Recalling muscle mass cars and two distinctive Olds 442s
5 min read
Q: Greg, I really savored the health supplement about common cars and trucks that appeared in the Boston Herald a number of months in the past. What I also really favored about your insightful articles were the promoting reprints from back in the day. I try to remember them nicely.
I grew up in Malden, Massachusetts, a substantial town just northwest of Boston. Walking the two miles to large school everyday, I handed by a few auto dealerships situated on one street, Jap Avenue: Gibbs Ford, Glick Dodge and Smyly Buick. I constantly popped into the showrooms or looked on the whole lot for muscle mass cars and trucks to aspiration about. In Malden there have been two velocity shops that bought and did overall performance aftermarket increase ons: PV velocity and A&J pace store. It was always fascinating to see the cars parked there.
I was a “late teen” during the peak of the muscle motor vehicle period and was a subscriber to Motor Craze magazine. I knew the engine dimensions, horsepower and 1/4-mile moments of each and every car or truck produced back then.
When I initially attained my driver’s license in 1969, my father, who was 42 at that time, went along with purchasing a muscle mass car for the loved ones to drive. We test drove each individual brand name manufactured including Dodge Chargers, Pontiac GTOs, Ford Mustangs, Plymouth GTXs and the like. My father needed to go all-out and get a convertible to boot. He also needed a car with a high-quality establish and a decent ride so in other words and phrases Mopars had been out. Dad requested a 1969 Olds 442 with a four-velocity transmission, AM/FM stereo radio and purple line Uniroyal Tiger Paws at the corners, and it was beautiful. Regrettably, we only had it for five months as my older brother arrived property from the service and one particular night time took out 100-ft of guardrail! The car or truck was totaled, but he was Okay, while his passenger friend was hurt rather badly. That was the end of muscle mass cars for my father, and I was so bummed out.
When I turned 19, I saw an advertisement in the Boston World for yet another 1969 442. It was a Getaway coupe 442, accurate W-30, four-velocity, with really small miles. We went to see it, and I had to have it. I experienced saved ample for a down payment, and my mother took out a automobile financial loan in her identify that I had to spend back again.
The Olds had lower mileage for the reason that it was never ever registered to travel on the avenue. It was driven 1/4 mile at a time at drag strips all close to the country. It was possibly a single of the swiftest 442’s at the observe. It had beaten the Smothers Brothers 442 racing group consistently working in the lower 11s. My target was to make the vehicle streetable as an daily driver. All the components arrived with the automobile such as the primary exhaust procedure, back seat, and so on., and I also had to obtain street tires to exchange the M&H Racemaster slicks on the rear.
I also had to repair service the M22 four-speed rock crusher transmission as the situation required Heliarc welding simply because it was cracked from the amount of torque the auto manufactured. The only point I couldn’t do myself was improve out the rear finish gears. I had A&J change the 5:00 ratio gears with 3:42s so the automobile could wind out nicely, and properly it did! The motor vehicle was beforehand owned and raced by the Peluso brothers, spot painting contractors with a passion for racing. The car’s motor was blue printed and balanced and experienced each and every racing part you could title. What it didn’t have was electric power steering, brakes or A/C and was a radio delete vehicle. I set in the areas from the totaled spouse and children Olds 442 and thankfully I realized a fuel station owner the place I could get it inspected mainly because it was loud. It was so loud that when I arrived home late at night I experienced to destroy the engine and glide down my street so I would not wake the neighbors.
In any case, you ended up right about the Buick GSX staying the king of avenue devices specifically with the Stage 1 package. The Olds 442 W-30 was correct up there, also. The reader who wrote to you about his ’66 Hemi Dodge was certainly passionate about his car or truck, but early Hemis did not seriously make the most of their power simply because they ended up challenging to tune properly, and the inventory exhaust devices bogged them down. The later 1970 Hemi Cudas have been much faster, lighter and experienced superior functionality but they missing time at the keep track of burning the rear tires in its place of screaming down the keep track of.
I’ve attached a photograph of my 442 when it was a drag car or truck at New England Dragway that I truly observed on YouTube under “Olds drag cars.”
In 1973, I bought that 442 for regardless of what it was worth at the time and purchased a brand name new ’73 Corvette, automobile, A/C, electric power steering and brakes. I must have kept that Olds and stored it absent.
I presently often go to vehicle shows and cruise evenings, other than I generate significant functionality BMWs and Audis now. Not pretty the similar, but, boy, they are quickly! — Nate Lincoff, Salem, Massachusetts
A: Nate, thanks for your excellent letter, and I’m glad you loved the Automobiles We Recall distinctive Far more Information Now and Gannett-made insert. I’ve obtained extra mail in the previous 7 days from Boston region readers than at any time in the earlier. I have a number of more intriguing letters coming.
A speedy observe on Berejik Olds, as I noticed quite a few of those manufacturing unit-backed Olds drag autos contend in the major countrywide races I attended again then. Their endeavours will constantly be remembered, and if you were racing an Olds again then in the east, I am going to guess a lot of of the very hot elements you bought arrived from them. Out west, it was the late Joe Mondello, who was acknowledged as “Dr. Olds,” as he specialised in Olds effectiveness amongst lots of other motor models. Mondello’s Olds cylinder heads have been the most effective available, fingers down. Many thanks, once again, Nate.
Greg Zyla writes weekly for Much more Content Now and Gannett Co. Inc. Get hold of him at [email protected] or at 303 Roosevelt St., Sayre, PA 18840.
