Featuring a 1972 Oldsmobile 442 W-30 Convertible this week in the Cars-On-Line.com newsletter, Midwest Muscle Cars becomes the first classic car dealer to offer one of the rarest Oldsmobile muscle cars for sale this year. (Follow this link to the ad page for Midwest Muscle Cars, including many detailed photos.) In recent years these rare muscle cars have not shown up often on the collector car scene. While it does not command the same value among Oldsmobile collectors as a 1970 or 1971 version 442 W-30 ragtop, it is one you rarely see for sale anymore.
Midwest Muscle Cars says in their description that their 1972 Oldsmobile 442 W-30 Convertible is one of only 113 such ragtop 442 W-30 cars produced by General Motors. We found that it is even more rare than that. It is also just one of 80 produced with the 400 Turbo Hydra-Matic transmission. The only thing more rare would be a 4-speed manual version which are as rare as frog hairs. It comes with the torquey L77 455 ci big block Olds engine producing 300 horsepower. This by way of the W-30 option package.
Midwest Muscle Cars has confirmed that this rare Matador red 1972 Oldsmobile 442 W-30 Convertible has the “X” in the VIN number. One of the ways to verify authenticity for the ’72 442 W-30 cars is to have the “X” in the VIN. This one also has an OW code transmission and TM code 3.42 rear end. It also comes with a dual-gate shifter, power steering, power windows, tilt telescopic steering wheel and a Matador red finish with black top and black interior.
They say it was restored cosmetically with less than 1,000 miles on the redo. In 2014 it scored 987 points out of 1,000 at the Oldsmobile Nationals.
You see, they changed the game in 1972 as the 442 package reverted from its own model to the L-29 option. The L-29 option was mostly an appearance and handling option package on the Cutlass Holiday coupe, Cutlass S sport coupe and Cutlass Supreme convertible. In the 442 option package you got the FE2 suspension upgrades with heavy duty springs and shocks, front and rear sway bars, boxed lower rear control arms and 14 x 7 inch wheels. Side striping, non-functional hood louvers and the ’72 grille came with this package. 442 badging decorated the fender and decklid.
And with the 442 option package, the convertible came with extra woodgrain interior accents and Strato bucket seats. A center console was available as an extra option. An AM/FM stereo radio with tape player was available for an additional $363 (an expensive option for that time.) The 442 package by itself was priced at just $29.
So the important optional package was the W-30 option. In addition to the L77 455 big block, this option included the great sound of the low-restriction dual exhaust, a lightweight aluminum intake manifold, the W25 fiberglass Ram-Air hood, anti-spin differential with 3.42:1 gears and heavy duty cooling.
Due to low-vacuum at idle, it was not possible to order a W-30 with air conditioning, and power brakes were only available with an automatic transmission.
You can view Cars-On-Line.com’s newsletter at this link: https://www.cars-on-line.com/2017/dec-07.html
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