Growing up, I was often told to stay away from 1973-77 GM A-body cars. They were too big. They had no power. They were too plasticky inside. They wouldn’t be worth a damn thing and if I was lucky, they’d be crushed and scrapped by the time I was old enough to drive. Then I owned one for myself, a family heirloom car that honestly, was rusty and was shot, but was also a riot to drive even with a small-block under the hood, and proved to be one of the best-handling cars I’ve ever owned, period. Ever since I sold off my 1973 Chevrolet Chevelle, I’ve had great admiration for what a Colonnade-era GM vehicle could do. If it weren’t for the combination of neutered power and railroad tie bumpers, I bet they’d be as adored as the previous generations. But it’s only been fairly recently that people have taken more than a passing glance at them…mostly because they are becoming a rare breed.
Oldsmobile might have had the most successful formula out of all of the brands with their A-body. The Cutlass Supreme was a sales leader throughout the 1970s due to it’s combination of features, handsome and restrained looks, and restraint when it came to the over-stuffing. The 442 somehow survived as well, and even had some of it’s bark. 190 SAE-rated horsepower looked like a shadow of it’s former self, but the 350 ft-lbs of torque was still present, and if you knew your way around a parts counter, finding 1970-spec pieces wouldn’t be too difficult.
This 442 has lived a hell of a life in it’s forty-ish years, but overall it’s managed to survive. The paint is shot, there’s rust down low and skin rash on top, but the interior is present and accounted for and the 455 wasn’t raided. Far as we’re concerned, this Olds is due for a resto-mod. We’d suggest a frame-off…give the 455 some guts back and an overdrive transmission (or at least a GearVendors unit for the TH400), get the frame cleaned up and re-coated, and give the suspension bits a going-through. Body damage and tin worm repair look fairly straightforward, and we’d reshoot the car in it’s Dark Blue/White color scheme. The interior should only need a cleaning and small seat repairs on the swivel buckets. Fill the wheel wells with some decently wide Super Stock wheels on good rubber, and you’re looking at the muscle car the 1976 442 should have been.
eBay Link: 1976 Oldsmobile 442
Pretty rare with a 455. Usually had a 403. Looks lie a good one to restore! Or restomod!
Always liked these. Cal Yarborough special anyone?
My mom had a 73 Cutlass with swivle bucket seats.
That is a great project car. Decent price range. If the orginal engine can be made to live again all the better. This could be restored or Resto-Modded As no one knows what the value might be in 10 years, I would stick to stuff that can be undone and unbolted.
I’d likely get it running, then find some olds performance parts. Even going as far as a Marine 455 as the swap-meet parts hoarders have not bought the heads off of those (all the good heads seem to be hoard’ed).
After it was mobile (trans works, rear end looked at, brakes, ect) I would find the body parts. I think doing a Flat blue with Flat White scheme would work. Reproduce the factory look just in paint with flattening agent.
Some interior work looks to be needed.
If you put $10K in to the car you could have a good hot-rod and likely be able to re-coupe most if not all of the money in 5 to 10 years,.
restomod is NOT a word. It did not start showing up until Brock Yates made it up on air for Barrett Jackson a dozen or so years ago.