This one sure falls under the Dare to be Different banner, right? When’s the last time you saw a 1978 Olds 442 let alone one that’s been built into a ground pounding pro street car with a modified Olds 455 and all of the trappings of pro street goodness, including the Tweety Bird floor mats. We’re not hating on this car because it strikes us as kind of interesting. There needs to be more tire under the back of it because the wheel wells are way to open as they sit now. Those smaller tires are like swimming in the huge wheel openings.
Of course Rick Dobbertin’s insane J2000 was the Pontiac equivalent to this body style and had a wacko engine but we cannot think of another hot rod of pro street car of note built off of this body. Sure there are some things that we would change but this thing is Olds to the corse and we love it.
Here’s what the seller has to say about the car –
Vehicle is powered by a professionally built 455ci engine with aluminum heads backed by a turbo 400 transmission. Features all steel body, Ferrari Red Paint w/graphics, 10 point Roll cage, Wilwood Disc brakes, Strange Axles, Narrowed Rear with 4:56 gears, 10 gallon fuel cell, Hoosier Pro Street Tires, Auto Meter Gauges, JAZ Racing Seats, 6 point quick harness, Quick release steering wheel 2500 Stall Torque converter, Aluminum Drive Shaft, 3″ Custom Exhaust with flowmaster mufflers, New Distributor and more.
This car is capable of 10 second drag passes yet is drivable anywhere. Multiple show winner. Custom Car Cover. Summer driven only and garage stored. Paint is excellent. Body is in very good shape except for a small dent in the front right fender. Easy fix. Original color paint available with the car.
Check out the photos and then hit the link below them to see all of this 1978 Olds 442
I’m an Olds guy, but that model has to be my least favorite. I always said you could make any car cool by adding big tires and turning into a drag car….I was wrong.
Well, if you’re going to build one of those cars, Pro Street is definitely the approach to take.
“Of course Rick Dobbertin’s insane J2000 was the Pontiac equivalent to this body style…”
Dobbertin’s car is a J-Body, same as a Cavalier of the era, this car is a G-Body Cutlass, with the fastback roofline.
Well, if vans can make a come back why not ‘Pro Streeters’? At least it seems to be very well built. Why not do a ‘re-body with something older/cooler. That seems to be the newest trend, ala the re-bodied crown vic from yesterday
If they could completely cover up that dash with show plaques, it wouldn’t look so much like it was made from folded-up plastic sheet. But, I’ve seen worse…
One other hot rod of that body style: When those first came out, Hot Rod magazine did one up w/ a rr-mount Toro transaxle, that one with the rr tires ‘way too far out the side as opposed to ‘way too far in on this one. (What’s up with that? It doesn’t help that in stock condition the car already looks like one company built the front and somebody else did the rear, add to it this sloppy modification and things get truly weird.) For HR car see: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmclassiccars.com%2Foldsmobile%2F118802-78-olds-442-street-rod-of-the-year-mid-blown-403-engine-custom-hot-rod.html&psig=AFQjCNHx5LBXlDZGKHqTyi3X7N5gzBWvzA&ust=1473435636995204).
Anyhow, “pro-street” (ick, who had to make them called that?) is here to stay, it simply makes for an interesting car. Fix the rr tires.
I was thinking of the same car when Brian posted this Olds. I remember when this body style hit the showroom and I wanted it! Being 15 at the time didn’t help much. These cars were rare back in 1981!