67 Cutlass Freak

Lately I've been a little upset with how people rave about the 442's and people are cloning them left and right. I know what it originally stood for was really a good concept, but it seems to me, it turned into more of a trim package or some suspension upgrades. It really didn't have too much to do with performance upgrades. I wish people would leave their Cutlass Supremes alone and enjoy them for what they are. It's gotten really out of hand how ignorant people are about the whole mystique of the 442. I don't know how many times I've heard, "Dude that car is bad a$$, does it have the 442 engine?" I just chuckle and tell them it's a 461, that really confuses them. Now I'm building a race car, and I was thinking about putting 442 emblems on it, just because the fenders I have used have the holes for the 442 emblems. I'm not interested in making a clone. I was even considering leaving all the emblems off but I'm also tired of people thinking it's a Chevelle. Some people really just don't know squat about these old cars.

RAMBOW

Why do you care what someone who really doesn't know a cutlass from a chevelle thinks anyway?

There is only one person I'm interested in impressing with my car. Me.
I like some of the 442 visual cues for my year, and i have some & am planning to add others- the trunk lid lip chrome- the blacked out 442 grill- The performance of course of a BBO instead of the 330... But i see no need for the badges.

I got tired a long time ago "is it a real ___" with other cars i've owned.
I've had clones and i've had real ones- the question is always there.

With my cutlass, I have had a few people say its too bad its not a 442 (very few)... but for the most part people are just interested to see it period, because there are not a lot of early cutlasses running around this area. Plenty of 70-72's but almost no 65-67's.

anyway...

Bluevista

The guys that ask if it's a 442 engine know it isn't a Chebelle?
I'd tell them it's a 442 cubic inch 442 engine just like factory.

I've got a real GTO, you think there's a lot of 442 clones?
When was the last time you saw a '68-'72 Tempest 2 door?
I was thinking that the "real" cars should have a badge that can only be obtained by showing your car is the real thing to somebody in charge and then you could put it on your grill to separate you from the clones/tributes.
But they would clone and tribute the badges too.

Aceshigh

LOL.....Huh ?? Doesn't that seem contradictory to you??

Who cares, do what you want. I don't see why people get upset about
trivial matters like this. There's far more important things to worry about.

It sounds like you're more bothered by people asking you if yours is a 442 or not.
If it bothers you , just say YES IT IS. Who cares?? Most don't know their *** from
a hole in the ground to tell the difference anyways.

Even if they could tell, does it really matter to you if you're not trying to sell it as one ??

Rickman48

My nephew has a '69 Cutass "S" with a 442 rear bumper, 'cause HE LIKES IT! And the trumpet exhaust!
All emblems are on the car!

Has heard people @ car shows say "it must be a 442 with that bumper"!!
I guess ignorance is all over

Destructor

I have 442 springs and shocks duel exhaust without the cutouts and a 4 barrel, but it is a Cutlass S with all Cutlass badging. No matter what I do to the car it will always be my Cutlass with Cutlass S badges.

Ranzan

Freak in all honesty most don`t know about these cars.... it`s just the way it is
I couldn`t care less if mine was a 442 or not because she won`t be stock either way.
I feel you can always upgrade all cars so screw them all

BlackGold

Completely wrong. That wasn't true until 1972, and not just because they changed the 442 from a model to an option package that year. In prior years the 442 really was a much higher performance vehicle than the Cutlass.

From 1964 through 1971, regardless of whether Olds called the 442 a model or an option package, the 442 had a higher performance engine (not just cubes, but also things like heads, cam, carb, ignition), dual exhaust, a higher performance transmission, lower rear gears, performance-tuned suspension (BIG difference), heavier-duty and wider wheels, and better tires.

Even in the '80s, the somewhat anemic G-body 442s were TONS better cars than the extremely anemic plain Cutlass. Again, it wasn't just trim; the engine, trans, torque converter, and rear gears chosen for the 442 option were a very well optimized performance package. And again, the suspension was much higher performance than for the Cutlass.

jensenracing77

even in 90 and 91 the 442 had special engines, transmissions, and final drive gearing. speaking of people thinking it has a 442 cubic inch engine, i had people that just couldn't see how they got such a big engine in my 91 442 that i had

trainfixer2

In my case it ment four doors four tires and a two bbl carb. I've since changed that.

1969w3155

Don't worry about it, you can't change people's ignorance. There are people who really want to know, and you can tell them usually from the rest. I had a guy say to his girlfriend within earshot of me, "I bet he wishes it was a 442". Uh, yeah.