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Cars in Taylor Swift Music VideosThis 1968 Oldsmobile 442 Is a Great Drivers Car
With only 73,000 miles and a rich history, this muscle car stands as a prime example of a golden era muscle car.Not a Cutlass, This 442 Stands on it Own
1968 Oldsmobile 442 – carsforsale.com | Shop Oldsmobile 442 on Carsforsale.com
The Oldsmobile Cutlass is an icon of American auto history that saw multiple generations over nearly 40 years of production starting in 1961. But without doubt, the 442 variant is the most well-known and desirable of the long-running Cutlass series. Born during the golden years of Detroit’s muscle car wars in the ‘60s, the 442 started life as a trim line of the Cutlass, saw brief status as a standalone model, and then ultimately faded into past-its-prime obscurity as the years wore on.
It is that standalone period, which only lasted from 1968 to 1971, that we’re interested in today. Specifically, this gorgeous 1968 example, trimmed in red with gold stripes, that is currently up for sale. It ticks all the boxes for muscle car aficionados and happens to look incredible in the process. Though the restoration is said to be on the older side and the paint has its flaws, the deep red finish with color-keyed wheels and those gold fender stripes dial up the style.
This 442 Adds Some Nice Touches
The same owner has maintained it for the past 30 years and it only shows 73,000 miles. Under the hood is a massive 455 ci V8 that is period correct. At the time, entry-level 442s came with a 400 cubic inch V8 that made 350 horsepower. But for 1968, a special edition Hurst/Olds option showed up sporting a 455 ci setup good for 390 hp and a 0-60 mph sprint of 5.4 seconds. Though it’s not known if this car’s engine was originally used in a Hurst/Olds model, there is no doubt that 7.5 liters of carbureted American muscle fury is a fine choice.
Today’s car also comes with a classic black vinyl interior, automatic transmission, plus the benefit of power steering and brakes. It is also noted for having red inner fender liners, which were used to distinguish the period W30 442. Those cars featured ram air intake hoses running from scoops beneath the front bumper to a chrome-topped air cleaner in the engine bay. And as you can see in the photos, this 1968 442 appears to have all of that equipment intact. Whether or not it is an original W30 is unclear, but digging into those details is half the fun of owning a car like this.
Unlike so many of its peers, the 442 designation did not relate to this classic Oldsmobile’s engine displacement, as there was never a 442 cubic inch V8 offered. Pronounced “four-four-two”, it is said to reference the 4-barrel carburetor, 4-speed transmission, and dual exhaust pipes so prominently featured on these cars. And lest you worry the 442 was somehow a lesser muscle car given its relatively low name recognition, know that it rode on the same General Motors A-body platform as the more widely known Chevy Chevelle and Pontiac GTO.
A Great Reminder of Classic GM
Positioned above Pontiac but below Buick in the General’s once deep portfolio of brands, an Oldsmobile was nice, but not too nice, and in the case of the legendary 442, an absolute beast on the performance front. By 2004, the entire brand was gone and the 442 nameplate was a shadow of its former self. Which is why today’s 1968 example is such a desirable car. It bundles all the best parts of this iconic muscle car into a sharp-dressed package with a thundering 455 V8 to boot. For serious American muscle enthusiasts, this 442 is worth a hard look.
