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I figure I'll go ahead and start a build thread here, even though the car isn't mine yet.
Currently working on/working on buying a '69 442 from one of my bosses at work. He has had this car at least 10 years, and it has been sitting in his barn for a majority of thay time. After 2+ years of persistence, I finally convinced him to let me put it back together as he's finally decided to unload it. He said to his knowledge it is a numbers matching car, however the engine and trans had sat outside for around a year.
I went out Sunday to pick up the engine/trans as well as look at the car to determine if it was still solid. Preliminary findings blew me away-the car is in great shape and the engine/trans seem to be much better than I would have expected.
In digging, thanks to excellent help from fellow members, it has been determined that this is indeed a 69 442 Sports Coupe built in Fremont CA. Im curious what the actual production numbers are for the CA cars, as I've seen the total Sports coupe numbers are less than 3,000.
Ultimately, my primary goal is to do what I can to get a numbers matching car back on the road. Personally, I have enough family history with 442's and Oldsmobiles in general that I would absolutely love to restore this and call it mine.
I'll be updating this as things progress, as well as each subthread related to individual tasks. Im looking forward to learning everything about these that I can, and doing my part to save another piece of automotive history.
Welcome and good luck with it. Being a Fremont car, it probably has a build sheet on top of the fuel tank. You would have to pull it of course, but
after sitting as long as it has, that wouldn't be a bad idea.
Yeah, I was going to go ahead and do that once it got out of the barn. I'm really curious not only if that is still there, but how many were produced in Fremont. I've seen the Sports Coupes had pretty low production numbers, but I mostly have seen 442s out of Lansing (at least in what little digging I've been able to do since Sunday)
Looks like real potential there for a nice restoration. A quick recommendation, buy the car now before you put many hours of blood, sweat, and tears into it. If you do too nice a job your boss may decide it's too nice to let go, or jack the sale price up so high that you're getting screwed if you buy it. I've seen this scenario play out more than once and the person doing the resto came out on the short end of the stick both times.
Looks like real potential there for a nice restoration. A quick recommendation, buy the car now before you put many hours of blood, sweat, and tears into it. If you do too nice a job your boss may decide it's too nice to let go, or jack the sale price up so high that you're getting screwed if you buy it. I've seen this scenario play out more than once and the person doing the resto came out on the short end of the stick both times.
Yeah, he gets back from vacation Monday and I don't plan on leaving without something in writing.
Welcome aboard! You have an awesome starting point for the project. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. I'll be following along as you post. Its always cool to see these projects completed and the final resurrected vehicle hit the road.
Well, I'm hearing in the shop he's out until next Monday now.. so I'm gonna start tearing into the engine to keep my mind off of it for another week.. lol
I think more than a couple of us have gotten burned once someone sees what can happen to a car that they will never get to anyway. I bought a 72 Cutlass Supreme once. Power bucket seats tilt air gauges. I put plug wires and a belt on it. Put trans fluid in it. Dropped a battery in it and drove it away. The guy came yelling at me about how I owed him more because now the car ran. Nope sorry.
I really hope this car works out for you. Love Love the color(s). Great looking 69 for sure. Unique.
Well, left the office today with a verbal commitment to purchase the car. I'll be picking it up Saturday, which means I need to clean up the garage *cough* again.
More information and pictures will be posted then, but definitely excited for this next chapter to officially begin.
CONGRATS BROTHER!!! I cannot wait to follow along with your journey! You have already found the best place for support and info; now, you have a car! Awesome!
CONGRATS BROTHER!!! I cannot wait to follow along with your journey! You have already found the best place for support and info; now, you have a car! Awesome!
Thanks, I've definitely been leaning hard on this page and I've not even really done a ton of research yet.
Also, I keep forgetting I have this thread going..I keep updating the 400 thread with status updates for some reason, rather than using it as it's intended. 🤦♂️
So, to refresh on this: we worked again on the block last night and were able to get the crank and 4 pistons out. Of the 4 remaining, 2 are already at the top of the bore stuck, so that'll be fun. The other 2 are from the worst looking walls in the whole block, including the one that's cracked. We tried driving one down, only to find out it bottoms out against the block. I'm really torn because after seeing the walls with pistons out, they really don't look bad so I'm not sure I'll need to bore anything, which means I could possibly reuse the pistons I have. In order to do that though, I can't collapse them in.
Also, the *former* owner and I were talking a bit more about it and he confirmed what I had suspected, but it actually came factory with Nassau Blue paint, and a Parchment bench seat interior. A previous owner to him changed the interior to the black buckets, and burgundy exterior.
Cowl tag confirms original paint and interior; easy cross check. I think you are doing right by trying your best to keep it original... especially if you like the work! We are here to help and we looooooove pics!!
Keep at it brother!!
post the cowl tag, we would be happy to tell you all about it!
I thought something was fishy, but he only mentioned it was originally a bucket seat car so I was going to wait until it was home and I could get a better shot of it. Here is what I quickly snapped in the barn last week..
Hello there, here's a picture of my dark red 69 442 in 1972 in the driveway in Milwaukee Southside right by Mitchel Field. Fast forward to 2021 the house behind the 442 still has the same window awnings. This car was very basic, non AC, bench seat with a Muncie hand-shaker. My girlfriend sat next to me to keep me warm in those very cold Wisconsin winters. Left for Texas in 1974 never looked back...That bike is a Honda 90CC
Bro: COOL! You have a 442 cowl tag!! Mine has a cutlass (36) tag!!
69=year
3=olds
44=442
77=post coupe or sports coupe
BF=Fremont
TR=buckets
947=parchment
04C=3rd week of April
B80=scalp molding
B90(i think)=window molding
53= Nassau blue
Hey better yet, I got my first kiss with a girl in my 53-88 at this same house in Milwaukee where i grew up. Oh my I thought I was on my way to Blue Berry Hill. It was start at least!
Bro: COOL! You have a 442 cowl tag!! Mine has a cutlass (36) tag!!
69=year
3=olds
44=442
77=post coupe or sports coupe
BF=Fremont
TR=buckets
947=parchment
04C=3rd week of April
B80=scalp molding
B90(i think)=window molding
53= Nassau blue
Best I got....!!
Thanks. Is there anything that shows all options? Coming from Mopars, I'm used to looking for the fender tag..or is this as good as I'll get without a broadcast sheet?
Also, unrelated..but delivery has been pushed to Sunday. The wait is killing me.
Only know what was standard and what was optional and then left to scavenger hunt! Just have to see what is there and if it looks original. Paperwork is the only way to know for sure.
I dont know why I put TR for buckets up there?!?! I have been on cold meds! ... ST is the line for body style info and TR is trim line... guys smarter than me can tell you what to look for on the floor or underneath to tell if it was a bench or bucket car...
pics of parts are often enough for these guys to tell you if it appears original as well... they spot repops like bloodhounds after a perp!
Looks awesome, really nice find. I always keep my eyes open for cars sitting in yards and garages but haven't found anything un many years. That car looks great and the interior looks like new. Good luck and enjoy!
Got curious and Googled the VIN when I saw he bought it off a collector car dealer..so it's nice to see how things looked before it was pushed into the barn.
I'm going to hook a battery up and see what does and doesn't work electrically..but weighing the option of a new/painless harness since everything's out and I know mice were involved.
I was really worried about wiring; however, it appears as if everything is intact. Of course, there is so much material under the dash, in the rear seats, and headliner... that they must have been content to confine their homage to the palatial living conditions... crossed fingers your harness is fine too!
Must feel great to have it home. Congratulations on that. Looks good. Do you have any pictures of it cleaned up? Might not be factory colors but it looks great. Got to hate the meeses. Good luck with all that.
I'd like to verify the color, only for paint match purposes. There are a couple decent sized chips and scratches that'll need addressed..especially now that the wife is all about it...haha.
I can snap a couple in the garage. The wash job I'm actually pretty irritated about, as I didn't really even plan on washing it so I didn't have anything to dry it with and it now has water spots all over it. The interior we still need to armor all to get the dust off the dash/column and such, but its at least livable.
Many here will discourage you from using AA... don't fret it, its not going to the show tomorrow!! There were mice nests in my glove box as well and no wiring issues. The trunk was bad too... all that wiring was good too.
A recommendation for your wiring harnesses; avoid Painless and look up M&H Electric. They make all the reproduction harnesses you'll need for the car and I can confirm they are pretty much 100% accurate. I've replaced all of the wiring in my '69 442 with their harnesses. They're well made and accurate. Wire colors, connectors, everything - you can't go wrong.
a recommendation for your wiring harnesses; avoid painless and look up m&h electric. They make all the reproduction harnesses you'll need for the car and i can confirm they are pretty much 100% accurate. I've replaced all of the wiring in my '69 442 with their harnesses. They're well made and accurate. Wire colors, connectors, everything - you can't go wrong.
I
Interior we still need to armor all to get the dust off the dash/column and such, but its at least livable.
DO NOT USE ARMOR ALL on your interior. There is a thread on here right now where several members explain why, and provide suggestions for much better products! JMO
Good looking out on the M&H suggestion over Painless. I'll definitely check that out.
I went out and got some power going in the car..this weekend I'll go out and mark everything that works and everything that doesn't. The wife ordered body and chassis manuals last night, so if something doesn't work and it's not an easy fix I have something in the garage to reference. She was blown away by the floor button for the high beams, I just kinda laughed.
I'll check out the thread regarding Armor All. Once it's road worthy, we do plan on taking it to shows so I'd like to preserve as much as I can..I can't be reckless with cleaning (even though I'm still pissed I did a terrible wash job)
I'm strongly leaning toward the Burgundy Mist as well, just need to figure out where to test it.
Here are a few pictures of the car in the garage "cleaned up"
April 13th, 2021, 05:47 PM
I'll be following along as you post. Its always cool to see these projects completed and the final resurrected vehicle hit the road.
