Rare cars come along every once in a while. Sometimes rare cars are cool, sometimes weird, sometimes ugly. And the term "rare" is also often applied to cars that...um...aren't. When I stumble across any old car that I deem desirable, it usually fits the rare category just because it comes from a different time. Any "old" car is rare, when comparing it to what is on the road today.
But then there is a rare car. I mean rare. Those cars that are your personal favorites, and limited production models that are only in pictures (or imagination) of a history you never even lived in. I'm talking those cars that magically appear as a quick blip on the screen, once in a decade, if ever at all. And I am just thankful my eccentric car views stumbled on to this rare one.
This little worn out creature (read: another junker) is a rare car, rare indeed. And it happens to be one of The Originals according to the opinions that clog my brain. It is a legitimate 1964 Oldsmobile 442. This car was released quickly, late in the production year, as an answer to the competition posed by Pontiac's new GTO. The '64 GTO was selling far better than anyone expected, and Oldsmobile decided to bust out a last-minute option on the F-85/Cutlass line to try and catch up to speed. The 1964 442 became the addition of the B-09 option code, which was the Police Apprehender package. This included the Cutlass 330 c.i.d. engine with a different camshaft bumping horsepower from 290 to 310. The package also gave front and rear sway bars, fully boxed lower control arms, and extra frame reinforcement. And the new little 442 name meant four barrel carburetor, four speed transmission, and dual exhaust. This was also the only year that the moniker "442" meant its original meaning. None of the '64 442s were automatics, and they all had the B-09 option. The rusty red hardtop I just picked up is one of only 1,842 hardtops made in '64; 2,999 total '64 442s being made. Compare that to the production numbers of the '64 GTO, which I also consider rare. There were 32,450 of those built. Big difference.
The '64 is hard to document, and can only be considered a real 442 if it has the correct B-09 options. This little clunker has 'em all, even the extremely rare (and expensive!) dual snorkel air cleaner. It is a long way from its original condition, and will likely be my first body-off-frame restoration of a car. I am planning on replacing entire rear 1/4 panels, welding on new floors, trunk, window channels, and more. This little car is going to be a huge project. But it is also a huge piece of automobile history...to us lovers of old American cars, anyway.
But then there is a rare car. I mean rare. Those cars that are your personal favorites, and limited production models that are only in pictures (or imagination) of a history you never even lived in. I'm talking those cars that magically appear as a quick blip on the screen, once in a decade, if ever at all. And I am just thankful my eccentric car views stumbled on to this rare one.
This little worn out creature (read: another junker) is a rare car, rare indeed. And it happens to be one of The Originals according to the opinions that clog my brain. It is a legitimate 1964 Oldsmobile 442. This car was released quickly, late in the production year, as an answer to the competition posed by Pontiac's new GTO. The '64 GTO was selling far better than anyone expected, and Oldsmobile decided to bust out a last-minute option on the F-85/Cutlass line to try and catch up to speed. The 1964 442 became the addition of the B-09 option code, which was the Police Apprehender package. This included the Cutlass 330 c.i.d. engine with a different camshaft bumping horsepower from 290 to 310. The package also gave front and rear sway bars, fully boxed lower control arms, and extra frame reinforcement. And the new little 442 name meant four barrel carburetor, four speed transmission, and dual exhaust. This was also the only year that the moniker "442" meant its original meaning. None of the '64 442s were automatics, and they all had the B-09 option. The rusty red hardtop I just picked up is one of only 1,842 hardtops made in '64; 2,999 total '64 442s being made. Compare that to the production numbers of the '64 GTO, which I also consider rare. There were 32,450 of those built. Big difference.
The '64 is hard to document, and can only be considered a real 442 if it has the correct B-09 options. This little clunker has 'em all, even the extremely rare (and expensive!) dual snorkel air cleaner. It is a long way from its original condition, and will likely be my first body-off-frame restoration of a car. I am planning on replacing entire rear 1/4 panels, welding on new floors, trunk, window channels, and more. This little car is going to be a huge project. But it is also a huge piece of automobile history...to us lovers of old American cars, anyway.