Hello fellow Oldsmobile enthusiasts.
I am looking for opinions.
I currently own 2 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme convertibles. One is a 442 in factory Royal Blue (rare option) with black interior and oai hood and the other is a Supreme, factory 4-speed that is currently painted matador red but was originally Viking blue.
I want to restore one or both. Part of me wants to merge both into one car having everything I want, meaning, royal blue, 4-speed 442.
Neither has the original motor. Both have 455's.
The blue 442 has a 1973 455 with J heads, bored .030 over and mild cam.
The red supreme car has a 455 with E heads and mild cam.
The 442 is more solid whereas the Supreme is a bit of a rust bucket. Both are fun to drive and get attention everywhere I go.
I go to local cruise nights and enjoy both of them the way they are.
Neither cost me a fortune. So...what do I do?

looking for honest opinions.
PS: I'm not rich, just engaged and have the benefit of owning these cars, neither of which is a show car (for now).

 

Any reason why you can't put the parts you want into one car and use the replaced cars to keep the other car as a driving project to either sell or enjoy? Being able to focus your resources on one car with everything you want will lighten the load.

 

Depending on your budget, I would swap power trains and enjoy the manual shift 442. The older I get the more I realize life will be over before you know it, so you should enjoy playing with your toys while you're still above ground. Besides, rust is an expensive fix.

 

I would swap all the parts that make you happy to the 442. Then sell the other for what you can get to complete the 442.

 

Get something together to enjoy. Whether you want to do a restoration, go racing, go cruising, take road trips, or go to a show and sit in a yawn chair, just do something. Just keep in mind that restorations twist panties if they aren't done right, so expect backlash.

 

Keep the 442. Either that or sell them both and get a 98.

 

Two project cars split your time and money, been there. It sounds like a drive train swap with any desirable options from the Supreme should go on the 442. Enjoy!

 

If you have a personal preference, pursue that through one car. Both are nice cars and please don't take this in offense; but, it isn't like you are cutting the roof off of a 2 million dollar Bugatti. Make the car YOU want do it well and drive on.

Good luck!!!

 

I love ‘72 Supremes (especially in Viking Blue) and have run the 4 speed registry for them for 20+ years, but I’d go with the Royal Blue OAI 442 in this case. The rust bucket Supreme will eat up a lot of time and money to get to the end product, plus you’ll get a better return out of the 442. In my registry, I only have one Royal Blue car.

I’d love to have pics, history and VIN/cowl tag for the factory 4 speed car for the registry if you’d be so kind. I’m at vette442@hotmail.com. Thanks and good luck.

Terry

 

Restore the one with the clean body. Compared to extensive rust repair, mechanical work is easier and cheaper. Sell the other one as a project and let somebody else spend the money.

 

Best advice

 

Thank you for all the nice comments. It's true, need to enjoy them while still alive
and healthy.
Both have unique stories behind them. I owned the 72 Supreme 30 years ago and bought it back just recently.
The 442 was running around my home town back in the 80' s and I came across it on Craigslist about 5 years ago.

 

Always cool to have some history and a story behind a car. Sounds like a great opportunity for you to combine your favorite elements of each car into one that you can focus your time and resources on while allowing the story of both to continue forward, together!

 

Hey John tough call to make. I know you have history with the cutlass, but the 442 appears to be in much better condition. You have the parts to make it a four speed. It will remind you of driving the cutlass! Hope to see your decision this spring.

 

Why not keep them both? Build them as they are.
ONCE you start changing this and that it makes everything sketchy.