Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What does '442' mean?
A: The "4-4-2" nametag changed over the years. The initial "44-2"
option in 1964 was technically the "B09 Police Appended Pursuit"
option with a beefed up 330 cid engine rated at 310 hp with a
4-barrel carburetor, 4-speed manual transmission, and dual exhaust -
hence 4-4-2 or 4-barrel, 4-speed, and dual exhaust.
When GM lifted the 400 cid engine ban in 1965, Oldsmobile upped the ante with their 400 cid engine. Now the "4-4-2" meant a 400 cid engine, 4-barrel carburetor, and dual exhaust. A manual 3-speed transmission was standard with a 4-speed manual or 2-speed Jetaway automatic transmissions as options.
The 4-4-2 was still an option in 1966 and 1967. The 1966 4-4-2 was the only year the 3x2 carburetor setup was offered.
The 4-4-2 became it's own series from 1968 through 1971 but became an option again in 1972. In 1970 GM dropped the 400 cid limit for A-body cars and Oldsmobile jumped in with their 455 cid engine rated at 365 hp.
Q: Is my 442 real?
A: This can be tricky at best. To some, 'real' means the car has
the correct and original engine it was born with and can be matched
to some form of documentation. To some, it means if the documentation
says it was born with the 442 option, it doesn't (relatively) matter
that the engine has been replaced for one reason or another; whether
by a dealer under warranty or an over-avid enthusiast 'back-in-the-day'
due to out of warranty breakage. Consider if the car has a warranty
engine with CE code engine, but has documentation that is original
to the car as noted by the VIN sequence and other information of the
sheet matching the trim tag.
As far as the 442 Registry is concerned, correct and valid documentation is the primary objective in the registry, not current engine.
