted with the car. When I walked in, he looked at me and said "Niiiiiiiiiice car! What is it, though?"
me: "It's a Cutlass"
him: "NICE!!! Cutlass, hmm.... who made those?"
me: "Oldsmobile"
him: "Oldsmobile? Is that a GM brand?"

I thought I was on another planet!

 

I get the same thing with my 63 Riviera. The engine decal says "445" on it so most people thing that's the engine size. Then I have to explain that it's the torque the engine is putting out. Even had a couple of people say to me, "are you sure" . I just smile.

 

The problem is people today. Be it at a car show or just walking thru the mall, nobody is wrong.

There is no shame in asking questions about a car at a car show. If you show interest in a car and ask the owner a question, he's not going to send you away, he'll act like your bestest buddy

 

X2 and real car people love seeing the under dogs at times

 

And it is nice to be able to tactfully
clarify an Olds injustice if you can.

They will have questions and or remarks.

 

Just came across this maybe I am wrong but don't think these interchange
null-31.png