Options specified by “Rug” included the W-30 455 cubic-inch engine, a four-speed manual transmission, 3.91:1 rear gears, and the extremely rare W-27 aluminum rear-axle carrier and housing cover. In fact, this 442 is the sole known example ordered new with the W-27 option, which was offered as a regular-production option only for 1970. Other items chosen by “Rug” included the Rally Package, 8-Track tape deck, and no floor console, with Galleon Gold paint, a white convertible top, white upholstery, steel wheels with “poverty” caps, and stripe delete. However, when the 442 was finally delivered to Hansel Oldsmobile, the car arrived with black side stripes anyway, consequently making the 442 a very rare three-color car.
Kazley financed the car’s purchase through a local credit union but he stopped making payments in 1971 and the 442 was repossessed. Next, George and Betty Steele purchased the 442 and Betty drove it daily to work at the Riverside Planning Department until her boss, an ardent Olds enthusiast, purchased it in 1978 for just $600. At that time, the car had travelled 71,000 miles from new. In a wonderful twist, both the new owner and “Rug” Kazley had the same mail carrier and he placed the two men into contact, resulting in the handover of an incredible cache of the car’s original paperwork. The new owner tucked the 442 in his garage and a restoration was carefully planned while he took care of his career and young family, accumulating increasingly rare and valuable New Old Stock (NOS) parts for the car over the next 30 years.
Finally, the rare 442 was entrusted in 2008 to Gary Riley’s Level One Restorations in Arvada, Colorado for a complete concours-level restoration. Accordingly, the work was completed to the highest possible standards and the project was followed with great interest in a number of online forums. The W-30 455 cubic inch V-8 engine was rebuilt and the invoice, completely listing the engine work performed, accompanies the car’s sale. In addition to such hard-to-find NOS parts as the W-25 fiberglass Ram Air hood, front grilles, and many other parts, the 442 is beautifully complemented by chrome and stainless brightwork restored to the same exacting standards as the rest of the car. Following completion, the 442 was displayed during 2011 to great acclaim at the famous SEMA show and the renowned Detroit Autorama. That year, the 442 also garnered Best in Class at the Oldsmobile Nationals and Best Oldsmobile honors at the Muscle Car Nationals.
Now offered from 35 years of single-owner stewardship, this impeccable W-30 Oldsmobile 442 Convertible from 1970s is accompanied by an impressive set of documents from new. Among the many items are dated photographs, the original sales invoice, California registration documents, a notarized affidavit signed by Robert Kazley, the original Broadcast Sheet, the 1978 Bill of Sale from Betty Steele to the current owner, the original Owner’s Manual with key envelope, loan documents, and a high-quality reproduction of the original window sticker. In addition, a hard-to-find Hansel Oldsmobile license-plate frame and showroom display plate accompany the car, providing a fitting extra touch.
As one of only 96 Oldsmobile 442 Convertibles built for 1970 with the W-30 package and a four-speed manual transmission, this very special matching numbers car is even more desirable as the sole known example ordered new and with the optional W-27 aluminum rear-axle carrier and housing cover. Beautifully restored and riding on a period-correct set of Firestone Wide Oval tires, this superb and extremely rare, matching numbers 1970 Oldsmobile 442 W-30 Convertible is a truly exceptional automobile, ready to take pride of place in a worthy collection of the fastest and finest American performance machines ever created.
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