Vehicle Description
This 1972 Oldsmobile 442 W-30 is proof that Oldsmobile wasn't
giving up on the muscle car era. With a 455 cubic inch V8 under the
hood, a shape that is still one of the most attractive muscle cars
of all time, and plenty of Oldsmobile comfort, this car represents
a great way to own a legend without the giant price tag.
Finished in correct code 24 Nordic Blue, this 442 is every bit the
upscale cruiser that GM envisioned when it launched the nameplate
in the mid-60s. It was nicely restored several years ago and still
looks great, with extremely straight sheetmetal, great panel gaps,
and the proper black stripes that frame the wheel wells and
highlight the hood scoops. It was repainted a few years ago and
shows some signs of age and use, but even from a few feet away,
this 442 looks quite good. Reproduction 442 and W-30 badges warn
potential predators away from this big block powered rocket, and
the chrome is brilliant all around, including the rear bumper whose
exhaust cut-outs only came with the L75 455 engine. The '72
Cutlasses were also dressed up with black inserts in the headlight
buckets and fine mesh grilles up front, and six-element taillight
lenses in back.
Blue buckets with a center console is how the car came from the
factory and the interior appears to be largely original. The seat
covers are in excellent shape and show a lot more detail than the
repro stuff, although the carpets are likely newer replacements
that feature the correct weave. As an upscale model, the 442 got
lots of wood on the dash and door panels, and the gauges feature
brushed stainless faces that still look good 40 years later. This
one also keeps it just the way the factory intended, including the
stock AM radio and no aftermarket gauges or other add-ons aside
from a set of embroidered '442' floor mats. The dash pad,
headliner, and back seat all remain impressively well-preserved and
the trunk is outfitted with a correct mat and matching spare wheel
with a vintage Uniroyal bias-ply spare tire that probably dates to
the car's earliest days in the '70s.
The engine is the car's matching-numbers L75 455 cubic inch V8,
which in 1972 grunted out a very impressive 300 horsepower and 410
pounds of torque with the W-30 option package. Some would say that
performance was over by 1972, but this engine proves otherwise.
With an Edelbrock aluminum intake manifold and 4-barrel carburetor,
it starts easily, idles well, and pulls like a big block should
with torque available at any speed. The engine bay is quite tidy,
with an OEM look that includes the ram air setup on top of the air
cleaner. Underneath, there's a correct TH400 3-speed automatic
transmission and a 12-bolt rear end coded TO, which means a set of
3.73 gears and a limited slip, so acceleration is explosive to say
the least. The 442 also received the FE2 suspension which included
heavy-duty springs and shocks, front and rear sway bars, and boxed
lower rear control arms (which have been upgraded to Hotchkis
units). To attract attention, there's a snarling Flowmaster dual
exhaust system plus those beautiful 14x7 Rally wheels wearing
215/70/14 BFGoodrich T/A radials.
The 442 is legendary, and though the muscle car era was winding
down, this fantastic W-30 proves that it was far from over. Fast,
fun, and beautiful, call now because this Olds won't last long!
