1971 Oldsmobile 442 Convertible W30 – Road Test Video

Watch the 1971 Oldsmobile 442 Convertible W30 4 Speed Vintage Road Test Video with Bud Lindemann.

Posted on YouTube By: MaccaIsntDead

Bud Lindemann – 1971 Oldsmobile 442 Convertible W30

Video Transcript

Bud Lindemann: The love affair between men and cars is an old story. And, the reasons for it are many. Probably the strongest is the thrill that a true car lover feels from the power, agility and responsiveness of a truly fine automobile. We in America are at a time when concern for safety and the environment are threatening much of what makes men love cars. Here we test 1971 Oldsmobile 442 Convertible W30, a car that has just about everything that car lovers love.

Front of a 1971 Oldsmobile 442 Convertible W30

1971 Oldsmobile 442 Convertible W30 Front

“Yet this Olds is clean, husky and handsome”

Convertibles have been on the way out for years, yet this Olds is clean, husky and handsome. The front is uncluttered with a down to business feeling about it. It’s a muscle machine and they haven’t tried to hide it. The 442 sits wide on the roads, big enough to enjoy even if you have friends. Under the hood the biggest of the big in the cubic inch race. The Olds 455 cube V8 with all the goodies that have made w-30 synonymous with power. It’s a strong, smooth engine that’s always ready to put the torque where you need It.

Burnout of a 1971 Oldsmobile 442 Convertible W30

1971 Oldsmobile 442 Convertible W30 Burnout

“This kind of acceleration you may never use”

We knew it would run, it gave us 0 to 30mph in two point seven seconds. This kind of acceleration you may never use until at one time on the road. The 442 Stopped the clock at four point nine seconds to 0 to 50, it always came on straight and sure. 0 to 70 is a long haul, but The Olds did it in 7.3 seconds, it all proves that the juice is there if you ever need it to get out of the way.

“Like a ballerina”

They’re no good if they don’t handle. The Olds danced trough the tight pylon course, like a ballerina. Never a loss of control, minimum body roll, quick sure steering. If this car runs the pylons like this like this it will forgive any sudden movement of the wheel on the highway, it’ll do what a good car is supposed to. At slow motion look at that again and it appears easy. Notice how the front and rear stay together, the old alluvial engineers have done this one right on. It’s a 3600-pound brute, but it steers and handles like a lightweight.

1971 Oldsmobile 442 Convertible W30 Braking

“A blessing for stopping cars.”

Front wheel disc brakes have been a blessing for stopping cars. This 442 stopped from 30 miles an hour in 37 feet. 30 doesn’t sound like much until you have to throw the anchor out. It took our driver 87 feet to halt the Olds from 50 miles an hour. There’s still time enough for a heads-up driver. 70 miles per hour is fast except for on highways where it is the cursing speed. The Olds used up 191 feet to a standstill from 70. When you’re driving that fast you better leave some room.

1971 Oldsmobile 442 High Speed Convertible W30 Cornering

1971 Oldsmobile 442 Convertible W30 Cornering

“Oh, that convertible”

Oh, that convertible and that great feeling of freedom. On the tight corners, it’s sat low and went where it was sent. Spinning a car out in reverse is the best test and stability there is. The 442 came out of this one like a champ. If it doesn’t misbehave here it never will. An expert driver can make any car do tricks, but it was especially easy in this Oldsmobile. There wasn’t a button on it that didn’t come from the factory. Nothing that any buyer couldn’t order. And, the stock heavy-duty suspension was all that anyone would ever need for the security and enjoyment of hard cornering. The finely engineered suspension will never be on the anti-Auto list. It doesn’t add to the pollution it doesn’t make a car anything but safer and more pleasurable to drive. The 442 W-30 suspension is one of the best.

1971 Oldsmobile 442 Convertible W30 High Speed Power Slide

1971 Oldsmobile 442 Convertible W30 Power Slide

No, we haven’t said anything bad about this car. Matter of fact, we’ve kind of enjoyed throwing it the accolades. Shure we could have nitpicked about the ashtray or the rear leg room, but there was so much to like in the 442 and we’re going to miss what progress takes from it.