1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass/442 Convertible Code 75 Matador Red This Oldsmobile up for auction is the perfect candidate to restore over the upcoming winter months. Great father and son project or for the high-end restoration company that knows what these cars are worth when they are restored to a high level. If you have been looking for that classic muscle car investment then thisrare real Matador Red Convertible just may have your name on it! These 1970's muscle cars have incredible investment potential and have been referred to as rolling bank accounts. Remember, when the top goes down the price goes up! We just had this droptop delivered from Maryland last weekend. The gentleman we made the purchase from said he lost interest in doing the restoration this sweet convertible so well deserves. My buddy had found the car and wanted me to be in on the restoration and I simply don't have the time or the room to store the car, so it is being offered on a quick 3-day auction selling with "No Reserve" to the highest winning bidder. It has not been started for several years, so getting it running will be up to the new owner. The battery was from April of 2010 and does not hold a charge. It is very hard to find an original code 75Matador Red 442 with a white convertible top and a white bucket seat interior with the original numbers matching Rocket 350 engine. Even the original valve cover and air cleaner breathing tubes are still in place. The data plate proves that this car is what it is. The 977 means it was ordered from the factory as a white bucket seat console car. The awesome dual scooped ram-air induction hood does have a steel frame, but I don't know if it is genuine G.M. Everyone who knows these cars knows that this color and interior combination is the most popular and most desirable. I saw no evidence of any accidents and believe all the body panels to be original to the car except for the cool ram-air hood. Every part on this car will need restoration to bring this convertible back to its former glory. The entire interior still shows in relatively decent condition as seen in the pictures, but if I were doing the car I would have everything freshened up with new material. The console is missing the door lid, but those are available at a wide variety of aftermarket suppliers. The carpeting is newer and I could see the extra padding was used, so I believe the carpet can be used in the restoration process. There is a set of fourbrand new black carpetedfloor mats. I did not see any cracks in the dash board and the chrome trim around the dash is still in place which holds the original AM radio. There are no cracks in the windshield. This Olds rides ona set of four Widetrack S/R Radial raised white lettered steel belted radial tires with good tread mounted on a set of 15" inch Super Stock II wheels painted to match the body. All four wheels have chrome lug nuts, and a locking lug nut with the key in the glove box. The wheels have all four center caps andall fourbeauty trim rings. It looks like someone added the power trunk option, but the locking mechanism doesn't look like an original Oldsmobile factory trunk release attached to the trunk lock. The front and rear floors are all original with no patchwork that I could see and in my opinion look in really good condition for a 44 year old car. The frame is equally as good. There is a 10-bolt rear-end, but I am unsure of the gear ratio. The trunk floor seems like it has the original trunk mat still in good condition. The trunkcarries a full size spare tire with the correct jack, jack stand, bumper mount,and crow bar. It's always good to have a spare in case there is a mishap on the road. The chromelooks to be all there and in drivers quality condition. ThisOlds was factory ordered with power steering and power disc brakes with a power convertible top. The original 1972 Cutlass/442 owner's manual is included inside the glove box. The convertible does not have any cuts in it, but there is a minor patch on the passenger side as shown in a picture. The rear window is plastic and has yellowed over the years. Most likely the new owner would want to replace the top after the car is restored and add the glass window option. The convertible top California boot cover is still attached above the back seat. The top motor does work in the up and down position from the switch on the dash. I have owned many of these cars over the years and I can see that mostly all of the original parts are in place. According to the OldsFaqs websiteonly 1,025 of the Cutlass Supreme/442 convertible models were made with an automatic transmission in 1972. They said whether this model is a real 442 or a converted Cutlass Supreme it is still considered to be like a real 442 if it is converted properly. If it were a real W-30 it would have an X in the vehicle identification number. The fender wells were only red on the very first 10 1972 W-30's that rolled off the assembly line in December of 1971. I'll give a little background on the 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, Cutlass S,and 442 models. Prior to the 1972 model year the vehicle identification numbers in all 442's started out with 344. That was the way to determine whether that specific car was ordered from the dealershipas a true442. This is easily verified by the OldsFaqs website that anyone can look up online. The 442 could be ordered as a separate model for the last time in 1971. Oldsmobile decided to make the 442 an ordered option starting in 1972. The OldsFaqs website made the statement that there is no such thing as a fake 442 in 1972. All 1972 442 convertible models started life as a Cutlass Supreme, since the 442 was an ordered option. Whether the car was factory ordered as a 442, or dealer installed, or a private owner installed all the 442 options, they are all considered Cutlass Supreme or Cutlass S bodies. This is why all 1972 442 convertibles have Cutlass Supreme on the glove box door, and all 442 hardtops have just plain Cutlass on the glove box door. This car would look beautiful repainted with the correct code 75 Matador Red and white W-30 stripes. These older classics that have survived for over 40 years are becoming harder and harder to find in this un-restored condition. The Nada Classic Car Price Guide currently has the 1972 Oldsmobile 442 with the Rocket 350/180 horsepower V8 L-34 listed at $57,530 in high condition, which theyconsider an excellent overall vehicle that was completely restored, or an original vehicle showing very minimal wear. Note: This value does not represent a 100 point show car or a #1 vehicle. Those vehicles can reach much higher prices. $38,060 in average condition, which theyconsider in good overall condition that could be an older restoration or a well maintained original vehicle that is completely operable. The exterior paint, trim, and mechanics are presentable and serviceable inside and out.They say an average condition car is considered a20-Footer! Nada hasthe lowest condition value at $25,190 being considered a deteriorated restoration or a very poor restoration, but mostly usable "As-Is!" The lowest value does not represent a parts car, but would be considered as the price for a car needing a complete restoration. This Oldsmobile is an investment that I believe will continue to rise as these cars haveshown toconsistently escalate in value with each quarter. Here is a prime opportunity to acquire your dream car at a nominal price. I tried to list everything I know about this car when writing this description.If you feel I may have left anything out please ask as many questions as you like. This Classic 1972 will sell on Wednesday evening at 5:00pm Pacific time, 7:00pm Central time, or 8:00pm Eastern time to the highest bidder. Thank You for viewing my auction! Good Luck and Happy Bidding!!!