Born as the Oldsmobile 4-4-2 (and with legends swirling around the meaning of the numbers), this muscle car was produced for the 1964 to 1987 model years. It lived most of its life as an option package for the Cutlass and Cutlass Supreme but also had a quick stint as a standalone model between 1968 and 1971. And so, this 1970 model year easily qualifies into the rare field… but what really makes this particular 442 collector-worthy is the rarefied factory combination.
Usually, these rarity claims are an open invitation to a host of trouble for both the seller (going by the schnells455 username in this particular eBay case) and the interested buyers. But documentation can go a long way to prove the claims and it seems the 1970 Oldsmobile 442 we see here at auction has the necessary evidence. As such, this Convertible is believed to be one of just 96 examples produced with this particular paint and trim combination.
According to the details shared in the description, the 442 was acquired by the seller from the daughter of the original owner of the car. It wears a lovely gold shade (it was repainted back in 1973 after someone keyed the car) and replacement stripes for the W-30 option were also applied… albeit slightly off the mark, according to the included report. Adding to the overall appeal of the classic (besides the pristine looks and no-rust state) is the nice Gold soft top that’s as original as it gets.
This makes the seller believe we are dealing with an original, numbers-matching low mileage survivor. The odometer reads just 55,568 miles (89,428 km), which are also believed to be original, just like the rest of the ride. Of course, that remains to be determined, but it seems the overall 442 W-30 package is enticing enough for the auction to reach some 52 bids (and the highest offer of $66,100) with three more days left on the clock.
Of course, it seems the fact that we’re dealing with a 455ci-equipped V8 survivor that sported 370 horsepower back in the day is also cause for the seller to have big expectations. As such, we noticed that it’s still a “reserve not met” sale at the time of writing…