Hi from a long time Oldsmobile fan, first time poster (aka long-time listener, first time caller). I’m back in the market for my third 442, my first from high school and the namesake of my handle on this forum, and my second being a 71 coupe from 10 years ago. I was curious what folks thought about this one that just ended on eBay. Seems to be a beautifully well done car - nonetheless it didn’t meet reserve, BIN was 50 K which may or may not be market these days

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F323872417894

 

Why do people go through all the trouble of pasting these stupid little stickers everywhere then add W-30 side stripes on a non-W car? The whole point of the stickers is supposedly to be "assembly line correct" (though I have yet to see them on an original car), yet the stripes are glaringly not.

 

..and where are the torque braces and is the spare supposed to be missing the center cap and have that hold down nut? I thought the correct hold down nut for the SS wheels uses one of the lug nut holes..no?

 

Because a few Dummies that sell these sticker say we should. Sheep being handed false information.

 

The oil pan is a wreck...IMHO, it’s probably worth the reserve.

 

The transmission is not original to the car. If I remember, the seller disclosed the engine was original to the car. Double check. I've encountered a lot to be desired for the years '70-72, including misrepresentation, and I'm putting it mildly!!

 

Assembly stickers are cheap AF and fell off in a few months.

 

'70-'72 442 convertibles didn't have the torque braces since they had fully boxed frames.

 

For sure. Even if a car did have all of the long list ILT sells most would have gotten covered during the blackout anyway; just like the pretty gray shocks and hardware everyone loves to show.

Joe, is it just me or is your list of cars growing?

 

Thanks to all for your input and thoughts. I bid on this car up to about 25K and think it’s certainly worth that but will keep looking. It wasn’t that long ago 25K would get you a super clean and correct 442, but time and owners take their toll on these great automobiles. How many others wish they never sold their first 442!?

 

Can't tell who this is, so do I have your high school car in my V Code registry?

I also gave in and started a Facebook page for these cars a couple weeks ago to share cars/info until I get the website revamped and online again.

Terry

 

 

Hi Terry - just managed to lose about five paragraphs on this car so I’ll do my best to give folks a bit of the background. I bought this 1972 442 w29 in 1979 from general sales Cadillac Oldsmobile in West Chester PA after wrecking - was hit head on by a drunk driver on boot Road - a beautiful bamboo 1971 cutlass supreme with incredibly gorgeous saddle interior that I in no way was prepared to appreciate at 16. The salesman Joe Strickland told my father to stay away from the Red 442 parked over in the corner when we went to look for a ‘suitable replacement’ as my father desired. Joe said it would be too much car for me so - therefore I had to have it! 455 four-speed strato buckets console trumpet exhausts wow, so the next day I went back and after test driving fell in love and handed over the proceeds from my wrecked CS as down payment, and $88 a month for two years - and was the owner of this beauty. $88 a month financed at American bank and trust. Gotta love 1979.

The mechanic previous owner taught me a few things about driving a four-speed 442 - this was my first manual shift car ever and wow was it a beast. I learned to enjoy weekend cruising around West Chester and Wilmington and even Philly and was very selective, and very successful street dragging. Of course stoplight to stoplight nothing organized but still really fun, just stayed away from hemi Cudas and 440 challengers and my buddy Russ Cs hemi GTX. I feasted on Chevelle‘s and mustangs and Camaros mostly

The guys at high school loved my Chevelle - until they realized it wasn’t

So that brings me to these pictures that I’ve uploaded and why it was repainted. I had it out in the winter of 1980 when I probably shouldn’t have and encountered a minivan running a stop sign and suffered front end damage no frame or other issues. My buddy was painting cars for fun and said he would give me a great paint job and add some stripes, if you notice above the rear wheels there they are - fast forward 40 years he owns six body shops in suburban philly and is probably the wealthiest person I know. I think I still owe him partial payment for the paint job 😳

Please note the original dual snorklel air cleaner, and the non-original equalizer T handle valve covers etc. After reading about V code cars from this era I concluded retrospectively mine must’ve been one however I can’t conclusively prove that, as all my paperwork on the car was lost in a hurricane about 10 years ago. I enjoyed it for six years thru college and got myself a real job and a real car - citation X11, don’t laugh it was a cowl induction v6 brute in 1981! But my 72 442 was certainly was the most fun I’ve ever had with my clothes on, and I would love to know where it is these days

Long live Oldsmobile big block muscle + 4 speeds!

 

Love it, especially the day two engine mods. The fact that it has the correct dual snorkel air cleaner on it is pretty strong evidence that it is in fact a V Code car.

Comcast is one of my customers so I’ve been to their data center on Boot Road in West Chester numerous times . Please PM me if I can put a name with the pics and your great story in the registry. Thanks!

Terry

 

I'm from Philly as well - grew up there in the 70's and finally left there in '96 - I ran the streets in Mopars back in the day but knew of one guy who had a locally legendary '66 442 tri-power convertible - Rich Brigidi - was red/white 4 speed car that he had bought new and raced all over the Philly suburbs - sold it at some point but was able to buy it back later in life and had it until he died a few years ago. He ran a couple of Collex Collision centers in the area if I recall - actually had an old Duster repaired at his shop once.

I think Hemmings did an article on his car a number of years ago and I still have a Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper sunday magazine article that was written and photographed on him I believe in the 90's.

ahh, good times!

 

I was raised in and I live in Philly. Anyone from Philly that raced the streets should know Delaware Avenue, Front Street, Roosevelt Boulevard and Decatur Road. I remember the Philly cops would stop racing by calling the Fire Department and wet the streets with fire hoses making traction impossible.
I also remember cars being trailored in to race. Open exhaust was common as were headers. L88's, Baldwin Motion Corvettes, Hemi's, Chevelle 454's, and occasionally a 442.I'm still surprised no one got killed. I was ridiculed for having a beautiful 442 convertible, but too heavy to compete.
I raced organized at Atco Dragway, Cecil County, Englishtown, N.J,, and Maple Grove Raceway.
Great memories and we didn't want air conditioning because the weight would slow us down......

 

Great Philly memories guys! On another note and speaking of Philly cops - if you haven’t seen the Teddy Pendergrass documentary you really should watch it, he had a lawsuit against them, apparently they kept pulling him over randomly as the only guy in town with a Rolls-Royce, and he was afraid that when he got into his accident he thought wouldn’t offer him help. I think it happened near Fairmount Park on Lincoln drive. Still a great road if I remember correctly

As previously mentioned, high level street racing on Front and Delaware Avenue, throwing batteries at Santa Claus, and the cops dropping an ‘incendiary device’ on MOVEs row houses and burning up a couple of city blocks in 1985. Live Aid. Gotta love Philadelphia

I remember taking my 442 to see the stones at JFK in 1981, Van Halen and Rush at the spectrum. And a few grateful dead shows. And many flyers games. But it overheated at the Jersey shore stuck in traffic. Every time my girlfriend had to ask - why do we have the heat on it’s already hot enough. Never really knew if that trick helped cool things down or not

But no matter where I went, only the knowledgeable knew what a 442 was, most thought it was a Chevelle SS. I’m sure you all can relate. As I reminisce I’m proud to have extolled the virtues of Oldsmobile muscle back then - and hope to get behind the wheel of one again soon 😎