Oldsmobile 442

Oldsmobile 442
1971 Oldsmobile 442
Overview
ManufacturerOldsmobile (General Motors)
Model years1964–1980
1985–1987
1990–1991
Body and chassis
ClassMuscle car
LayoutFR layout

The Oldsmobile 4-4-2 (also known as the 442) is a muscle car produced by Oldsmobile between the 1964 and 1987 model years. Introduced as an option package for US-sold F-85 and Cutlass models, it became a model in its own right from 1968 to 1971, spawned the Hurst/Olds in 1968, then reverted to an option through the mid-1970s. The name was revived in the 1980s on the rear-wheel drive Cutlass Supreme and early 1990s as an option package for the new front-wheel drive Cutlass Calais.

The "4-4-2" name (pronounced "Four-four-two") derives from the original car's four-barrel carburetor, four-speed manual transmission, and dual exhausts.[1][2][3] It was originally written "4-4-2" (with badging showing hyphens between the numerals),[1] and remained hyphenated throughout Oldsmobile's use of the designation. Beginning in 1965, the 4-4-2s standard transmission was a three-speed manual along with an optional two-speed automatic and four-speed manual, but were still badged as "4-4-2"s. Because of this change, from 1965 on, according to Oldsmobile brochures and advertisements, the 4-4-2 designation referred to the 400 cubic inch engine, four-barrel carburetor, and dual exhausts. By 1968, badging was shortened to simply "442", but Oldsmobile brochures and internal documents continued to use the "4-4-2" model designation.[4]

  1. ^ a b http://oldcarbrochures.com/new/021110/1965%20Oldsmobile%204-4-2%20Folder/1965%20Oldsmobile%204-4-2%20Folder-03.html 1965 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 Brochure
  2. ^ "Directory Index: Oldsmobile/1965 Oldsmobile/album". Oldcarbrochures.com. Archived from the original on 2013-12-24. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
  3. ^ Muscle Oldsmobiles!, Thomas Bonsall, Bookman Publishing, 1985, pg 4
  4. ^ "Driven: Front-wheel drive 1968 Oldsmobile A-body". Hemmings Motor News.