What a difference a few years can make. The Olds 4-4-2 launched in 1964 as a mid-size muscle car in response to the success Pontiac was having with its GTO. It first came with a 330 cubic inch V8, but by the end of the decade, the displacement increased to 455 CI. With rising insurance rates, more stringent emissions controls, and a buying public interested in fuel economy over speed, the standard engine in 1975 was a Chevrolet-supplied inline-6! Fortunately, the seller’s car was ordered with a 350 V8, and – while not the barn-burner from before – it wasn’t shabby. This car looks good from a distance, but some sheet metal rust comes into focus as you get closer. Located in Bradenton, Florida, this Olds is available here on eBay where the bidding stands at $5,700, but the reserve is north of there.

The 442 (also badged as 4-4-2) was part of the Oldsmobile line-up from 1964-87. Initially an option on the F-85/Cutlass models, it would become its own series from 1968-71. The car’s name is derived from the original car’s 4-barrel carburetor, 4-speed manual transmission, and dual exhausts. The auto’s third generation was built from 1973-77 during the Colonnade era of styling deployed on GM’s intermediates. During this time, the 442 was a handling and appearance package on base Cutlass and Cutlass S coupes. Catalytic converters were standard in 1975, so the 442 had to run on unleaded fuel for the first time. Demand for the cars was down by this time, with just 6,227 442’s seeing daylight in 1975.

This ‘75 442 looks sharp with its medium/dark blue paint combination – from 20 feet. When you get closer, you’ll find where some rust is starting to pop through in several places, including the doors, louvered hood, front bumper, and side windows. The vinyl top is beginning to peel away from where the seam meets in the center of the roof. You could put off fixing these things and show the car as original for a while, but issues like these always get worse, not better.

We’re told a 4-barrel, 170-hp 350 Rocket V8 is under the hood along with an automatic transmission. The car has been in the shop recently and treated to a new battery, brakes and hoses, exhaust system, power steering pump and hoses, shock absorbers, and a radiator. As a result, the seller says the 442 runs great and could be driven anywhere. But keep in mind that the car has seen more than 118,000 miles in its lifetime to date. The interior looks extremely inviting and tidy, including the swivel buckets seats which were an option of GM intermediates in the 1970s.