Kurt is 1000% correct.
There is only "he said she had" stories.
Nobody has ever stepped up to the plate with *proof* of one.
If anyone says there is, let them bring forth the proof. (Which never
starts with "I know someone...")
From personal experience, I knew guys and one gal in 1965 - 1967 who pleaded
with several area Olds dealerships to get a 442 with a 425 or a 425 with
tri-power (after the 400E tri-power introduction) directly from the factory.
In every case, it was "NO." In about 5-6 instances, someone bought a
complete but stripped down version 442, plus a max HP rated 425 from the
parts dept., and the 425 was installed either by the dealership or the
customer ***after*** the brand new 442 arrived from the Olds plant. In one
case, that dealer installed 425 had the tri-power package purchased from the
parts dept. and added on by the dealership. At the dealer level, the dealer
could do anything, as long as the customer had the money and was willing to
part with it. BUT, that's not official factory original. It's dealer
installed. No one at OCA can say anything different.
Furthermore, while I was a speed shop manager in the first half of the '70s,
we sold, and I usually acted as the delivery boy on my way home, a lot of
speed equipment to Kahan Chevrolet in Lee's Summit, MO, (my hometown) to be
installed on brand new Chevys before the customer picked it up and/or
shortly thereafter. That certainly can't be called OEM equipment. The items
installed by the dealer included everything from Hooker Headers to aluminum
intakes and Holley carbs to hot ignition systems and everything in-between.
I have no idea how many chrome side mount Corvette exhaust systems I sold
them, but it was a lot.
So the lesson learned is beware of claims that something exotic is a
"factory" original. It wasn't, for it was dealer installed, and the
subsequent owners are simply confused. Hell, the original owner could even
be confused.
Milton Schick
1964 442 Cutlass
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
