Is there someone out on the forum that has experience with restoring 442s and has a good understanding what impact making changes to an original car would be?

I just bought a fairly low optioned 442 and, as an an example, I want to add some options such as W25 hood and a spoiler as part of the restoration. Those parts would be after market reproductions. I don't want a W-30 clone but I want to add items that could have been added by the dealer after the car was built in order to keep the car as original as it can be. Any insight into this approach would be appreciated.

kcd

 

IMO, a documented low optioned original 442 would be more desirable than that same car "optioned up".

 

If you have a clean rot/rust free original in great shape do the changes just hang on to the OEM parts. That way if you or the next guy wants to put it back it can be done easily. Make it the way you want it, not how others want it. If a nice numbers matching example is presented with after market bolt on goodies yet comes with all the OEM removed parts, thats OK in my book. The impact would be minimal. Now if you have a rare low production numbers matching model in great shape ,say, a 68 W30 or Ram Rod and did this; I would not suggest this as the impact would be substantial depending how far from Factory you take it.
Ultimately it boils down to the owners choice. If you are looking to sell this car for a profit they are generally worth a bit more with factory installed parts and painted to match the body tag IMO. It all depends on what your expectation is and what the buyers willing to accept. With the car you describe Id say go for it and make it the way you want it. A fine example of what ever you decide to do is cool.

 

what year 442 are you talking about and with what options.... i wouldnt do anything you cant undo easily adding some things is ok but making the car into something it isnt something i care for

 

1970 442, buckets, auto, PS/PB. I just got it so I haven't really dug into too much. kcd

Here is my newbie link.

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...-new-site.html

 

thats a nice car and being original makes it special. i wouldnt really touch anything. of course you have to decide if keeping it original is your thing. if you change anything just as mentioned keep the original parts, an oai hood would be nice but if you dont have the air cleaner etc its kind of lame

 

The W25 hood is a bolt on, easy enough to put back to stock. The spoiler requires drilling holes in the trunk lid, but could be done at the dealer. Holes can be welded up if needed. IMO unless your really radically changing the car, do what you want to do. It is your car, please yourself. Almost any factory option is a bolt on and can be changed back if desired. Lots of cars here that have had the same done to them.

 

X2

Unless you WANT bone stock originality (which you obviously don't since you are asking about making these changes) then don't worry about it... build the car for you to enjoy- not for the next guy.

Unless the car is already fully & perfectly restored, or is a mint condition survivor car with tons of documentation you likely aren't going to radically impact resale value with tasteful (and desirable) changes- other than making it MORE valuable IMHO...

 

The way I treated my documented '68 4-4-2 was like this: If I could add an option without drilling a hole or cutting a wire, I did it. My '68 came originally with idiot lights, a blank out where the clock or tic-toc-tac would be, an AM radio with front speaker only, steel wheels with white stripe tires and wire wheel covers, and a bench seat. As much as I would have liked to have bucket seats, that would have required cutting carpet and possible metal (or using adaptor brackets), which I did not want to do. It didn't have the passenger side mirror either, which I would love dearly to have, but it would have required cutting holes through metal again. BUT...I did add the the rallye package to the dash (factory gauges and tic-toc-tac), as well as a factory speedminder speedometer, and a factory AM-FM radio with a rear speaker. I also installed a Pertronix ignition which really didn't make a whole lot of difference. I also found a nice set (of 5) SSI wheels, on which I put red stripe tires. All of the things I did can be changed back to what the window sticker says with relative ease - I saved the original parts.


In short, I kept it "factory", but I added options that I could find which did not include drilling extra holes or cutting any wires. That satisfies me in that I have some extra options but I can also turn it back to as it came from the factory.


Randy C.

 

Parts added by the dealer are not "original", so don't kid yourself. When these cars were new, the W-25 hood and wing were relatively rare. Today, you can hardly find a 1970 442 (or Faux-4-2) that doesn't have them.

Having said that, I agree that you need to build the car the way you want it. Contrary to what Barrett Jackson and company want you to think, this is not an "investment". The hood is easily swapped. The drilled holes in the trunklid for the wing, not so much.

 

I am not a 442 expert, but would agree with the essence of what the others said:
Avoid making changes that can't be reversed, but other than that, make it like you want it.

My own 2¢:
If you want to change the hood and you decide to repaint the car, paint the original hood at the same time, so that a potential future buyer will not have to worry about matching it.
If you want to put a wing on the trunk lid, just buy another trunk lid, stash the original in a safe place (the above painting recommendation applies), and drill the holes in the replacement.

- Eric

ps: for the price you paid, you done real good, and by the looks of it, the seller was probably happy, too, so there's no need to ever feel bad about any of it.

 

The changes will all be bolt on and reversible. i was thinking the same, make the changes, but keep the original parts in case someone wants to put it back to the way it was. I am guessing finding a trunk lid shouldn't be too hard to locate.

 

this is pretty much my thinking also

 

I agree with this 100%.