The 4-4-2 (also 442) was Oldsmobile’s version of a mid-size muscle car. It was produced between 1964 and 1987, or as long as rear-wheel-drive was still applicable to these intermediate automobiles. By 1972, some of the beef had begun to fall off these cars and the 442 was available with 350 and 455 cubic-inch engines. Likely equipped with the former, this ’72 442 looks to have been sitting out in a field for many moons and will require towing along with a full restoration. Located in Paola, Kansas, this once-proud Cutlass derivative is available here on craigslist for $8,000. Another interesting tip brought to us by Chuck Foster!

There are two generally accepted definitions of what 4-4-2 or 442 means (pronounced one number at a time). One is for a four-barrel carburetor, four-speed manual, and dual exhaust. The other is for a 400 cubic inch V8, the four-barrel carb, and the twin exhaust. It was usually an option on the F-85 or Cutlass for most of its life, but from 1968 to 1971 the 442 was a series of its own. Production numbers peaked in 1968 at around 37,000 copies, but by 1972 output has slipped to around 10,000 units. Rising insurance costs followed by the detuning of engines for lower emissions, and eventually higher fuel prices did in these hot performers that bloomed in the late 1960s.

Apparently, this car seen here is available only for a brief period, with the seller listing it on a Sunday and saying he/she would only be around until Tuesday. The photos show it surrounded by a fairly new Porsche and a boat on a trailer, with the Oldsmobile clearly the most forlorn. The copper paint has seen better days, there is the appearance of rust in a few places, and it may have had a vinyl top that peeled off (white would have been a nice contrast). For the most part, the interior looks like you’ll have to start over.

When you ordered a Cutlass in 1972, you specified option W29 which was for the 442 package. We’re guessing there’s a 350 V8 lurking under the hood, which would have come in production numbers greater than the 455. What it will take to revive this car is anyone’s guess, but you’re going to need tires that will hold air to remove it from its perch (you don’t want to drag the car through the dirt). BTW, the title is MIA, so that might be a negotiating point.