Vehicle Description
One of 268 442 Pace Cars built. Interesting history, 65,000
original miles, matching numbers. One repaint, but otherwise
original, including beautiful factory interior. The rarest and most
collectable of all 1970 442 convertibles, ready to
enjoy!<BR><BR>Indianapolis 500 pace cars always seem to
have a special place in people's hearts. It's certainly an honor to
be chosen and the cars themselves are always something special
rather than another ho-hum family commuter. That's certainly the
case with this 1970 Oldsmobile 442 pace car, which was selected
against some pretty heady competition in 1970. Perhaps the Indy 500
organizers knew that the 442 had been radically transformed in 1970
by the addition of a potent 455 cubic inch V8, thanks to the
suspension of the '400 cubic inch rule' by GM management.
Interestingly enough, however, Oldsmobile built two versions of the
pace car to sell to the public-the 442 version, which matched the
festival cars, and a standard Cutlass convertible with the pace car
graphics and a 350 cubic inch V8. The distinction is important,
because out of a total of nearly 650 pace car replicas, only 268 of
them were 442s. The Y74 Pace Car Package included the fiberglass
Force Air hood, Sport suspension, and, of course, the Porcelain
White paint with pace car graphics to give them a suitably unique
look.<BR><BR>This particular Indy pace car was
originally part of a raffle contest by GC Murphy, a variety store
in Hancock, Maryland. We don't know the details of where it spent
most of its life, but it remains one of the cleanest, most
well-preserved cars we've ever seen so it clearly led an easy life.
Sometime in the mid-1990s, it was repainted in correct Porcelain
White and all the 442 and pace car decals were replaced so it has
an incredibly crisp look today. Even with paint approaching its
30th birthday, it remains glossy and bright with no signs of
sub-standard bodywork underneath. It's worth noting that the car
has 100% original sheetmetal, including quarters and floors, and
the fiberglass hood with those two giant snorkels up front is in
fantastic shape. All the usual 442 details are in place, including
hood pins, trumped exhaust with cut-outs in the bumper, and the
usual '442' badges. It's just beautifully
rendered.<BR><BR>The black vinyl interior is completely
original and in fantastic condition. It's unusual in that it is
equipped with a bench seat and column shifter, but that seems in
line with Oldsmobile's sport/luxury mission. The seats are still
firm and comfortable, the upholstery isn't split or faded, and even
the carpets present extremely well, which is really remarkable with
black carpets. All the gauges and lights are fully operational and
the 65,413 miles on the odometer are an authentic reading. It's
equipped with an optional AM/FM 'Wonderbar' radio and someone has
thoughtfully added an aftermarket temperature gauge under the dash.
Interestingly, the 442 pace cars could be had with either a white
or black convertible top, with this one getting a fresh black top
at the same time it was repainted, and it remains in fantastic
condition. There's a glass rear window for low maintenance and the
original black boot covers everything for a clean look when the top
is down. The trunk is outfitted with its original mat and that's
quite likely the original Goodyear Polyglas spare
tire.<BR><BR>The heart of the 1970 442 was a 455 cubic
inch V8 conservatively rated at 360 horsepower. But the real story
is torque, with more than 450 lb-ft. on tap, making the 442 ragtop
a seriously fast car. The stamping on the engine pad matches the
VIN, and given the low mileage we don't believe the engine has ever
been opened or rebuilt. It is, however, nicely detailed with
correct Oldsmobile corporate blue engine enamel, the functional ram
air air cleaner, and correct finishes throughout. It starts and
runs beautifully, with that familiar Oldsmobile sound that seems
unique to the brand. It's smooth, it's fast, and it's easy to drive
thanks to power steering and the TH400 3-speed automatic
transmission (which also features a matching VIN stamp). The
exhaust system features an X-pipe and stainless steel mufflers for
a mellow sound that's 100% right and you'll note that a lot of
original decals and stickers are still present on the chassis. The
floors are completely solid and incredibly clean and there's a
restored gas tank hanging out back. Correct 14-inch Super Sport II
wheels are painted to match and carry 225/70/14 Goodyear
radials.<BR><BR>Documentation includes the original
owner's manual and a show board.<BR><BR>Any 1970
Oldsmobile 442 is a special car, but an Indy pace car convertible
stands at the very top of the pecking order. Rare, beautiful, fast,
and fun to drive, it's the ideal combination that makes this a
great car to own. Add in the exceptional condition, low mileage,
and strong pedigree and you end up with a fantastic Olds that will
be welcome almost anywhere. Call today!<BR><BR>Harwood
Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional
inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.
