The Oldsmobile 442 has long lived in the shadow of its more famous GM muscle car stablemate, the Chevy Chevelle SS. However, hot-rodders haven’t forgotten about this classic Oldsmobile.
Bakersville, California-based speed shop Ironworks Speed & Kustom just completed its marvelous work on this 1970 Oldsmobile 442 restomod with a slew of modifications, the most notable of which is under the hood. This beast is powered by a supercharged 6.2L V8 LT4 crate engine, rated at 650 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. See it in action in this video:
All of that power is delivered to a Gear Effects Ford 9-inch rear end via a T56 10-speed automatic transmission (controlled with a Hurst shifter or paddle shifters) and a Mark Williams driveshaft. It rides on a Speedtech Performance custom chassis with an independent rear suspension and custom valved JRI shocks, so this build surely rides smoother and turns sharper than any original 442. Braking duty is covered by Wilwood six-piston calipers grabbing 14-inch rotors.
Exterior modifications are relatively modest but significant enough to hint that this is no ordinary Oldsmobile 442. It has JW Speaker headlights and foglights and a set of Forgeline FL500 wheels, sized 19 inches in front and 20 inches in back.
Step inside, and you’ll find a recessed floor, making the car more accommodating for taller occupants, power front seats, a Vintage Air A/C system, and Dakota Digital gauges and A/C control. Tasteful billet machined pieces throughout the car include the seat adjuster buttons, door panel trim and inserts, steering wheel, cowl closeout panels, and fog light recesses.
As for the LT4 crate engine, it appears that the only modification is a C&R radiator with dual 14-inch brushless fans. A radiator upgrade is always a prudent choice on a classic muscle car build like this.
The finished product delivers exactly what we want from a restomod of a classic GM muscle car: a just-right blend of modern engineering and technology with the classic aesthetic inside and out that makes the Oldsmobile 442 an icon.
Do you prefer the benefits of a clean and powerful restomod like this or an all-original survivor delivering an authentic, period-correct driving experience? Let us know in the comments.
Comments
Looks like a great build. The 442 was a nice luxury rocket.
As much as I like the originals, I think I’d take this one. They didn’t get crazy with the exterior and left the interior classy and close to original.
The only thing they ruined was under the hood
GERAT LOOKING ROCKET. ALWAYS SAID OLDSMOBILE HAD THE BEST OVER QUALITY OF ALL THE GM BRANDS BACK IN THE DAY.
Without an Olds motor, it might as well be a f’n chevette.