This is a 1970 Oldsmobile 442 W-30, but it’s not just any old example, this one might very well be the best-preserved original example left anywhere in the world, with its factory 370 bhp Rocket V8 engine still in pride of place under the hood.
It won the Preservation Postwar Class at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2018 and it’s been described as the world’s finest original W-30. It was ordered new with the desirable M21 close 4-speed with a Hurst shifter and the G80 Positraction option.
Fast Facts: The Oldsmobile 442 W-30
- The Oldsmobile 442 originated in 1964 as an option package for the F-85 and Cutlass, created to compete directly with the Pontiac GTO. By 1968, it had matured into its own distinct model line, built on GM’s A-body platform alongside the Chevelle SS, GTO, and Buick GS, and available in multiple body styles.
- The most coveted option was the W-30 package, first launched in 1966. It included performance upgrades like hotter cams, improved heads, functional cold-air induction, and low-restriction exhaust. With official ratings around 360 to 370 bhp but actual output thought to be higher.
- In 1970, GM’s ban on engines over 400 cubic inches was lifted, allowing Oldsmobile to introduce the 455 cubic inch V8 in the 442. The W-30 version was officially rated at 370 bhp and 500 lb ft of torque, with real figures closer to 400 bhp. These cars featured fiberglass hoods, functional scoops, and could run quarter miles in the low-14s.
- The example highlighted is an exceptionally preserved 1970 Oldsmobile 442 W-30, one of only 1,032 built. Ordered new with the W-30, G80 Positraction axle, M21 close-ratio 4-speed, and Twilight Blue finish, it remains almost entirely original. It won Pebble Beach’s Preservation Postwar Class in 2018 and is now headed to auction with Mecum.
History Speedrun: The Oldsmobile 442 W-30
Oldsmobile’s 442 was born in 1964 as an option package for the F-85 and Cutlass, it was created as a direct response to Pontiac’s wildly popular GTO. The name originally stood for “4-barrel carburetor, 4-speed manual, dual exhaust,” though later interpretations of the name varied. By 1968, the car had evolved into its own model, mirroring what had happened with the GTO, and signaling Oldsmobile’s intent to carve out a place for itself in America’s muscle-car hierarchy.
Oldsmobile’s 442 was born in 1964 as an option package for the F-85 and Cutlass, it was created as a direct response to Pontiac’s wildly popular GTO. Image courtesy of General Motors.
The second generation 442 was built from 1968 to 1972. Today it’s widely regarded as the high point of the 442 series as it arrived during the height of the horsepower wars, with GM’s A-body platform underpinning a roster of corporate cousins that included the Chevelle SS, Pontiac GTO, and Buick GS.
For 1968, the 442 was no longer just a performance package. Oldsmobile promoted it to a distinct series within the lineup, available as a two-door coupe, sport coupe, or convertible. Styling was sharp and muscular, with the semi-fastback roofline, bulging fenders, and quad headlights that defined many late-60s GM designs.
Under the hood, the standard engine was Oldsmobile’s 400 cubic inch V8 which was rated at 325 bhp, with a Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor. Buyers could choose between a 3-speed manual, a 4-speed manual, or Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic. Performance-minded buyers had access to several option packages that made the 442 one of the most configurable muscle cars of its era, and one of the quickest when well specified.
The most famous of these packages was the W-30, first introduced in 1966 and carried into the second generation. By 1968, the W-30 consisted of an uprated 400 cubic inch V8 with a hotter cam, better flowing heads, and a functional cold-air induction system feeding dual carburetors through under-bumper scoops. Officially rated at 360 bhp, output was thought to be considerably higher in reality. The package also included heavy-duty suspension, a low-restriction exhaust, and a performance axle ratio.
Visually, W-30 cars were distinguished by red inner fender liners and specific badging – but only a few thousand were built each year, making them some of the most collectible 442s today.
The G80 option was a limited-slip differential available across the lineup. With muscle cars of the day, traction was always a challenge due to high torque levels and relatively narrow tires, and the G80’s Eaton-built Positraction unit made full use of the available power. In a W-30 car, it was widely considered an essential companion to the W-30 package.
In 1970 GM lifted its corporate ban on engines larger than 400 cubic inches in intermediate cars, and Oldsmobile responded with a 455 cubic inch V8 for the 442. Standard output was 365 bhp, while the W-30 version was rated at 370 bhp and a massive 500 lb ft of torque.
The 1969 model brought minor styling changes, including different grilles and taillights, but the performance packages remained intact.
By 1970, GM lifted its corporate ban on engines larger than 400 cubic inches in intermediate cars, and Oldsmobile responded with a 455 cubic inch V8 for the 442. Standard output was 365 bhp, while the W-30 version was rated at 370 bhp and a massive 500 lb ft of torque. Though still conservative on paper, real output figures were likely closer to 400 bhp.
The 1970 W-30 cars are considered the ultimate second-generation 442s. They came with a fiberglass hood with functional air scoops, low-restriction exhaust, upgraded camshafts, and the familiar red fender liners. Quarter-mile times in the low-14s were common, putting the 442 squarely in competition with the best from Pontiac, Chevrolet, and Mopar.
As emissions standards tightened and insurance costs rose, muscle cars across the board began to lose their edge. For 1971, compression ratios dropped, reducing horsepower ratings. The 442’s 455 now produced 340 bhp, with the W-30 rated at 350. In 1972, the industry’s switch to net horsepower figures made the decline seem more dramatic, with ratings dropping below 300 bhp on paper.
The relatively rare 1970 Oldsmobile 442 W-30 is now seen as a high-water mark from the tail end of the golden age of the muscle car, and more than a match for the Pontiac GTO that it was originally developed to challenge.
The 1970 Oldsmobile 442 W-30 Shown Here
As noted in the introduction, the car you see is almost certainly the best preserved 1970 Oldsmobile 442 W-30 in the world. It’s one of just of 1,032 that were produced and it comes with copies of the original order form, the original dealer invoice, and two factory broadcast sheets.
This car was special-ordered by Vilnis Gagainis with the W-30 Package, the G80 Performance Axle Package, a heavy duty radiator, an M21 4-speed manual transmission, and Twilight Blue paint. It still has the original drivetrain and the original Blue bucket seat interior, and almost all of the original paint.
As noted in the introduction, the car you see is almost certainly the best preserved 1970 Oldsmobile 442 W-30 in the world. It’s one of just of 1,032 that were produced and it comes with copies of the original order form, the original dealer invoice, and two factory broadcast sheets.
It went on to win first place in the Preservation Postwar Class at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2018, and it comes with a Rocket Report, and a broadcast card that matches the cowl tag.
It’s now due to roll across the auction block with Mecum on the 1st of November and you can visit the listing here if you’d like to read more about it, or register to bid.
Images courtesy of Mecum
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
