RPM. The base 1972 engine, a four-barrel-
carbureted, 8.5-compression Rocket 350
V- 8, made 180 net hp at 4,000 RPM and 275-
lbs.ft. of torque at 2,800 RPM.
Joe Mondello, proprietor of Mondello
Oldsmobile Performance Products, noted
that Oldsmobile engines were tops at GM;
“Their engines were better built. Most
were hand assembled, and Olds had A, B,
C and D pistons so they could be perfectly
matched to the bore. All [W- 30 engines]
were statically balanced, including the
pistons, rods and crankshaft. Olds was a
notch above the others; they produced a
lot of torque.”
Rick Duden, 1970-’ 72 W- 30 technical
advisor of the Oldsmobile Club of America, explained that the high nickel content
in the 455 block makes it durable: “About
the only weak link in these engines is the
timing gear and chain. They came from
the factory with the plastic coating, and
when we replace them, we always use steel
gears. The other problem is that the saddle that ties two rocker arms together is
aluminum, and it gets weak and breaks.”
Nearly every component required to
rebuild a 4-4-2 engine is available, and
Mondello Oldsmobile Performance Products, among many other suppliers, offers
numerous performance upgrades.
SUSPENSION/BRAKES Oldsmobilefittedallof their Cutlassvari- ants withindependentfrontandfour-link live axle rear suspensions. The perfor- mance-oriented 4-4-2s gained standard heavy-duty front and rear coil springs and heavy-duty front and rear anti-roll bars, as well as Delco direct-action tele- scopic shocks. Manual 10.9-inch front disc/9.5-inch rear drum brakes were standardon W-30cars, replacingthestock manual drum/drum combination, and any automatic-equipped 4-4-2 could have been ordered with power assist. Four-teen-inch-diameter Rally wheels in four
different designs and two widths were
available, and G70x14, F70x14 or F78x14
bias ply tires were mounted. Most stock
suspension components are being reproduced, save for the original-style shock
absorbers, making NOS shocks highly
desirable finds. Numerous aftermarket
performance upgrades are available to
make these Oldsmobiles corner and stop
like new.
able in 1970 is highly prized today.
Four different 14-inch Rally wheel designs were
used on 4-4-2s between 1968 and 1972, and
some are reproduced today in larger sizes to fit
modern high performance radial tires.
INTERIOR/TRIM
Vinyl upholstery was de rigueur in all
body styles of the handsomely appointed
1968 through 1972 4-4-2s. The standard
Strato Bucket front seats could be
replaced by a bench with optional power
operation in Coupes, while Convertibles
used either buckets or the Custom Sport
setup of a split bench with a center armrest. Upholstery, door panels, carpeting and seat belts are among the many
replacement materials still available to
bring a 4-4-2 interior back up to snuff.
A floor shifter was standard with all 4-4-2
cars, be they manual or automatic, and
the M- 14 heavy-duty three-speed manual
transmission was standard on base 4-4-2s.
Optional on these cars were the Muncie
M- 21 close ratio or M- 20 wide-ratio four-speed manual gearboxes with Hurst floor
shifters; the M- 21 came in W- 30 cars until
1971, when the M- 22 “Rock Crusher” was
introduced. A strong three-speed Turbo
Hydra-Matic 400 automatic was optional
in all 4-4-2s. To check what type of gearbox your car was built with, look for “TT”
prefix code to signify automatic transmission and “TS” to signify a manual transmission. All Oldsmobile transmission
choices were well engineered, and their
components, including manual transmission clutch discs, pressure plates and
flywheels and automatic stall converters,
are notably durable for both regular driving and track abuse.
An open differential was standard
equipment, with the Anti-Spin unit
optional, and available axle ratios
ranged between 2.56: 1 and 4.66: 1.
An optional heavy-duty axle
brought beefier gears, shafts and
bearings, and the aforementioned
W- 27 aluminum housing and cover avail-
Values – Oldsmobile 4-4-2*
Low
Average
High
1968
Sports/Holiday Coupe
Convertible
$16,000
$19, 500
$28,000
$38, 500
$74, 500
$98,000
1969
Sports/Holiday Coupe
Convertible
$16,000
$19, 500
$28,000
$34,000
$74, 500
$56,000
1970
Sports/Holiday Coupe
Convertible
$15, 500 $18, 500
$28,000
$34,000
$127,000
$270,000
1971
Hardtop Coupe
Convertible
$13,000
$14, 500
$24,000
$25,000
$97,000
$258,000
1972
Sports/Hardtop Coupe
Convertible
$13, 500
$16,000
$24,000
$28, 500
$51, 500
$47,000
*W- 30, four-speed and other premium options reflected in “High” values
HEMMINGS MOTOR NEWS • NOVEMBER 2009 23
