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Flashback Feature: The Mid-Engined 1978 Oldsmobile 442 – How Many Of You Remember This Ride?


Flashback Feature: The Mid-Engined 1978 Oldsmobile 442 – How Many Of You Remember This Ride?

The moment I saw the pictures, memories of seeing this car in the old magazines I had pawed through for years came flooding back. Some cars stand out because of the owner and their antics, or because of just how off-the-wall they are. This 1978 Oldsmobile 442, originally built by Bill Porterfield, stands out because of what it is…a thoroughly well-engineered mid-engine conversion utilizing a supercharged Oldsmobile 403 and a Toronado transaxle to put the power down. If you were far enough away to just see the car, it’d look like nothing more than a mildly customized Olds…right up until you saw the Dyer Street Charger 6-71 supercharger and scoop in the rear quarter windows. When it appeared on the scene in late 1978, it shocked the automotive community. Hot Rod Magazine even dubbed it “Street Machine of the Year” that year.

Harry Mager was fifteen years old when he saw the October 1978 edition of Hot Rod, and ever since that first sighting he has been enamored with the car. He’s owned it off-and-on for years, most recently re-acquiring it earlier this month. Other than wheels and a color change here and there (the car went black, and has since been restored to the original maroon color) the 442 is pretty much as it was in 1978…and that isn’t a bad thing.

For more information on the Mid-Engine 442, check out Harry Mager’s website HERE.

ME442 2 ME442 3 me442 cover ME442 4


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7 thoughts on “Flashback Feature: The Mid-Engined 1978 Oldsmobile 442 – How Many Of You Remember This Ride?

  1. Chevy Hatin' Mad Geordie

    I remember this car from reading that issue of Hot Rod – and I still think that those late 70s so-called graphic paint jobs were crap then and even more crap now!

    Lose the graphics, up-date the wheel tyre combo – and treat it to a lowering job then this Olds would shine for another 30 years!

  2. SLSD

    I had a thing for a similar build, only on a glossy black Vega.

    It was featured in one of the “other” magazines, super-cool car.

  3. jerry z

    Remembered this car from high school! Never cared for the wire wheels though.

    I tried looking for a ’78 442 around 15 yrs ago and it was tough, never found one in northern NJ. Hopefully down in NC I might have better luck.

  4. loren

    After once watching a Toro rr-drive conversion mini-truck with it’s wheels sticking out the side of the bed struggle to stay in control on the freeway at 50mph, I started looking to see if any of those type cars drove very well. Answer seemed to be, no.

  5. Joe

    never seen or heard of this one…
    but i have seen the honda civic that had a supercharged 425/tornado setup in the hatch, and the original 4 banger up front, two gas pedals at the Bellmore hang out one nite (late 90s)
    was really cool to see in person
    can’t imagine how insanely loud it would be inside though

  6. C.M.Bendig

    A few years ago it was in the Show Car section at the Springfield Ohio swap-meet. I want to say it was the spring not the fall meet. At least one of the owners has shown it, so it hasn’t just been hiding in a garage or a barn.

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