This car is very well equipped and a lot of fun to drive. It is the combination of luxury and brute power. That is one of the reasons I am a big fan of all things Oldsmobile. I have respect for both performance and luxury.
This is a real 442, as evidenced by decoding VIN. It is equipped with a proper 400 with correct casting number 396026 G. It has a correct Rochester four barrel carburetor and cast iron exhaust manifolds. This car has a Muncie Four Speed transmission and a 3.42 posi-traction rear end. This powertrain provides the performance.
The luxury comes from the nice list of equipment options. Most important is the Air Conditioning. It was just converted to 134a and it blows nice and cold. I believe the tinted windows are required when ordering A/C. Power windows and tilt steering column are also nice options. The steering wheel is the three spoke style. This car has the Rally Gauge Pack which includes the tic-tok-tach. It has a center console with mileage-minder vacuum gauge. Of course it has power steering and brakes. Both have been recently rebuilt and the front brakes are disc.
When this car was new, it had dual remote outside mirrors and a power antenna. These options have been changed. The factory pushbutton AM radio has been replaced with a retro Oldsmobile AM/FM stereo. There is a rear window defogger. A great option is the power windows.
This car has the nice black bucket seat interior. The interior was refurbished in 2019. The headliner, carpet, upholstery and package tray are all new. The original seat belts are in place, and they include shoulder belts. I believe this car also had the courtesy lighting package.
The Ocean Turquoise finish was applied in 2016. I think partial quarters were installed. I did not get much history on the repaint and body work. I do have a folder of receipts that go with the car. There is evidence that a huge amount of money was invested. I believe this car was born with the exterior molding options and door edge guards, just as it appears now.
New bumpers were purchased and installed after the car was repainted. I am not sure about the source of the wheels, but they are chrome 15 inch Magnum 500’s with 442 center caps. The tires are BFGoodrich Radial TA’s.
The exhaust system is a welded 3 inch system with Flowmaster mufflers and proper trumpet tips. It is throaty, yet not too loud.
The ignition is HEI. The radiator was recently replaced. Belts and hoses were replaced. A new battery was installed. The 11 inch clutch was replaced. A tune-up and lubrication service was just performed. The brakes were rebuilt. The wiring was tended to.
This car has the Outside Air Induction system, or Ram Rod Induction as some like to call it. The dual snorkel air cleaner has four inch hoses that pass through the front portion of the inner fenders and connect to under bumper intake scoops. It certainly must help, just as a cold air intake system would on your late model car. While the components look correct for a W30, I am sure this car is not one. It has power brakes and black inner fenders.
The odometer reads just over 86,000 miles. The title indicates this to be actual mileage. I don’t have enough ownership history to verify that, but when the title states the mileage is actual, it is enough evidence to support the claim. I purchased this car from Massachusetts. They require a safety inspection and it passed in 6/20.
I can’t call this a show car, as it has been driven since the restoration. The underside was not restored, nor was the engine bay. But it certainly is a great car to drive and show off at local shows and car events.
It is going to grab attention. The Ocean Turquoise color is very attractive. The tone of the exhaust and the obvious fact that it does NOT have an automatic transmission will make people notice the performance. They will admire the luxury of the optional equipment on this nice Oldsmobile. They will be fans, just like me.
