Hello to everyone here! As the title indicates, I’ve been frequenting this sight for many years, but have finally decided to register as a member. I’ve been visiting Oldsmobile websites for the past 27 years, including 442.com, realoldspower, and now classicoldsmobile.com from past til present.

I’ve been lucky that my first car was my dream car and I still own it. I purchased my 1971 442 W30 26 years ago beginning my senior year in high school. I’ve always been frugal, and 4 prior years of work and my life savings went into purchasing it. I decided that I didn’t want to risk loosing the car in the hundreds of miles back and forth from college. So, when I went to college, the 442 stayed at home in the garage and I paid for my friends gas money to get rides back and forth. Unfortunately, 15 years ago I spun a rod bearing in the original engine. In those years since…… marriage, house, and family have taken rightful priority as the 442 has sat hibernating in the garage waiting for its chance to be resurrected.

Here we are today and I’m at a point where I want to hear the sound of that trumpet exhaust thunder again. My plans are to set aside the original numbers matching 455(so that I don’t run the risk of hurting it further) and build a donor 455 for it so that me and my family can enjoy cruising in it again.

I’ve always appreciated the knowledge of all the members on this site and I hope to be able to contribute as much as I’m able to.

Signing out for now,

Saturn71


My 1971 442 W30

 

Welcome to the group... Nice looking 442... It's good to hear stories/histories of vehicles waiting for just the right time to be resurrected...

 

Welcome to the site. I would keep the car whole and rebuild the original engine.

 

If you have them, would you put the H heads on the donor 455?

 

Welcome to C.O. Rebuild the stock engine and do it right. All the parts are available now.

 

Welcome! I hope you build the original motor and drive it. Don’t save it for the next guy. Lol

 

I love the color. Is that a factory color? Tells us more and please share more pictures. Please.

 

I agree with this. It's unlikely you will damage the block, which is about the only thing that is "numbers matching" on the vehicle.
Rebuild the original engine and enjoy driving it.

 

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the input. I’ve had a lot of time to think about it over the last 15 years. My heart dropped like a rock when I realized the bearing spun. It was caught quick, which I’m fortunate for. The original engine is still under the hood, H heads, OLDS W-455 aluminum intake and all. Regardless of what I decide to do, the original engine will stay in my possession.

Since the spun bearing incident, I have moved to south west Wyoming. From where I live, to where I can drive in 15 minutes, elevation can vary from 6000 feet above sea level to 8500 feet above sea level. My thoughts are to switch from carburetor to throttle body injection to continually adjust for elevation and a higher compression(thinking 10:1 roughly) due to the lower atmospheric pressure at my elevation.

Over the years I have been building up some parts for the project. I already have a donor 455 block, 2nd gen Edelbrock performer RPM heads with heart shaped combustion chambers, Harland Sharp roller rockers, Eagle cast steel 4.25 inch stroke crankshaft, melling high volume oil pump, ARP main studs, ARP head bolts, 7 quart oil pan, and several other parts.

 

I’m not 100% sure if it is factory correct color or not. I always assumed it was Saturn Gold because it was the closest color I could match it to. The color definitely changes from a darker gold under low light to a lighter color(like in the above photo) under bright sun. It’s the same paint that was on the car when I purchased it in 1997.

 

Another angle outside the storage units it used to be stored in



Near dusk photo



Near dusk photo of front of car

 

That's a beauty. Did you repaint it or did you buy it like that? Obviously the stripes are wrong and the grill and headlights are 72 but that is a a nice looking car.

 

The car still has the same paint that was on it when I purchased it in 1997. I’ve always known that the stripes were incorrect, but they’ve grown on me over the years. I replaced the original grill in 1997 as the original was broken in multiple locations where it meets the hood and it was definitely looking its age. I purchased a Year One reproduction grill at that time, and transferred the red “442” numbers from the original grill to the new grill(very quick and easy process). I believe the 1971’s had a blacked out grill, where the 1972’s had a lighter grill grate. The 1971’s are also supposed to have polished headlight bezels, and the 1972’s black headlight bezels. My car has always had(since I’ve owned it) a blacked out grill, red 442 grill numbers, and black headlight bezels. Before I purchased the car in 97’, I bought as many books on 442’s as I could. If I remember right, one of the books I have from then indicated that some of the 1971 442’s came with black headlight bezels. Whether this is actually true, I’m not certain.

 

I kinda like those stripes lower on the belt line. With the lenses in the stripe I declutters the car.
Nice car.
Eric

 

^x2^

 

The lower stripes have grown on me too. Even if I were to get the car repainted some day, I’d have a hard time not putting the stripes back the way they are now.