1970 Oldsmobile 442 W-30 Tribute

Description

Dressed in classic high-impact colors and offering up a fantastic blend of vintage performance and luxury, it's no surprise that cars like this 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 W-30 Tribute are gaining traction as some of the best collector cars to own. This particular muscle-bound example is a real 442 wearing the upgraded robes of the vaunted W-30, and it's been recently rotisserie restored (finished 1,190 miles ago) to an incredibly high, resto-mod standard. With a pro-built 455 V8 under the hood packing an estimated 600HP, a Tremec 6-speed manual managing the shifts, and a long list of performance goodies in between, this is mean 'ol girl wrapped in a slick package.

While all A-bodies shared some underpinnings, the Olds got the most dramatic sheetmetal, with that seductive kick-up behind the doors and a dynamic sweeping front end. Matador Red is the car's original color, and they don't get much better than this, so the builder's stuck to the factory script. Oldsmobile's bright red turns heads and helps emphasize the car's finer points, because as we all know, it's nearly impossible to hide bad bodywork under bright paint. During the rotisserie restoration the front fenders and rear quarters were replaced with NOS sheetmetal, while the rest of the body is all-original steel (aside from the fiberglass hood), and before a drop of primer went down everything was smoothed, expertly lined up, and set right. The resulting laser-straight body was coated with layers of smooth, lustrous paint, further punctuated by black 442 decals on the hood and profile. The work was finished just over 1K miles ago to a very high standard, and other than some very fine scratches here and there from a couple car washes and rub downs, there's nothing really to complain about on this gorgeous finish. Instead, onlookers will surely appreciate the great shine of the paint, the duals scoops and chrome twist pins on the custom fiberglass hood, and the slick hardtop roof that wasn't subdued by a vinyl top. Twin grilles up front have an intricate egg crate pattern, a theme that is echoed in the taillight lenses, the big 442 deck lid spoiler looks primed for battle, and all the correct 442 badges were reinstalled. Red inner fenders are the W-30's calling card and set this beauty apart, and the custom touch of the cut-out hood that makes way for the air cleaner was a bold move we absolutely love. Chrome bumpers fore and aft shine bright and add just enough flash, as does the rest of the brightwork, and those slick wheels let everyone know this is a special beast.

Cuttys always looked pretty sporty inside, but this '70 really kick things up a notch. A set of Procar buckets were installed up front, complete with Racequip 5-point harnesses, and in case that didn't give away the car's performance intentions, the six-point roll cage inside certainly will. The interior kept a lot of its stock style equipment as well, including clean door panels at the flanks, an expanse of OEM style carpets on the floors, and taut black headliner above, and even an original bench seat out back. Wood grain trim on the dash and door panels warms things up and along with the chrome accents give the cabin a luxurious feel, further punctuated by those '442' embroidered floor mats. The stock dash is very clean and at first glance retains its original set-up, but a closer look reveals a full set of Dakota Digital VHX gauges in the original gauge pods, along with a row of custom switches mounted in the center that control the car's fuel pump and electric fan. There's also a very cool, leather-rimmed Billet Specialties mounted atop a tilt column, and it matches the resto-mod styling of the tall Lokar shifter that manages the 6-speed manual transmission below. Everything is in great shape inside and it's obvious that not a lot of time has been spent in here since the car was finished, which means everything still feels fresh. There's no radio, but the smiles-per-miles on this smoke show are entertainment enough for anyone with a pulse, and a full Vintage Air system was installed for when the temperatures rise.

Power comes from a stout 455 cubic inch Oldsmobile V8 under the hood, which has been bored to 462 cubes and has an estimated output of 600 horsepower. Going by the natural Dyno at the seat of our pants, it feels almost even more powerful than that, and it features a long list of engine upgrades including a Jones Cam solid roller cam, forged Manly BBC connecting rods, Dick Miller Racing billet steel main caps, SR lifters, 11.76:1 compression JE pistons, and ported Edelbrock aluminum heads. Atop the engine there's a big Holley 4-barrel carburetor mounted on a Victor Jr. air-gap intake, and the big motor springs to life thanks to a full MSD ignition, Powermaster torque starter, Aeromotive fuel pump, and March serpentine belt system that drives all the accessories. The engine bay is beautifully presented, highlighted by the custom air cleaner up top, the jet-coated Oldsmobile valve covers at the flanks, and the gorgeous Olds Blue paint on the block itself. Options include CPP power steering and CPP power brakes with Wilwood 4-wheel discs, and the engine burbles through American Racing headers that feed a 3-inch X-pipe Pypes exhaust with Race-Pro mufflers. It's linked to a Tremec 6-speed gearbox and a Chevy 12-bolt posi rear end stuffed with 4.56 gears, so the powertrain is reliable and durable. The undercarriage is finished to a show-ready level, with a custom suspension full of racing goodies and new parts throughout. Finishing the look are a set of 17-inch Elite Specialties wheels wrapped in Firestones up front and fat Racemaster meats out back.

Packed with performance and killer good looks, we barely scratched the surface of everything this Cutty has to offer. Pick up the phone and let us tell you the rest. Call today!