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I came across a 69 442 conv 4 Spd that has been sitting in a dingy one car garage since the eighties sometime. The engine is out and somewhere else and I dont know if its the original? The car needs everything and is pretty rough with mold and rust everywhere. Dark green with black bucket interior. The console is there but would need a total restoration. I dont know what rear? I went to look at it a while ago and left my number because he was just gauging interest. He just texted me and said he’s taking offers at 8k or best offer. I would think this car would be a good candidate for a re-body or it would be a total ground up resto. I hate to offend the guy but I would value the car at $800-$1000 ands thats being generous.
What do you guys think? I’m not too familiar with 69s and dont know much about rarity or desirability.
Last edited by scrappie; November 12th, 2021 at 01:17 PM.
Your a little light he is starting high. My guess 2500-4000. Lower end depending on condition of motor or even if there is one. It is a 4speed convertible 442 but even at a dollar you will be under water by the time you finish restoring it.
I think it would clean up pretty nice admitting yes you will need a fender. The door hinges look worn out on drivers side. Looks like original pattern upholstry. There is a unique enjoyment to going through the gears with the top down that has to be experienced to know. All that mold can be cleaned off; I've seen worse. I don't know about your area but 455 Olds motors do no cost as much as BBCs or Pontiacs. If the original 400 is not available or suitable for a rebuild then go find a 455. I would replace the fender and door hinges then start going through the car mechanically; don't try to do a body off high point restoration. Just get it on the road ASAP. Please don't put an LS in it.
Hard to tell from the pictures. Is it a super rusty car? Body doesn't look terrible. Is it worse than it looks? Frame rusty? Even if you parted in out looks like a good chunk of usable parts. All the four speed stuff alone would be worth cash. Console too. Hood looks clean. Bucket seats and rear seat would sell. Eight grand does sound rich. People think their cars are worth way too much sometimes. I agree with 2500-4000.
Black interior, bucket seats, console, four speed, and convertible top is a good starting point for a lot of people to build whatever they want the car to be. This car would draw lot of interest if marketed widely. With the numbers matching drivetrain this car would easily bring more than $5,000.
Last edited by Ctls442; November 12th, 2021 at 03:22 PM.
Only 4,295 4-4-2 convertibles were made for the 1969 model year and I'm guessing that only 1/3 of them were manual transmission cars. If the original engine and transmissions are available, a VIN derivative will be stamped into each. For the engine, it will be stamped onto a raised pad on the driver side of the engine block just forward and below #1 cylinder (the block number is 396026 G and is cast into the front of the block between the intake manifold and timing cover). If there is power steering equipment attached, it will be hard to see because it's behind the associated bracket for power steering. On the transmission, it will be stamped into the driver side of the transmission housing. There will also be a code on the transmission housing that will tell when it was built and if it's an M20, M21 or M22.
I'm in agreement with the above - $2,500 to $4,000 tops and a 455 if the original 400 is not available - and it will surely cost a lot of bucks to restore this car to pristine condition. It would be a nice one and a highly desirable one completely restored, in my opinion.
Make no mistake, I have no intention of restoring this car. I’m always looking around and just came across this one. I know a 442 conv 4spd is a desirable car. I just dont know the value of this one. My intention would only be to make a couple bucks flipping it to put towards another car. I’m just being honest. Even that seems like a lot of work with this one.
The stripe is supposed to be thinner as it goes around the taillights. This one appears to have been repainted. The car does have the Y73 hood pinstripes that came on nearly all 1969 442s (as opposed to what you see today).
You can forget $800-$1000. From the pictures you've posted, I would say that car is easily $5000 and could very well pull the $8000 he's looking to get. Aside from the driver's door, the sheetmetal looks straight (with the exception of some dings/dents). The front end looks great. Top looks to be good with no tears, windows look dirty but good and aligned. The interior is dirty but looks to be original with only a couple of common tears. Looks like some surface rust on the back-end but not too bad. The big obvious question is the frame, floorpans, trunk, base of windshield, bottoms of quarters/fenders, etc. The usual. There's no reason to believe they won't have the usual problems but, even so, I wouldn't see it going for less than $5k.
Sounds like you're unsure of the engine. We Olds guys like to talk about original engines but let's face it, we're the only ones who know the 400G even exists (and even that's doubtful sometimes). Most people think every Oldsmobile ever made had a 455 so even if you don't have the numbers matching engine, I don't think it would kill resale (shave off a few thousand is all).
The '69 convertibles are extremely popular and this being a 4-speed only enhances its appeal. All done you're probably looking at a $35-40k car and paint/rust repair could easily eat half of that. Nobody would restore this to make money. It's all for the fun of it.
Yeah I think in parts alone it could be worth 2500ish. Definitely have to love this car to dump the $ into it. You would have to do it all yourself too, forget about hiring somebody because that would be big $.
Yeah I think in parts alone it could be worth 2500ish. Definitely have to love this car to dump the $ into it. You would have to do it all yourself too, forget about hiring somebody because that would be big $.
In parts alone it's close to triple that. The four speed set-up with the back drive lock is probably $2500 by itself. Just core Muncie's are selling for almost $1K now
I think everyone is thinking of pricing from five or more years ago
This 68 sold for $22k in similar condition. I'm almost positive it isn't a W30 and even if it was it wouldn't be worth much more without paperwork. It's a really good time to just sit back and watch. As everyone alluded to, these projects are selling for stupid money but completed cars (68-69's) really haven't increased that much in value.
I think everyone is thinking of pricing from five or more years ago
This 68 sold for $22k in similar condition. I'm almost positive it isn't a W30 and even if it was it wouldn't be worth much more without paperwork. It's a really good time to just sit back and watch. As everyone alluded to, these projects are selling for stupid money but completed cars really haven't increased that much.
I'm betting that the buyer of that 68 assumed it was a W30. Whether it is or not is a different question, but it CERTAINLY will be a W30 when it crosses the block after the restoration. There will also be some unprovable "special order" story about the power brakes.
I think 5K car Paul. There's a lot of parts on it, the sticker says 1975. I agree you'd definitely go upside down on it restoring it. But if the trans stuff is there and the frame is solid, you could chuck brake lines on it and an engine and drive it. Depends what's there, but even in MA for 6 yrs only, I'm thinking it might be pretty solid.
I'm betting that the buyer of that 68 assumed it was a W30.
I think we both know there are W30 specific things that were missing from that car. Paying $22k was foolish but the 69 the OP is looking at would sell for $10k at any auction. Four speed convertible projects bring stupid money
I'm just hoping this car doesn't get parted. Based on the limited information we have, you'd have to be a real money hungry butcher to cut this car up. Sure, it's worth more in parts but it looks to be a pretty solid original car.
He called me to gauge my interest and I said If the clear title and original engine is there I'd be in at 2k. He then said he had an offer close to what he was asking. I told him if he has an offer anywhere close to 8k to grab it and run.
I'm just hoping this car doesn't get parted. Based on the limited information we have, you'd have to be a real money hungry butcher to cut this car up. Sure, it's worth more in parts but it looks to be a pretty solid original car.
Amen. That car looks solid from here. 4 speed ragtop? I hope it gets to live.
Huh? Every single Cutlass S and 442 convertible built in 1968-69 left the factory with that chrome. That's over 18,000 cars in the 1969 model year alone. Not exactly rare.
They aren't as rare as people selling them would like to think. I've had this restored passenger side for sale for over 2 years. I'm at $250 plus shipping. I did sell a restored pair for $850 a year ago but they took a year to sell. I recently saw an unrestored set for sale by a parts ***** for $1500 and I just laughed....
Huh? Every single Cutlass S and 442 convertible built in 1968-69 left the factory with that chrome. That's over 18,000 cars in the 1969 model year alone. Not exactly rare.
Ok Joe, Let me rephrase. "Currently difficult to find"
I'm not sure "How many were made" is the issue. They made over 13,000 P-51's
November 12th, 2021, 01:05 PM
