When I decode the vin to an olds that I am most likely purchasing, it comes back as a 72 Cutlas Supreme convertible. The owner states it is this but it was ordered with the 442 package. Is that possible or would that decode by the vin?

 

in 72 the 442 was a handling and badging option. You would need original paper work to prove the car came with that option

 

Thank you for that. It does have the Hurst 4 speed and 442 badging.

 

In ‘72 442 body badging is easily added (although rarely properly positioned), and quite often done, sadly. And on the glove box door too - friends in high school / college often said “you don’t have a 442, it says Cutlass”. And it always said “Cutlass” as long as I owned it. Yours came from the factory with “Cutlass Supreme” on the glove box, as it is a convertible.

A four-speed (convertible!) is a great thing, look at the fifth digit of your VIN - if it’s a V, I salute you.

Again, only way to confirm W 29 option in 1972 is with documentation. The VIN will not confirm 442, unless you have an X as the 5th digit - and that will confirm W 30 (or hurst olds).

 

The VIN will reveal which engine the car was ordered with.
Post the cowl and VIN tags we'll decipher it.
Have you verified the last 6 digits of the VIN are present on the engine & trans?

Any pics of the car.

With few exceptions 72 442s will need paperwork indicating the car was ordered with the W29 (442) package.
At least the owner is indicating honesty by that comment he made.


TRANS...VIN location

 

Post photos of the car. While that won't be proof that it is a real 442, there are things that can immediately indicate that it is not. Also, as others have noted, all 1972 442 convertibles came from the factory with Cutlass Supreme VINs. The VIN won't tell you anything you don't already know about the car, except for the assembly plant and original engine. The fifth character of the VIN is the engine code. Since the 1972 442 option package (RPO W29) was just a "handling and appearance package", it was available with any engine offered in the Supreme, which includes the pavement-ripping 160 HP 350 2bbl single exhaust version (letter "H" in the fifth position of the VIN). Most of these cars came with the 350 4bbl, which would be a "K" with single exhaust or "M" with duals.