442

A car made by Oldsmobile between 1964 and 1973. The 442 was a special package offered on the Oldsmobile Cutlass. this package was most well known W-30. the 442 originially started off as a package for police cars. In 1964, there were 10 4 door 442's made. The 442 was called the best handling muscle car in 1964 by reviewers 442 stood for the 442's 4 barrel carbeurator, 4 speed transmission and dual (2)exhaust. The official meaning of 442 was changed to represent the new 400 cid engine that was now offered in the 442. 442 now stood for the 4 barrel carbeurator, 400 cid engine and dual exhaust. A 455 engine was offered in the 442 beggining in 1970, because General Motors (Oldsmobile's parent company) lifted its ban on engines over 400 cid in intermediate sized cars. Performance for the 442 began to go downhill in 1971, when the US government made new emissions laws, and General Motors decree that all of its cars must run on unleaded fuel, meaning that the compression of the 442's wngine had to be dropped.