Olds.442 help

[Guest windjamer]

I was asked today how to tell if a Olds 442 was a true 442 or a clone. I know the vin# on Chevelle WILL NOT tell yiu if its a SS or not. Is this true of Olds.?? While Im at it I said the 442 was an option for cutlass and the 442 stands for 4 barrel carb.I think 4 speed and duel exhaust. Im not sure about the 4 speed. how wrong am I??

[keiser31]

I always thought it stood for 4 barrel, 4 speed and 2 doors, but I am MoPar guy so I could be talking through my hat..

[rhb1999]

That's what I've known it to be 4 bbl, 4- speed, except for the (2) for dual exhaust.

[poci1957]

I cannot find a chart to post but it appears that the 442 was indicated in the VIN number at least in some years, certainly in the early 1970s. Plenty of Olds guys here to weigh in. Todd C

[cutlasguy]

If you see an "X" in the Vin#, It's a real 442!

[rocketraider]

Depends on the year. 68-71 442 have their own series specific VIN and data plate code 4400.

Before then (64-67) there are specific clues on the body data plate that verify the option's presence.

72-later it again reverted to option status and is kinda difficult to prove, though the 73-74 used specific grilles shared only with Hurst/Olds.

442? Again depends on the year. 1964 was 4-barrel 4-speed 2-exhaust and were all 4-speeds. 65-69 was 400 cid, 4-barrel 2-exhaust and could be had with automatics. 70-later was out the window since there were automatics as well as 455s (and 260 thru 403 engines) but the name was in popular culture by then.

I was thinking some year Chevelle SS had their own specific VIN code?

[rocketraider]

If you see an "X" in the Vin#, It's a real 442!

Only in the case of 1972 W30.

[Guest windjamer]

Glenn 64/65 vin (Chevelle) would tell if its a SS or not. Second and thired letter was series. 57&58 designates SS for 64. 37&38 is SS for 65.1969-1972 had no code in the vin. for SS. Im pretty sure Olds 442 was ORIGINALY 4 barell 4 speed and duel exhaust,but I could be wrong about the 4 speed. I think the w30 was the one with red inner fenders. Come on Steve M. give us the low-down

[NTX5467]

"Super Sport" was like "Z-28", an option package with no VIN designation. Until the early 1970s, the VIN would designate the type of engine (6 cyl or 8 cyl) but not the specific one. This is from the "prior to 1972" Chevy parts book. It was not until the middle 1980s when the Z-28 got its own VIN designation, as a model rather than just an option package.

In those earlier times, you could also get a Chevelle SuperSport with "bucket seat delete", which made it a "bench seat" SuperSport.

In the case of the 1st and 2nd gen Z-28s, the most bullet-proof way to determine if a car was real was by looking at the tire pressure decal. Z-28s ONLY had 15" wheels as other Camaros all had 14" wheels. The 15" wheel/tire combination on Z-28s necessitated a 1/4" aluminum spacer under the lower control arm bumper (which also meant the specific bumper needed to have a longer stud on it!), as a travel limiter, so the tires would not contact the fender when turned and hitting a bump. Similar Firebirds had plenty of inner fender clearance.

There might also have been some distinct equipment items which were Chevelle SS only, as in distinctive trim items. I believe that the only way to get bucket seats and console was in the SS package. Plus that specific options which (suspension upgrades, tire/wheel upgrades) were SS-specific and/or tied to a particular engine option not available in non-SS cars.

I feel that the definitive information on the model designations (if any) related to the SuperSport equipped vehicles would be the factory parts manual for the particular vehicle. Not to forget about the build sheet for the particular vehicle. A "tip off" would be if, on a correct repro window sticker, the basic vehicle was listed as "Chevelle" and the option list had "Super Sport Equipment" in it. These particular orientations should also work for the other GM carline divisions, too.

Just some thoughts,

NTX5467

[joe_padavano]

Just to consolidate some of the information in the various posts in this thread, for the 1968-71 model years ONLY the 442 was a separate model with a unique VIN. That VIN started 344... Note that for the 1968-69 model years, MOST 442s still got Fisher Body data plates (the cowl plate) that showed 336... from a Cutlass. This is well documented in the 1968 and 69 Fisher Body Manuals.

In prior years 442s built in factories OTHER THAN Fremont, CA got a 4V or 5V stamp on the data plate. Fremont cars did not get this and thus cannot be documented as real 442s. Unfortunately, all of the parts that came with the 442 package can be bolted onto any Cutlass, so the fact that a car has the correct parts doesn't prove that it's a true 442. The only other thing to look for in these early years is the engine unit number and Protect-O-Plate. The 442 engines carried a unique engine unit number and if the Protect-O-Plate ties that to the VIN, that's proof. Olds did not stamp VIN derivatives on engine blocks or transmissions until the 1968 model year, only the engine unit number was stamped in prior years.

Subsequent to the 1971 model year the 442 reverted to an "appearance and handling package" available on four Cutlass models. Any available Cutlass drivetrain could be had with the 442 package, thus there are 1972 442s with the 350 2bbl single exhaust. And to correct a prior post, while 1972 was the first year that the VIN carried an engine code letter, the appearance of the W-30 "X" code does NOT prove that the car is a 442. There were also a handful of Hurst/Oldsmobiles built that year with the W-30 motor and those will also have the "X" code despite being based on the Cutlass Supreme.

Finally, the 442 designation stood for "Four Barrel, Four Speed, Dual (NOT DUEL!!!! ) Exhaust" in the 1964 model year only. By 1965 an automatic was available but the engine size was bumped from 330 to 400, thus Olds changed to "400 inch engine, four bbl carb, dual exhaust". By the 1966 model year a 3x2 bbl induction package was available and the 442 designation meant nothing from then on.

[Guest lwk442]

:confused:With all the OLD'S guy's looking at this post. May be you could help. i put A post up about a new repo hood steel back that I got from the Parts Place in

ILL. when it came in it had a few scratches no big thing happened in shipping

I supose. but the issuse is we put it on and found this large gap about 1/2 from fender but this big dip going to the center. I called they owner at the Parts Place and he started like chewing my butt. He said if I drilled and put the front hold down on and adjusted a center adjuster it would be fine. And of courese the hood got back and I called about refund ( I spent thousand's of

dollar's restoring this 70 W-30 on parts from his place) he started chewing my butt again and said he had the best repo hood's and myself and my body guy were stupid. With a little adjustment and this center adjuster it would be fine.

I will have picture's soon for every one to see. but on every old's I have owned I never had some kind of CENTER adjuster by the fender well.

But may main question to everyone out their is what is this center adjuster

and how could you even begin to build up a new hood so you did not have this big dip going from fender to center of the hood. I can take it if I am so called stupid let me know. But the kicker is he is charging me a restocking and freight fee for a defective hood. But in his word's I am the fool here and their is nothing wrong. He also added some one complained about a hood they got

and after some hour's at his shop adjusting this center adjuster it was fine.

So that is his reason to have all these deduction's to the value I should have been credited for. I do not even know how much he is going to give me back

because it has been 3 month's and I have no credit back on my card.

So just be carful if you buy a steel backed fiber glass W-30 ram air hood from the Parts Place in ILL. I do not wish this on anyone and I guess I am the fool he said for trusting them in saying we have the best repo hood's on the market and a money back gaurentee. My spelling may be off but not as much as the hood was. 1 thing I did find out is I got another hood from mondello's in

CA and NONE of these issue's were presient. I have big shoulder's please advise me on this CENTER adjuster may be I maid a mistake but the hood from the other supplyer has NONE of the big dipping to the center of the hood scoop and giant gap from the fender to hood.

So it's everyone's chance to call me a fool out their on this center adjuster

WHAT IS IT AND HOW DO YOU ADJUST IT.

Thank's

larry please use my work email do not know how to use this forum that well yet lwk442@aol.com

[joe_padavano]

:confused:With all the OLD'S guy's looking at this post. May be you could help. i put A post up about a new repo hood steel back that I got from the Parts Place...

Uh, way to get this thread off-topic...

Sorry, but time for a little common sense. The fact that you got no answers to your original question means that no one has anything intelligent to contribute to your problem. Diverting this thread isn't going to get you any more info. Bottom line is that you have an aftermarket part that may or may not be constructed to factory standards (though even the factory hoods fit poorly). Post some photos of the problem in your original thread and you might get more help.