1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 Convertible Tribute

- Fresh Restoration
- 350ci V8
- 4 Speed Manual
- 38k Miles
- Black Over White Interior

(Please note: If you happen to be viewing this 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 Convertible Tribute on a site other than GarageKeptMotors.com, it's possible that you've only seen some of our many photographs of this vehicle due to third-party website limitations. To be sure you access all the more than 180 high-definition photographs and a short startup-and-walk-around video, please go to our main website: GarageKeptMotors.)

“Most Oldsmobile 442 aficionados place the emphasis on the higher-performance years, which are usually correlated to the muscle car era, which ran from 1964 through 1972.” – Sports Car Market, January 2016

Olds 442 aficionados also know that the 1972 model was the first year a 442 could not be identified as such by its VIN. What's more, there was no single “442 spec.” As Sports Car Market explained in 2016: “Starting with a 350 V8 Cutlass, you could order the W-29 442 package starting at $29. For that, buyers would get some badges and stripes, an upgraded suspension and faux hood louvers, and a different grille. There were plenty of other options as well, which could quickly take the base MSRP up to a hefty grand total.” Oldsmobile 442s were optioned to suit buyer tastes. That makes the tribute example offered here nicely representative of what one of those original buyers might well have created by checking certain option boxes, but not others.

This 442 recreation is executed in black over a striking black-and-white vinyl interior, beneath a white fabric top. A Kansas car, its odometer shows just 38,000 miles. The exterior paint is a factory-quality application, uniformly smooth and glossy across the entire body. Panel fit is at the factory level, if not better. Chrome bumpers are in excellent condition, as are all lighting lenses, cabin glass, and chrome trim (on the windshield surround and lower body). The painstaking professional quality of the “tribute work” on the car is evident throughout. The 1972-specific front grille and rear taillight design is accurately represented. All appropriate 442 badging is present and properly located, as are the hood stripes and faux louvers. The correct five-spoke wheels with body-color paint (and Oldsmobile-logo center-caps) are in place, mounted with white-letter Cooper Cobra tires.

Inside, the black-and-white color combination is tastefully complemented with wood-grain trim on the dashboard and door panels. The beautifully pleated white vinyl upholstery is spotless, perfectly installed, and free of any sign of wear. Front bucket-style bench seats include a center armrest; the rear seat is a full bench. The simple design of the black dash is free of unnecessary distractions. Three large instrument openings are the primary focus behind the Oldsmobile-logo sport steering wheel. Controls, including lever-switches for the heating and air conditioning, are well laid-out. An Oldsmobile-branded AM radio is installed in the factory location. There is very little patina or wear indications across the dash. The four-speed manual transmission shifter is mounted on the floor.

Under the hood, the 442 vibe continues. The “Oldsmobile Rocket 350” cubic-inch V8 engine's block is properly painted in “Rocket Gold.” All components, wiring, and hoses are properly located in a very clean engine bay. Edelbrock valve covers are installed. Beneath the car, the chassis is clean and free of damage, with most metal surfaces treated with rust inhibitor. Full-length, properly routed dual exhaust are in place.

All original data plates remain on the car. The sale includes a copy of the original owners manual.

This first-class tribute execution of the 1972 Oldsmobile 442 is faithfully presented from every angle (including from below) in the more than 180 high-definition photographs and the short walk-around-and-startup video available at the GarageKeptMotors site. That said, we always encourage in-person, up-close inspections by interested parties—or their representatives—at our Grand Rapids, Michigan showroom. We ask only that advance appointments be made by phone or email so that we can devote our full attention to our visitors and this very special automobile. Our showroom is not open to the public.

Production figures show just 928 total Cutlass Supreme 442 convertibles were built for the 1972 model year. This beautiful black-and white 442 is a tribute to them all.