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1968 FWD 442


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I have a 1968 442 with a 455 that is also front wheel drive. It was purchased in 1970 from Guy Martin delarship in Woodland Park, California. The story is that only 3 of these cars manufactured as a special order from Hurst from Oldsmobile. This is the only one known to still be in existence. It is gold with a black stripe down the hood. The VIN is 344878M137975.

Does anyone know anything about this car? Or its potential value?

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  • 3 weeks later...

The only FWD 68 442 that I'm aware of is the one custom built by George Hurst (of Hurst shifter and Hurst/Olds fame) in 1968. That car is documented in the Hurst Heritage book. If it can be proven that this is that car, it would be worth a few bucks.

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  • 5 years later...
It's something I've never heard of, and while I suppose a Toronado stub frame and driveline could be transplanted to an A-body, it would have been a lot of work.

Got pics?

Do you know if this guy is still around? I stumbled across this old thread. My father in law has the exact same car also bought from Guy Martin. We thought it was one of a kind, so I am curious about his. It is in great shape and has been garaged and stored for the last 20 plus years. He bought it in 1969 while in the Navy. And I do have pics, Richard Truesdell just shot it for a book.

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Pictures! We gotta have 'em!

Then when you're finished posting them here, ClassicOldsmobile.com .

I haven't seen or heard from the OP since this thread came up, and I had forgotten about it.

You can see the offset Toronado wheels, the 455 and in the underside you can see the front axle going to the front wheel. The hump does not exist in the back seat area either. I had already posted a link to the pics on there, but I went back and edited my post with these pics.

picture.php?albumid=13322&pictureid=94202

picture.php?albumid=13322&pictureid=94203

picture.php?albumid=13322&pictureid=94205

picture.php?albumid=13322&pictureid=94206

Edited by Braz (see edit history)
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  • 3 months later...

I was looking over the pic's of the engine compartment and I can tell you that the air cleaner canister on this car is off of a force-air induction W-34 455. I have owned 2 68 toronado's with this option. According to the Toronado Owners Association there was a 112 toronado's made with this engine. I have one of these great cars left and I can tell you that 400 hp and nearly 500 pounds of torque is something else in a 5000 pound car, let alone a Cutlass? For those that want to know the main difference in the engine is the .472 lift cam, special distributor advance curve wieghts and springs, no change in carburation. 0 to 60 in 7.5 seconds top end 135 mph if you don't believe me look in a 1968 Road & Track. You know it took almost 40 years for technology advanced production cars to the point that alot of them can out accelerate my 44 year old car. But it still startles the hell out of those drivers of techno-cars when those 15 inch Firestones break free in the front (wieght over wheels @ applied torque = SOUND !!! )

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0 to 60 in 7.5 seconds top end 135 mph if you don't believe me look in a 1968 Road & Track. You know it took almost 40 years for technology advanced production cars to the point that alot of them can out accelerate my 44 year old car. But it still startles the hell out of those drivers of techno-cars when those 15 inch Firestones break free in the front (wieght over wheels @ applied torque = SOUND !!! )

________________________________________________________________

Apparently you must have missed out of a lot of action. My stock 59 Pontiac 389 3x2 tripower Catalina ran a 0-60 in the mid five second range with a quarter mile time of 13.91 @ 102mph.

Check out a stock 1965 Catalina 421 3x2 376 hp that Car & Driver tested in 1965:

http://www.330gt.com/magazinearticles/C&D196503_5.gif

How is that for a 0-60 and a acceleration curve that is nearly strait up! That car held the stock 0-60 time for over thirty years@ 3.9 seconds!

http://pontiacsonline.com/65%2022%2027.JPG

D.

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Don- we're talking about a car that outweighs the Cat by several hundred pounds and is strapped with 3.07 or taller gearing.

Like Ramair, I have totally stunned more than one Honda-punk with a W34 Toronado. I have stunned a Stage 1 Buick with it at the dragstrip. He could not believe that big ugly Toronado pulled a hole shot on his GS and then took him nearly 3/4 of the track to catch up to it. Standard Toronados can be beastly. A W34 is an awesome machine.

I'd love to see one of these FWD 442's up close and personal.

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Don- we're talking about a car that outweighs the Cat by several hundred pounds and is strapped with 3.07 or taller gearing.

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Dear Rocketaider:

If you read closely the thread it sounds like it took forty years to come up to that level of performance and all I'm saying is that there were cars before, during, and just after the Olds was built that way surpassed that performance. His quote again;

"You know it took almost 40 years for technology advanced production cars to the point that alot of them can out accelerate my 44 year old car. But it still startles the hell out of those drivers of techno-cars when those 15 inch Firestones break free in the front (wieght over wheels @ applied torque = SOUND !!! )"

In regards to weight, my 69 LeMans weighs 4,050lbs. and the Cat weighs easily a few hundred more. The weight of a 1968 Olds Toronado ( which weighs more than a "A" body Cutlass ) is 4,328lbs. Base model Toronado weighs 4,280lbs.

BTW, My LeMans with a 9.5 compression 455 and a factory 068 factory cam, T-400 and a 3.08 ran a best of 12.38 @ 113mph.

D.

Edited by helfen (see edit history)
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  • 1 year later...
Guest Bashton

For anyone interested in this car, I recommend putting a big red circle on the weekend of November 23-24 on your calendar, and booking your rooms!

Bashton

MCACN Managing Member

www.mcacn.com

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