Historically speaking, 1968 was a pretty important year for the Oldsmobile 4-4-2 (also referred to as 442). Not only that the car became a separate series, but it also marked the beginning of the second generation, obviously sporting a series of improvements, including in terms of engines.
The 400 (6.6-liter) continued to be offered as standard, but the power rating was the same only on the models that were fitted with three-speed and four-speed manual transmissions. As a result, these models produced 350 horsepower, whereas the automatic versions of the 400 developed 325 horsepower.
Needless to say, the 455 (7.5-liter) continued to be the icing on the cake with 360 horsepower.
The 400 is also responsible for getting this Oldsmobile 442 moving, though, as it turns out, the engine is donated by another 1968 model. Fortunately, this V8 is complete, so in theory, it should be brought back to a perfect shape with minimum effort.
As you can tell from the pictures, this Oldsmobile 442 is far from the condition you’d normally expect when it comes to a barn find. The body is very solid, and the only signs of rust can be seen in the front cowl due to the windshield leak over the years, as per eBay seller memorylaneclassics2_0.
The interior looks quite well, and the seller claims it is entirely original, with no rips or tears.
An Oldsmobile 442 in such good shape is pretty hard to come across in a barn, and without a doubt, this is why so many people are fighting online to take the car home. At the time of writing, the auction received close to 50 bids, with the top offer getting close to $9,000. However, a reserve is also in place, and it is yet to be triggered (despite the seller claiming it should take too much effort to unlock it).