Fake 87 442 at Mecum auctions

[carnutjw]

Pardon my ignorance, but the wheels would my first clue. Shouldn't they be chrome without trim rings? Are they even 15"? And no two tone?

 

[69hurstolds]

Pardon my ignorance, but the wheels would my first clue. Shouldn't they be chrome without trim rings? Are they even 15"? And no two tone?

Yes, the wheels should be 15x7 chrome SSIII without any trim rings or bezel rings. Only the inlays around the lugs and spoke areas should be gold with a single 3/16" gold pinstripe around the perimeter of the rim with stainless capped lug nuts.

Since the wheels are bolt on pieces that can be easily swapped and usually the first thing that gets changed on most cars, it sort of doesn't matter if the wheels are correct or not, the permanently installed equipment and the VIN make it a 442 (or not), technically. But you're correct, the wheels, among a lot of other things, are incorrect equipment for an 87 442.

Another thing this car doesn't have, I'm betting, is the over-the-rear-axle gas line heat shield on the passenger side. That's a G-body VIN 9 car only item. Nearly every single "conversion" to a 442 I've ever seen forgets that piece at least. That's another thing that would be a "tell". The VIN is the only document that matters. Trust me. I could make a trunk SPID sticker with a W42 on it (which I wouldn't) but the VIN without the 9 engine code would give it away.

83/84 Hurst/Olds wheel (chrome with argent inlay, red pinstripe) Originals had a clearcoat on them that went hazy often and usually got removed.

85-87 442 wheel. No clearcoat.

 

[pontiacgp]

I don't think the $9,000 is a high price for a clean 87 Cutlass, it sure isn't the price for a 442 ...IMO....

 

[fleming442]

Just think: there was a hacked up p.o.s. LS swapped Monte for sale here a couple years ago for $8k. 9 for a clean original ain't that bad. High, but not bad........

 

[69hurstolds]

So who's looked at the interior? I have no idea what it looks like. Or underneath. The paint looks good from 50 feet. Any closer...ewww. Can it be corrected? I dunno. Maybe. It's a 307....perhaps. Not sure what it is. And 77K isn't terrible, but not that low in mileage, actually.

 

[L92 OLDS]

I don't think the $9,000 is a high price for a clean 87 Cutlass, it sure isn't the price for a 442 ...IMO....

I agree. The buyer had to know this thing was a Supreme with 442 decals. It has bench seats with camel interior best I can tell from the pics. Looks clean but so many things are incorrect for a proper 442 clone.