Photo: Mecum Auctions
Established 11 years before William Crapo Durant and his associates founded General Motors, Oldsmobile peaked in 1970 thanks to the 442 mid-size muscle car with the 455 CID engine. The W-30 Convertible in the photo gallery is one of 96 units produced that year, and it’s a bit of a hoot off the line thanks to 500 pound-feet (678 Nm) of torque.
The big-block motor with 365 horsepower on deck from 7.5 liters of displacement is based on the tall-deck 425. It is complemented by the W-25 fiberglass hood with functional hood scoops, a low-restriction air cleaner on top of the four-barrel carburetor, an aluminum intake manifold with the Winters Foundry snowflake logo, and the high-lift camshaft for improved responsiveness. The cast-iron motor with an overhead valvetrain is paired with a heavy-duty manual transmission, a close-ratio four-speeder with a Hurst ball shifter.
Even at idle, the dual exhaust allows the Rocket to sing the song of its people with no restrictions whatsoever. Disc brakes up front and the W-27 aluminum differential cover on the rear axle pretty much sum up the most important hardware fitted to this old-school bruiser. As far as the visuals are concerned, Twilight Blue paintwork contrasts beautifully with the black bucket-seat interior, simulated wood-grain finish on the instrument panel, door panels, and center console, and the red-painted inner fender wells.
Offered by Mecum Auctions at no reserve, this Oldsmobile 442 is dressed to impress with a white top, which is color-keyed with the white paint stripes on the hood scoops and body shell. Super Stock I wheels are wrapped in Goodyear G70-14 Polyglas bias-ply tires, the pinnacle of hustle muscle rubber on the road, which features two circumferential belts of fiberglass.
The Custom Sport steering wheel with a four-spoke design frames a speedometer that goes up to 120 miles per hour (193 kilometers per hour), and just ahead of the shifter, you’ll find the original AM radio with a companion 8-track player. According to the auction house, the estimate on this muscled-up cruiser is $100,000 at the very least and $125,000 tops.
Even at idle, the dual exhaust allows the Rocket to sing the song of its people with no restrictions whatsoever. Disc brakes up front and the W-27 aluminum differential cover on the rear axle pretty much sum up the most important hardware fitted to this old-school bruiser. As far as the visuals are concerned, Twilight Blue paintwork contrasts beautifully with the black bucket-seat interior, simulated wood-grain finish on the instrument panel, door panels, and center console, and the red-painted inner fender wells.
Offered by Mecum Auctions at no reserve, this Oldsmobile 442 is dressed to impress with a white top, which is color-keyed with the white paint stripes on the hood scoops and body shell. Super Stock I wheels are wrapped in Goodyear G70-14 Polyglas bias-ply tires, the pinnacle of hustle muscle rubber on the road, which features two circumferential belts of fiberglass.
The Custom Sport steering wheel with a four-spoke design frames a speedometer that goes up to 120 miles per hour (193 kilometers per hour), and just ahead of the shifter, you’ll find the original AM radio with a companion 8-track player. According to the auction house, the estimate on this muscled-up cruiser is $100,000 at the very least and $125,000 tops.
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