Was wondering if someone can help with this question. My ‘70 442 has a 942 code on its data plate - green bench seat. Were a “regular” bench seat and a split bench seat offered in 1970 ? If they both were how would you be able to tell which is the correct one that belongs in my car ?

My second question is regarding my Rally Steering Wheel. I have a green metallic interior - should my horn cap also be green ?

Thanks - Mike

 

In the 1970 model year, there was only one bench seat available in the 2dr Holiday and Sport Coupes - RPO A52, which was a $68.46 credit if you ordered it. Bucket seats were the standard interior in the 442 that year. People incorrectly call this a "split bench", but the only thing split is the backrest so you can fold the seatback forward to access the rear seat. A real split bench allows the right and left sides of the seat to be adjusted fore and aft independently. This was an option on the 1980s cars but not on the 60s and early 70s cars. A true split bench is really two wide bucket seats that touch in the middle of the car.

There was one other bench seat available in the 1970 model year, RPO A65 Custom Sport Bench Seat. This is the bench with the center arm rest, but it was not available on the 442 coupes, only on the convertible.

 

Thank you Sir - now I know the right seat for my car. RPO A65 Custom Sport Bench was only available in convertibles - I wonder why that was. Bucket seats were standard in convertibles also ? So if you ordered a convertible with a Custom Sport Bench Seat did you receive a credit ? Thanks again Joe.

 

Actually, RPO A65 was a no charge option for the convertible. Only the A52 was a credit. Buckets were the standard interior in every 442 that year. They were also standard in the Supreme convertible that year.

 

That’s pretty wild. I can imagine if you wanted to walk into an Olds dealership in 1970 and order a new car you would have to have an appointment and take a half day off from work with all the order possibilities.

 

In 1970-72, there were two hardtop bodies, the S and the Supreme, but only one convertible body, which was a Supreme. The 442 in a hardtop or post was an S car, and had S trim. In convertible, it was a Supreme car, and had that trim. In 70 and 71, both 442s were legally 442s. In 72, I don't know what a convertible 442 actually is, whether it's actually a Cutlass Supreme Convertible with a 442 package or not. Regardless, the convertible armrest bench seat came from the Supreme line, and the hardtop no-armrest seat came from the S line. I would GUESS a armrest bench would fit in there, we have someone putting one in a Vista Cruiser, but the upholstery patter is different, and wouldn't match the door panels.

Of course, it's completely backwards for my 67, but that's another topic.

 

All 1968-1971 442s have unique VINs. All 1972 442s do not. They have the VIN of the car to which the option package was added. A 1972 442 convertible is a Cutlass Supreme and has a Supreme VIN, period. This is why 72s are so easy to fake.