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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2018 20:49:07 GMT -5
I just purchased a 65 442 after many years of searching. California car no rust 4spd and factory air car. Engine and transmission are long gone. Everything else came with the car. Needs a full restoration. Looks like it has never had any body or paint work. I'm trying to decide if I should find a 400 and a 4spd and restore to original or restomod with a LS3 and 6spd and maybe a roadster shop frame. I don't want to ruin a valuable car. I would appreciate input. I have restored several cars to original condition and restomoded others. Thank you-Brian
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2018 21:46:47 GMT -5
I would build the car to suit your expected use. While we love number matching cars, make the car fun to drive. Overdrive transmissions are much more fun, with air conditioning. A good LS3 can be a cost effective way to meet your goals. Carburetors on these cars were never fun.
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Post by joepadavano on Dec 2, 2018 10:13:26 GMT -5
And now for the opposing opinion. ;-)
The engine is what makes this a musclecar. No one can argue that the LS series motors make great gobs of HP, but frankly, I don't want a belly-button motor. I want something different at a cruise night. These cars were daily drivers when they were new. There is nothing inherently unreliable about them. The fact that people lack the patience or skills to keep them running is not a problem with the car or engine or induction choice.
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Post by sascha on Dec 2, 2018 16:58:34 GMT -5
deeply agree to Joe Padovano
All the mods I have done to cars in the past never made them more reliable or serviceable than when they where factory stock, or at least close to factory stock
my 65 442 is actually a car driven more or less daily, original engine, trans and even carb.
very reliable car and fun to drive
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Post by dads442 on Dec 3, 2018 20:24:48 GMT -5
As others have said, it sort of boils down to what makes you happy and how you plan to use the car...ask a 100 people and you will get 100 answers...personally, I tend to look at the "rarity" of the car...My wife and I have a 65 442 vert. we are the second owners, the original owner was an older gentleman and it was his daily driver and kept it original...there wern't that many of them made so keeping it stock makes more sense to me...on the other hand my 65 Holiday 442 was missing the original engine which had been replaced with a 455 and had been raced at some point in its life, since there were more of them made, making it a street rod of some degree appeals to me, it will remain all olds with some upgrades...bottom line build it how you want and enjoy it...my two cents....
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Post by RIP OLDS on Dec 4, 2018 22:06:31 GMT -5
I have returned my car back to all stock (except TH400 tranny and MSD distributor), and it has been more reliable than any other iteration. To do this of course you need to have all the stock parts as it is getting more and more difficult to find correct stock parts. 10 years ago I was able to find any part I needed on ebay in short order. Today as I search ebay the parts are slim pickings. In that respect resto-mod would be easier as you order what you want.
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Post by island65cruiser on Dec 5, 2018 14:30:41 GMT -5
Opinions are like Ass#*^%+! Everyone, like me, has their own. Sadly, completely stock, restored 65 442's don't bring the money they should upon sale like GTO's or Chevelles, so measure the investment vs. the practicality. I kept mine stock. All of the 4 speed stuff is available either remanufactured, or as GM blessed aftermarket through places like Original Parts Group, Supercars Unlimited and many others. Cost including a Reman Muncie will be about $3,000.00 for parts. The correct 1965 400 will be the hardest item to find. A 455 will be easy to find, and look stock to casual observers if properly dressed. A 600 HP LS and six speed would be a real sleeper, and much faster with better fuel economy. But, some guys on this site get monster HP out of Olds motors. On the other hand, why resto-mod a perfect 442 body, when you can do the same with a $5,000.00 cutlass? In the end, it is your car, isn't it? When you need parts and tech support, the guys on this site are the most helpful people you will ever find on line. I learned an awful lot from membership here in the last year. Good luck.
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Post by island65cruiser on Dec 5, 2018 14:51:07 GMT -5
Afterthought: Id you are looking for handling, you don't need an aftermarket frame. 442 frames are stiff, stronger than other "A" bodies, and with new springs, tubular control arms and good adjustable shocks, can hold their own on the road and in an autocross. Factory sway bars are 1 inch, and work well. If you go with an aftermarket frame, please list the original for sale on this site, they are in short supply.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2018 15:08:31 GMT -5
Thank you for all the advice and opinions. The frame will be for sale as I have ordered a new Roadster Shop frame. I have no idea as to the value of the original frame? Thanks
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Post by rag on Dec 9, 2018 18:48:15 GMT -5
I sold a manual '65 frame last year for $800, rust free and straight.
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