1970 Oldsmobile 442 Convertible Headed To Mecum Monterey Auction
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In the early 1960s, Pontiac was trying to find a new way to attract the youth market without involvement in competitive motorsports. John Z. DeLorean, Russ Gee, and Bill Collins, along with a group of Pontiac engineers, crammed a 389 cubic-inch V8 into a midsize Tempest and took it to GM’s Milford Proving Ground. The Tempest was an instant hit, and would become the 1964 Pontiac GTO. First-year GTO production was slated to be 5,000 units, but more than 32,000 orders came in. The people at Oldsmobile wanted to cash in on the GTO’s success, so they created the 442 package for the Cutlass. The Oldsmobile 442 was named for the four barrel carb, four-speed transmission, and dual exhaust.
More than just a carb, manual transmission, and exhaust, the Oldsmobile 442 included the B09 Police Apprehender Pursuit package that came with an aggressive cam, six-inch-wide wheels wrapped in redline tires, and a heavy-duty suspension. In 1968, the popular 442 package would become its own model, separate from the Olds Cutlass line.
The Oldsmobile 442, along with the rest of GM’s A-body platform, received a complete redesign for the 1968 model year. The new car had a more sculpted body, curved at the beltline, shorter wheelbase, and wider track at both the front and rear. A fastback style roofline was given to the coupes.
The 1970 Oldsmobile 442 came with mild changes in appearance, with a new silver grille featuring vertical grille bars, rectangular parking lights mounted in the front bumper, and taillights with vertical trim.
Due to pending government fuel economy and emissions standards, combined with insurance company’s reluctance to insure young drivers in ever more powerful cars, 1970 would be the last year for the full-power Oldsmobile 442. GM removed the company rule limiting displacement in midsize cars to 400 cubic inches, and the good folks at Olds stuffed the Rocket 455 V8 into the 442. This wasn’t the first time a 455 had been installed in a midsize Olds, as the 1969 Hurst/Olds had the 455, but Olds had skirted the rule by saying the H/O was a specialty package, and therefore, the rule didn’t apply.
Those customers who wanted the baddest Oldsmobile 442 available could select the W-30 option package that included the W-25 fiberglass hood with functional air induction, red plastic front inner fenders, a Winters aluminum intake, low restriction air cleaner, high-lift cam, and either the three-speed automatic or the heavy-duty, close-ratio four-speed manual with a Hurst Competition shifter. The W-30 equipped 442 was rated at 370 horsepower and an eye-watering 500 pound-feet of torque.
Our feature 1970 Oldsmobile 442 convertible is finished in Ebony Black with white stripes, white convertible top, and a black vinyl bucket seat interior. It is powered by the 455 cubic-inch Rocket V8 backed by a four-speed manual gearbox and twelve bolt rear end. It is equipped with power steering, power brakes with front discs, power convertible top, air conditioning, AM-FM radio, a chrome Hurst Competition shifter, W-30 hood, and reproduction Goodyear Polyglas bias-ply tires.
This 1970 Oldsmobile 442 convertible will cross the Mecum Auctions block at their Monterey, California event taking place August 15th through the 17th.
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Sigh, GM used to build cool cars.
Nobody builds cars, we have become a country driving boring boxes.
right on
Bring Back Oldsmobile
My introduction to muscle cars was my older cousin’s ’67 442, in 1967. Red convertible with a white top and white bucket seats, with black carpet, 4-speed, and OMG through the first 3 gears. Shame I never got to drive it.
My brother left a 1970 Olds Cutless Supreme convertible to my nephew after he passed away. It is black with a white top, brown interior with a 455 cu. in. V-8 with automatic transmission. It has the beautiful factory wheels and is presently up for sale.
Before publishing an article please do the research . Printing erroneous information seems to be the norm today. The first A body to receive a 455 was the 1968 Hurst/Olds rated@ 390 horsepower and 500 pound feet of torque. I think the production number is 515 copies. Thank you.
I love all the Oldsmobile Cars
I had a 1968 olds 442 posi trac 455 with a Holley spread bore. Very nice car when bought it had 37,000 miles .Best running car I ever had, super nice super clean…