Buyer's Guide

This guide will also work well for '85-'87 442s, minus the spoiler/airdam details obviously. The '85 442 engine is exactly the same as the '83/84 H/O. Later ones are roller-cammed, but similar.

The 8th digit of the VIN should be a 9, indicating the 307 High Output Engine. Only the H/O could get this engine, and it was the only engine you could get in the H/O. If there's a 9, you can stop there, that's definite proof. If there's not a 9, it's not an H/O, period.

For further proof...

• On the inside edge on the driver's side door it should repeat the VIN number, as well as specify a tire size of 215/65R15.
• Look under the driver's side wiper arm, there's probably a metal plate, but not always. On that plate you should see W40 stamped there.
• The transmission should be code OZ. This code is written in black on a yellow tag riveted on the passenger's side rear tailhousing of the transmission.
• The rear wing should have black plastic gaskets around the base pedestals, and on the inside of the trunk lid there should be some rubber plugs about 1" in diameter covering the bolt holes for the rear wing.  These finishing touches are often missing on reproductions.
• Look at the sticker on the inside of the trunk lid (not present on '83). Along with the VIN number, among those 3-letter codes you should find W40, as well as many other option codes required with the H/O package. See my specifications page for details.
• In 1984, the VIN number should be between 1G3AK479xEM379463 and 1G3AK479xEM467998. The x can be anything, it's a check digit used by law enforcement to verify an authentic VIN.
• For 1983 Verification, Check with Al Mantei.  You can reach him from his web site at http://www.tconl.com/~almantei/olds.html. He has access to a database of '83 H/O VIN numbers and can tell you your production number.
• Above the gas pedal there should be a plastic sliding switch. It looks a lot like the kickdown switch that a TH-400 equipped car uses, but this is to cut out the A/C at WOT.  Only the H/O had this.
• On the carburetor in front of the throttle, there should be an Idle Speed Solenoid (ISS), and NOT a vacuum operated Idle Load Compensator (ILC) motor. The ISS has one wire going to it, the ILC has a vacuum line. Only the VIN 9 engine had this.
  
• The trunk lid should stay up by itself and not fall down from the weight of the spoiler. A real H/O had different trunk spring rods to compensate for the extra weight.
  
• If you're concerned that the VIN number on the car in question may have been tampered with. See this post by Clayton Pierce for information on how to verify the check digit.
• There should be rock chip guard on the rocker panels below the doors and on the rear quarters, but not on the front fenders (beats me why). The paint will be roughly textured, looking like the worst cast of orange-peel you've ever seen.

I don't know how to determine the production number, the VIN numbers are not sequential. If you own an '83-'84 H/O, I strongly recommend that you write to the Oldsmobile History Center, you won't regret it!  They'll send you a photocopied info packet with lots of part numbers, diagrams, internal Olds memos, press release photos, and a letter on Olds letterhead saying what production number yours was. See here for their contact information.

What to look at when buying an H/O.

The areas likely to rust first are along the bottom of the doors, and the rear frame just in back of the rear wheels. Doors aren't anything special, other than the decals, so they can be replaced with any 80's Cutlass or Regal doors
The following H/O specific items should be there. See farther down this page for sources and availability for each part:
Front Airdam
Grilles (blacked out)
Headlamp Bezels (blacked out)
Hood Bump, trim on the bump should match all the way down the hood.
Lightning Rods
Shifter Bezel
Hood and Dash plaque
Wheels
Dual-Snorkel Air filter
8.5" rear end (only on '84). See here for identification.

"Common Problem Areas", along with fixes, are listed on my How-To page.

Parts sources and availability.

Source	Comments
Vandevere Olds http://www.vandevere.com	Go to the Parts Department Link and call or e-mail Dal Slabaugh. He has worked a special deal to provide GM parts to Internet enthusiasts at 10% over cost. Dal really knows his parts and service is great!
General Motors	Check your local dealer, or http://www.partsvoice.com is a good on-line search engine. http://www.gmpartsdirect.com can provide parts if you know the part number. Their initial prices are cheap, but beware of the shipping/handling charges.
Lambert Buick/GMC 800-711-2793, ask for Parts Dept. Ohio http://www.partsgm.com	A GM dealer specialzing in G-body (especially Buicks) parts.  Cost + 10% + shipping, no tax.
Lauren Engineering http://www.laureneng.com	Fiberglass reproductions of H/O body pieces, as well as a supplier of stripe kits and other more radical custom body kits.
Tamraz's Parts Warehouse 10022 S. Bode Rd. Plainfield, IL 60544 (800) 442-4601	Good supplier of more common parts, like taillights, turn signals, grilles.  Good prices, quick, and in new as promised condition.
Originality Plus	Only listed because sometimes they're the only source for hard-to-find GM parts.  They know it and are always VERY expensive.  They will price gouge you and I would not give them my business unless I had no other choice.
Stencils and Stripes	If anyone has a stripe or decal you're looking for, it's these guys.  Nice guys, helpful and knowledgable on the phone, and great to deal with.
Angelo Valentini At the Oldsgmail Store or 5014 Elm Street Skokie,Il 60077 847-845-0442	A fellow member of the Olds G-body mailing list, he now offers good reproductions of Lightning Rod shifter bezels, boots, and he's a distributor for Stencils and Stripes. He also offers a Lightning Rods rebuild service and frequently has many parts and/or a few sets on hand for sale.
Al Sandy 92 Geneva Ave., P.O. Box351 Westmont, NJ 08108 (609) 858-0248	Chassis & Body Service Manuals, owners manuals, sales and promotional literature.
Scott Schmitz 14269 Road 11J Ottawa, OH 45875 email 442olds@bright.net	H/O Spoiler End-Cap Reproductions. $80 either side. Supposed to look/feel/fit like the originals, but I've never seen one in the flesh.
442.com Classifieds	A good place to look for or post wanted ads for Oldsmobile parts or entire cars.

 

Part	Availablity and Notes
Front Airdam	I haven't seen an NOS one ever, let's call them extinct. Lauren Engineering makes a fiberglass reproduction. Your only option unless you get extremely lucky and find a used one in good shape.
Grilles (blacked out)	Not available from GM, but you can order Cutlass Calais grilles and paint the grey part black. SEM Original Trim Black works and looks very good.
Headlamp Bezels (blacked out)	Still available from GM. You can also paint a normal bezel.  SEM Trim Black works good.
Amber Turn Signals	Still available from GM. These came on the Calais too.
Hood Bulge	If you find a used one, you'll likely have to buy the whole hood. Lauren Engineering makes a reproduction too. The hood trim from the front of the bulge to the hood ornament is not available anywhere at any price.
Lightning Rods	Best option is to talk to Angelo Valentini (listed above). Hurst (now owned by Mr. Gasket, www.mrgasket.com) will still service these (although they are running very low on parts) but they do NOT sell new ones, despite the fact that they're still listed in their catalog!
LR Shifter Bezel	Angelo Valentini (listed above) is making a very good (but not exact) reproduction. I see them occasionally for sale by private parties, always at a high price.
Hood and Dash Plaques	No longer available. Try classifieds on 442.com or hurstolds.com.
Rear Wing	I see NOS ones for sale now and then. Wingtips are available from Scott Schmitz (listed above). Lauren Engineering makes fiberglass reproductions.  No known source for the gaskets though.
Wheels	Discontinued from GM. '85-'87 442 wheels are the same.  If you could find some, repaint the centers argent, and add the stripe nobody could tell. Coker tire (www.cokertire.com) also makes reproductions, but the chrome quality is poor, people have reported rust pits after only a few months.
Dual Snorkel Air Cleaner	Long gone from GM, but occasionally for sale by private parties.  Expect $200-$300 for a used one. There are a few aftermarket chrome lids that are good substitues for the stock one too.
Stripes	Can't buy stripes individually, unless you find some NOS GM ones from a private party. Entire reproduction stripe kits are available from Lauren Engineering or Stencils and Stripes.