442 What happened during Covid lockdowns- everyone has gone Prompt Stupid...

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69hurstolds

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I swear. The Covid lockdown must have everyone believing weird sh*t they just make up in their heads or something.

Engaged with someone (not the hose clamp guy) that swears up and down that G-body 442s ALL came with body side moldings as standard equipment. This is total nonsense. (Note: 83/84 H/O W40 option listed B84 as N/A.)

This is a falsehood. Misinformation. Whatever you want to call it. Look at just about any factory documentation involved with ordering a 442 and B84 is listed under optional equipment. W42 did NOT require B84. There's no documentation I've ever seen requiring B84 with W42. But you could order it on your 442 if you wanted. Like them or hate them, the point is, the body side moldings were optional. Not required. Some people are ok with them. Some people loathe them. I happen to think they're decent and have no qualms.

While it seems most 442s had body side moldings, some did not. I believe most of the promo pics of the 85 442 did not have the moldings. In this pic, they even got the photoshop out to get rid of the tab on the front fascia hanging down over the front bumper center. So they put a VK3 license plate holder up there, although VK3 didn't always make it onto the SPID.

ad_olds_cutlass_442_black_1985.jpg


s-l400.jpg


The B84 option was indeed, just that...an OPTION. In 1985 and 1986, the Cutlass Salon had the W42 option available. AND- the B84 option available as well. 1987 442 was based on the Supreme body, and had the B84 option available too. If the car had it, it was listed on the window sticker. And an option price was present. The only required option for 1985 that was listed separately on the window sticker was C60.

In 1985, the B84 option was to be lower body color unless it had a vinyl roof (not available on 442). If the car came with a vinyl roof, the body side molding matched the top color. Hence, ALL 1985 442 came with silver/grey body side moldings but only IF the option B84 was checked. Why? The lower body color was code 12 silver. And interesting note on this, however, is that looking at the dealer ordering information book for 85, the Cutlass Salon says the moldings came in BLACK in some obscure location in the book. Hmmm. Turns out this was inaccurate as well when it came to 442.

For 86 and 87, however, a new change was in. The B84 option color was shifted to the upper body color, unless again, the car had a vinyl roof, then it matched the vinyl roof. Vinyl roof was N/A once again with W42, so NO vinyl roof 442 were made. Hence, the B84 option color matched the upper body color.

These are the facts.

This 85 car is like <3000 mile survivor. A forum member here owns the car now. Look ma, no moldings.

85 442 without B84.jpg


And the window sticker for said car above- hmmm. No B84.

85 442 window sticker without B84.jpg


Ok, got that off my chest. Just venting. Now get off my lawn!
 
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motorheadmike

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Nov 18, 2009
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I swear. The Covid lockdown must have everyone believing weird sh*t they just make up in their heads or something.

Engaged with someone (not the hose clamp guy) that swears up and down that G-body 442s ALL came with body side moldings as standard equipment. This is total nonsense. (Note: 83/84 H/O W40 option listed B84 as N/A.)

This is a falsehood. Misinformation. Whatever you want to call it. Look at just about any factory documentation involved with ordering a 442 and B84 is listed under optional equipment. W42 did NOT require B84. There's no documentation I've ever seen requiring B84 with W42. But you could order it on your 442 if you wanted. Like them or hate them, the point is, the body side moldings were optional. Not required. Some people are ok with them. Some people loathe them. I happen to think they're decent and have no qualms.

While it seems most 442s had body side moldings, some did not. I believe most of the promo pics of the 85 442 did not have the moldings. In this pic, they even got the photoshop out to get rid of the tab on the front fascia hanging down over the front bumper center. So they put a VK3 license plate holder up there, although VK3 didn't always make it onto the SPID.

ad_olds_cutlass_442_black_1985.jpg


s-l400.jpg


The B84 option was indeed, just that...an OPTION. In 1985 and 1986, the Cutlass Salon had the W42 option available. AND- the B84 option available as well. 1987 442 was based on the Supreme body, and had the B84 option available too. If the car had it, it was listed on the window sticker. And an option price was present. The only required option for 1985 that was listed separately on the window sticker was C60.

In 1985, the B84 option was to be lower body color unless it had a vinyl roof (not available on 442). If the car came with a vinyl roof, the body side molding matched the top color. Hence, ALL 1985 442 came with silver/grey body side moldings but only IF the option B84 was checked. Why? The lower body color was code 12 silver. And interesting note on this, however, is that looking at the dealer ordering information book for 85, the Cutlass Salon says the moldings came in BLACK in some obscure location in the book. Hmmm. Turns out this was inaccurate as well when it came to 442.

For 86 and 87, however, a new change was in. The B84 option color was shifted to the upper body color, unless again, the car had a vinyl roof, then it matched the vinyl roof. Vinyl roof was N/A once again with W42, so NO vinyl roof 442 were made. Hence, the B84 option color matched the upper body color.

These are the facts.

This 85 car is like <3000 mile survivor. A forum member here owns the car now. Look ma, no moldings.

View attachment 179413

And the window sticker for said car above- hmmm. No B84.

View attachment 179414

Ok, got that off my chest. Just venting. Now get off my lawn!

Jebuz Cripes! Write a book, Grandpa.
 
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pagrunt

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Sep 14, 2014
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This reminds me of all the "it was factory" guys I came across I the '90's around Pittsburgh. So many factory 350 cars regardless of which division (but mostly SBC's with better than Vette H.P.) & the classic factory '84 Buick Regal GS with documentation & a VHS copy of a History show going over it's design & production planning (a '84 base car with poorly placed junkyard GS badges.) It's just like that fool who did a Youtube video on his "factory" Mexican MCSS 454, anyone can belive it's true if they tell themselves it enough times. I just can't wait until I get my Monte done & hear about how a guy has a relitive that had the same '81 MCSS with the same 350 & 4 speed combo.
 
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motorheadmike

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Mike, if you really want to needle him buy that 3000 mile car and ls swap it...

The thing is he already knows I would.
 

ck80

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The thing is he already knows I would.
Big difference between knowing on one hand,, and instead seeing a different post every couple weeks as each part arrived in the mail, placed on the shelf.

Each month, another post showing the shelves getting fuller...

Maybe a number under each empty spot on the shelf, seeing the countdown as it were to extinction....

Bit. By bit. By bit.

Death by a thousand papercuts as it were.

Bonus for using a black/silver 1985. ;)

OK, you can tell now I'm pretty bored as the storm comes up the coast and we have tornado watch till 5am....
 

Ribbedroof

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Jan 4, 2009
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Wellston, OK
This reminds me of all the "it was factory" guys I came across I the '90's around Pittsburgh. So many factory 350 cars regardless of which division (but mostly SBC's with better than Vette H.P.) & the classic factory '84 Buick Regal GS with documentation & a VHS copy of a History show going over it's design & production planning (a '84 base car with poorly placed junkyard GS badges.) It's just like that fool who did a Youtube video on his "factory" Mexican MCSS 454, anyone can belive it's true if they tell themselves it enough times. I just can't wait until I get my Monte done & hear about how a guy has a relitive that had the same '81 MCSS with the same 350 & 4 speed combo.
And he knows it's real because his brother cousin uncle dad worked at the factory!

Had the same argument with a seller on power vent windows, he knew the wagons and sedans used the same ones because his dad worked at the OKC plant (which NEVER built A or G bodies).
 
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ck80

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And he knows it's real because his brother cousin uncle dad worked at the factory!

Had the same argument with a seller on power vent windows, he knew the wagons and sedans used the same ones because his dad worked at the OKC plant (which NEVER built A or G bodies).
Reminds me of a guy who tried saying a truck of mine "didn't have a 12 bolt rear because there's only 5 lugs on each wheel." :rolleyes:
 

69hurstolds

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Jan 2, 2006
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Jebuz Cripes! Write a book, Grandpa.
Yeah, I kinda did, didn't I? I do get a bit passionate about spreading the word of the G-body religion, especially 442s. It's hard to spread the word when there are non-believers that dismiss every piece of factory-supplied evidence. I know how Billy Graham must've felt.

You did spark my brain into coming up with a title to my book with a sub-title- "Get Off My Lawn! (and other G-body musings)"

Sonofab*tch....someone beat me to it.


Reminds me of a guy who tried saying a truck of mine "didn't have a 12 bolt rear because there's only 5 lugs on each wheel." :rolleyes:

I guess technically you had a 10 NUT rear end. :unsure:
 
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motorheadmike

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Nov 18, 2009
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Yeah, I kinda did, didn't I? I do get a bit passionate about spreading the word of the G-body religion, especially 442s. It's hard to spread the word when there are non-believers that dismiss every piece of factory-supplied evidence. I know how Billy Graham must've felt.

I am being serious. You just outlined a chapter on a single subject WITH evidence. Now go through your post history pan-internet to discover the other umpteen times you have done similar. It's a book, of knowledge, that you are either going to take to the grave or leave an organized record of. Just adjust for tone.

Sincerely,

Me.
 
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