| At the very beginning of General Motors, | | | | a wicked straight-through exhaust |
| the divisions competed against each | | | | system. Just to be extra safe, |
| other, launching rival products in each | | | | Oldsmobile's also added side-impact bars |
| other's markets, stealing sales and | | | | which were welded into the doors and |
| confusing customers. Under the iron rule | | | | head rests became mandatory equipment on |
| of President Alfred P. Sloan, | | | | all vehicles. |
| inter-divisional rivalry was all but | | | | A 455 CID V-8 churning out 365 |
| eliminated. Each marquee was assigned a | | | | horsepower was introduced. It would be |
| place on the GM hierarchy and each was | | | | the largest ever offered. The bore was |
| given an image. Cadillac was positioned | | | | now 4.057 while the stroke was shortened |
| at the high end of the luxury market and | | | | up to 3.385 inches. A special honor was |
| Buick took lower end. Pontiac became | | | | bestowed in 1970, for the third time in |
| synonymous with performance while | | | | the division's history an Oldsmobile |
| Oldsmobile developed the reputation of | | | | would pace the Indianapolis 500. An Olds |
| being GM's experimental division. If one | | | | 88 had done the job in 1948, a much |
| wanted to drive tomorrow's technology | | | | larger Olds 98 had served in 1960. Now a |
| today, it would be found first on an | | | | Cutlass 4-4-2 convertible would do |
| Oldsmobile. But lines blurred in the | | | | brickyard duty at the most prestigious |
| 1960s and competition between sister | | | | automobile race in the world. |
| divisions was fostered and rivalry, once | | | | Production tumbled by nearly a third in |
| forbidden, grew suddenly intense. One of | | | | 1970 despite even beefier performance |
| the very hottest GM cars to hit the | | | | packages. Insurance companies sounded |
| street in 1970 was Oldsmobile's 4-4-2 | | | | the death knell for the entire muscle |
| series. drafted from Cutlass and F-85 | | | | car genre as accidents climbed. |
| variants, the beefy 4-4-2 was welcomed | | | | "Four-barrel, "four-on-the-floor" and |
| into dealers' showrooms for its third | | | | even "bucket seats" became dirty words |
| season as a five-passenger coupe, a | | | | that automatically shot insurance |
| five-passenger hardtop and a drop-top. | | | | policies into the stratosphere. In 1971 |
| Sizzle is what 4-4-2 did best standing | | | | just over 7,000 of the hot Oldsmobile's |
| still. The swoopy two-door had been | | | | would be produced and for the last two |
| downsized in 1968, wheelbase shortened | | | | years of its life, 4-4-2 was reduced to |
| to the 112" wheelbase it had when | | | | an option on Cutlass 'S' models. |
| originally conceived as a | | | | Jim and Audrey Frey of Coleville, |
| Rambler-beating compact, back in 1961. | | | | Saskatchewan own this 1970 Oldsmobile |
| Now fully evolved as a muscle car, | | | | 4-4-2 convertible. Jim swapped a |
| engineers gave the Olds heavy-duty | | | | restored '57 Chevy for the ragtop nearly |
| springs, stabilizer bar, special shock | | | | twenty years ago while ice fishing with |
| absorbers and wheels, special emblems, | | | | a buddy, who--good guy that he was threw |
| hood louvers, unique paint stripe, | | | | in a rebuilt motor and a paint job. This |
| special tires and a high output engine. | | | | Olds has the 455 CID V-8 with 400 |
| In 1968 the 390-hp version could go from | | | | Turbo-Hydramatic transmission and 327 |
| 0-60 mph in just six seconds and did the | | | | Posi-Trac rear axle. |
| quarter mile in 12.97 seconds. | | | | The couple has been busy restoring their |
| Oldsmobile was sizzle and steak | | | | pride and joy ever since they acquired |
| Pleased with their results, for '69 | | | | it in 1980. Over the years the |
| engineers turned up the heat on their | | | | Oldsmobile has received a new top, front |
| performance Olds. The special "W-30" | | | | seat upholstery, carpeting and numerous |
| package was offered to the speed needy, | | | | interior bits and pieces. |
| a throaty "Force-Air" inducted 360 hp | | | | This GM offering is just not another |
| version of the 400 CID V-8. Tricked out | | | | pretty automotive face, either. The |
| with special grille, stripes and unique | | | | Frey's Olds hauled two kids and a big |
| identification cues these unforgettable | | | | dog around all summer for years and even |
| motion machines were benighted with | | | | today the 4-4-2 easily zips pasts |
| heavy-duty drive shafts, special | | | | transport trucks while hauling a 17-foot |
| handling packages, heavy-duty wheels and | | | | trailer on family holidays. |