When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I thought I'd avoided it as retirement approached. I'd developed an interest in VW's and lined up several beetles for retirement projects to work on once my new garage was complete (with a lift as I'm getting a little too creaky to be wiggling under cars on pavement). Well, 65 mph in 25 seconds finally got the best of me and the wife agreed that I could have one classic 'muscle car' to ease my pain. I'd had a number back in the day...73 Charger SE, 68 Camaro SS, 67 GTO, 68 El Camino, so I was thinking Chevelle - familiar ground, so to speak. I looked at a number of potential candidates, but most reasonably priced cars, were in need of body work that I'm (not yet - gotta get a welder and learn) not ready to tackle at this early stage...plus I have a 57 VW that's going to be needing some serious attention. Saw this ad for a 'barn find' 69 442 on Craigslist (yes, the stereotypical 'barn find')….it'd been posted like 10 minutes earlier, so I called...price was waaayyyy below what I'd expect for what was described, so I was pretty sure it was either a scam or there were serious problems that the pics didn't show. Spent the next morning crawling over, under, through, around and tapping on everything trying to find a reason to lay off....but the test drive sold me...this was a no-brain purchase. Anyhow, here it is....the lady I bought it from said her husband (deceased) had blown the original engine and this is a 455 out of a 72 that's been rebuilt with a w30 cam...I verified this with the shop that built it. Also has new brakes, new exhaust, new tires...rusted on the rear of the front driver's fender, but none anywhere else I could find. It's been resprayed, I think....in the original '52' Crimson. Enough from me...here's the pix.
Welcome to the group... Looks like a good solid find.... This Mid Life Crisis you speak of, is actually just a motivational push to do something exciting like purchase a great piece of Oldsmobile history...
Haha.....a necessity with a garage under construction...you can see 3 of my beetles under cover alongside the potty as they await their parking spaces indoors. The 442 will be in the right front entrance...backed in.... so I can quickly hop in and decompress with a quick dash around the block. It's kinda uncomfortable with the bench seat...I'm short, and with the heavy clutch...it slides me to the right and it feels like I lose some control when shifting. First question...is it an easy conversion to buckets and a console?? Second Q....it came with all of the factory AC stuff...all of it....is it worthwhile to refurb and reinstall it?
Thanx,
Mike
Last edited by MMoney; December 28th, 2018 at 04:10 PM.
First question...is it an easy conversion to buckets and a console??
Man, don't do that! The bench seat with a four-gear is really a cool combo and you just don't see it anymore because everybody and his dog wants buckets and console.
Here are the beetles...they're a kick....but there's no joy in the performance of my basically-stock bugs.
That's a nice collection, some great diversity in there...but I get what you mean. A couple years ago I was up to around 11 Beetles...now I'm down to my '57 plus a '75 convertible parts car and a big stash of old parts. The '57 has a 2165cc in it so no slouch when I hit the streets with it. But the Cutlass is so much more pleasurable to drive...both power and ride!
Best to leave the bench, very rare. Best to restore all the clutch pedal and linkage sys. New bushing, restore the holes in the pedal and the "Z" bar, and will be a world of difference.
May change the clutch to a stock pressure plate. A bone stock clutch set up, will work just as well and will not be super hard to push.
Man, don't do that! The bench seat with a four-gear is really a cool combo and you just don't see it anymore because everybody and his dog wants buckets and console.
X 2 Nothing cooler then a bench seat 4 speed... wow what a find!! Happy retirement !!
Looking at the pics I don't believe that's an original a/c car, it will take some doing to add all that, not to mention cutting etc of the firewall, I would vote no. you might be able to put in an updated vintage air system though
I was wondering myself....so thanx for chiming in, Eddie. Now I can get rid of the 100 pounds of AC parts with a clear conscience. If anyone is in central NC that could use them...drop me a line else they'll go to the landfill on my next trip.
Where are you at in Central North Carolina? I am in Gastonia, NC ( about 20 minutes south of Charlotte NC down I-85 South. Welcome to the site. There is a lot of knowledge here.
Welcome to the site from another in the Carolinas! You'll have to bring it to AutoFair in April and show with the Mid Atlantic Olds Club. 2 years ago one of our cars took Overall Best of Show. Quite a feat out of 3400 cars...
I think there are date codes on tires ( not 100% sure) but it would be cool to see if that red line could be the original spare? Or one of the original tires long shot for sure maybe you get lucky and find a build sheet some day
Was out of town, so sorry I'm a little late replying....I'll check the spare, but even if it's original it's pretty much useless...even as a spare. I'm about 20 miles south of Raleigh...little town of Angier. I had been saving my money to take to Pigeon Forge in April to find my ride. While I spent less than 50 percent of what I'd planned for this Olds, I won't be looking for another car...just going for the atmosphere and to drool over the cars for sale (you know you always have that woulda, shoulda, coulda in the back of your mind...ha). As for selling the AC stuff....bah....I'd rather give it away...especially if it means shipping. Garage interior has been skimmed....now for paint and pouring the driveway and pads...then the family moves in. Is it worthwhile to seal the cement...or just figure it's going to get stained anyhow and let it go?
Mike no worries I was thinking using the spare but if the date was “correct” 1 it be worth a finding another rim and spare tire for usage and that your car may have or did come with redline tires from the factory how cool is that ? As for the garage floor I’d seal it just to keep the dust down
December 28th, 2018, 02:35 PM
