Rides from the Readers: 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass 4-4-2
Hagerty readers and Hagerty Drivers Club members share their cherished collector and enthusiast vehicles with us via our contact email, tips@hagerty.com. We’re showcasing some of our favorite stories among these submissions. To have your car featured, send complete photography and your story of ownership to the above email address.
Today’s featured car is a 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass 4-4-2. This Viking Blue example was bought new by Milton Lee. To celebrate his acceptance at an engineering firm in California, Lee checked nearly every options box and, over the next 30 years, the 4-4-2 remained a faithful driving companion and became a treasured symbol of family memories.
In 2013, after an encounter with Austin, Texas’ Colvin Automotive, Lee decided it was time to spruce up the Cutlass a bit.
Under the hood sits a 430-hp LS3, wearing bespoke valve covers and mated to a Hydra-Matic 4L63-E four-speed. The engine breathes through a ram air system custom-routed through the factory hood scoops. Out back, a new stainless steel exhaust runs to the stock 4-4-2 exhaust tips. Since the 4-4-2 lives in Texas, an appropriately robust cooling system was also fitted: a four-core aluminum radiator and two 3000-cfm electric fans.
Those 21st-century horses are sent through a Dana 60 Positraction rear and 35 spline axles. Custom 18-inch wheels wear Michelin Pilot Sports with fabricated white lettering. Wilwood six-piston brakes up front and four-piston units in the rear handle stopping duty.
Inside, Lee opted to replace the original blue velour with leather and to swap the eight-track player with a Bluetooth-capable system. The carpet, center console, and wood dash remain from the original.
Keen-eyed viewers will note that the revitalized 4-4-2 wears body stripes that belong to the previous model year (1971); Lee notes that he special-ordered his ’72 with the thinner stripes, since he preferred them over 1972’s wider look.
See the 4-4-2’s before and after in the gallery below!
