Inline Tube - 1972 Oldsmobile 442 - W-30
Inline Tube's 1972 442 - W-30 Featured in Hemmings - Muscle Machines October 2003
One of 17 made. No options just raw performance.
When looking for a muscle car most of us look for all the options we can get. This car is the opposite end of the spectrum nothing but performance. No bucket seats, fancy wheels, or a radio to listen to just a sleeper color with an engine compartment of filled with GO FAST.
The Doctor is alive and well!
For all of you that don't know - This character Dr. Oldsmobile created the W-30, W-machines. He is a fictional character used in the advertising as a wacky professor making up horse power potions to increase performance of the base 442.
455 cu.in. V-8 rated at 300 hp @ 5,000 rpm, W-30 engine!
Factory alum. intake manifold, outside air induction hood and air cleaner, Manual disc brakes, with all inline tubes.
Bare Bones interior.
No Rally gauges, no carpet, no bucket seats, no radio. This is the basic F-85 interior.
Going down the highway.
With no power steering or brakes I can see why the original owner had to order the automatic transmission, with both hands on the wheel at all times there is no hands left for the shifter. Drives like a truck and stops like a truck but looks like a muscle car.
A Muscle car nut.
A hobby turned into a business and a business making parts for all American cars.
Car History
In 1968 the 442 was a model of its own thus having a vin code that reflected the 442-4 digit model code. In 1972 the 442 became an option on the base model cutlass. In the 1972 vin code there is no way to tell the Cutlass from the 442. Since 442 was an option, it would only show up on the option sheet.
In 1972 Oldsmobile’s standard a- body was based on the F-85/Cutlass body style. The base Cutlass was priced at $2972.60 which is about as basic as you can get. Standard engine was a rocket 350 cid, 2 bbl carburetor with 3 speed manual trans. No Goodies included: drum brakes, manual steering, limited stitching in the interior, rubber floor matt, radio delete, minimal interior lighting and bench seat.
Most olds buyers were encouraged by the sales man to go to the next higher model for $169.40 you got a hole lot more value for your money. You now have the Cutlass S at a base price of $3142.00. For the $169.40 you got: button style interior, floor carpet, wood grain inserts, padded arm rests, premium interior lighting, deluxe wheel covers, more exterior chrome trim, louver hood grills, deluxe steering wheel and recessed windshield wipers. As you added options the price of the car went up.
This particular Saddle Bronze is a base cutlass and the car has only three options on it:
1. M-40 Turbo 400 Transmission for $236.00. This is the automatic transmission.
2. T-44 Hood Lock for $10.00. This is the interior controlled cable that allowed you to lock the hood and secure the only goodies this car had.
3. W-30 Performance Package 722.00. This is the ultimate performance up grade of the day. This package included. Rocket 455cid V8 engine with selected parts, 4 barrel carburetor with special flapper air cleaner, forced-air engine induction system, aluminum intake manifold, dual intake forced air fiberglass hood with special hood stripes, special body – side paint stripes, W-30 front fender emblems, Light weight body insulation, Manual front disc brakes, sport outside rearview mirrors. To order the W-30 package the car had to have the following required equipment: $21.00 W-29 442 appearance & handling package, $43.00 G-80 Anti spin (posi rearend).
This car was ordered for performance only devoid of all comfort options. The original owner (Jim Marvin) a performance diehard ordered this car for drag racing. Due to California emissions this car had to be ordered from another state. As Crazy as this sounds you could not get a W-30 option on a California ordered Cutlass. This car was ordered from Badger Oldsmobile in Oshkosh, WI with the understanding that it would be shipped to its new home in California. This was Jim’s performance loop hole.
This is one of 17 W-30 hard top coupes produced. What makes this car such a unique find is that this is least expensive car in the olds line up with most performance. Somehow Jim figured out, you could put the W-30 Package on a base Cutlass. To put it in better terms this is equal to having a base Pontiac Lemans with the Judge option or a base Chevelle with the LS5 or LS6 Engine option. It never happened. You have to remember Oldsmobile is associated with comfort and luxury. There were so few of these cars produced because who wanted a basic Oldsmobile when you could buy a Chevelle for less money. Jim wanted the Cutlass styling with out the horsepower robbing options such as power steering or power brakes. When all you want to do is go fast, radios, power windows, buckets seats and styled wheels don’t get you down the track any faster. This striped down olds runs the quarter mile in 13:20 with a top speed of 108 mph. Not bad for the stock 455 rated at 300 hp.
As a Long time Olds enthusiast I came about this car and it through me for a loop. At first glance I new it was a W-30, but all my senses were telling me how could this be? I have looked at hundreds of Oldsmobile’s over the years, dissected these cars down to the details which tell the truth. Of course you start with the big items: Ram Air Hood, Alum. Intake, Body Stripes and the all important W-30 Badges. But this car was different. The interior was unfamiliar to my trained eye it seemed missing something. No Buckets, No console, No Radio, No Carpet, No Tach or gauges and no wood grain. I immediately though this couldn’t be real. Upon inspection of the interior there was no sign of steering wheel, arm rest or foot pedal ware. And the odometer read 28,000 miles. I had to ask my self how does a car survive 30 years with so few miles. Now the inspection began. I systematically analyzed the car against the mileage reading and could only come up with one conclusion it is the real deal. Original weather striping, scratch free glass, original paint, very few stone chips, brilliant chrome, and every nut, bolt and screw was in the right hole with the right head markings.
Now to the numbers game I had to first check for the x in the vin code, because all W-30’s Had a X in the vin to denote the L77 W-30 engine / transmission option. A further look uncovered the correct Ga engine heads, WZ exhaust manifolds, OW transmission, 407570 aluminum intake, and numbers matching carburetor, distributor, and vin matching engine block. After a good night sleep I concluded with only 17 made , factoring in the condition of the remaining cars, I decided I had to have it. The deal was made and the car now makes it present home in MI.
A few numbers for 1972
442’s produced 9845
Cutlass Hardtop Coupes 17
Cutlass S Club Coupe ( Post Coupe – metal frame around side windows) 19
Cutlass S Hardtop Coupe 623
Cutlass Supreme Convertible 113
