1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme

This is a great question, and it reveals something interesting about the car you’re looking at!

The Cutlass Supreme was Oldsmobile’s premium trim level—essentially the luxury offering at the top of the Cutlass range. It featured nicer interior materials, more standard equipment, and a more upscale feel than base Cutlass models.

The 442 (originally named for 4-barrel carburetor, 4-speed transmission, and dual exhaust) started out in 1964 as a performance option package you could add to Cutlass models. It became its own separate model from 1968–1971, but then for 1972, it reverted back to being an option package again.

Here’s the key for 1972 specifically: The W29 option code was the official 442 appearance and handling package. If you wanted a convertible with 442 styling that year, the Cutlass Supreme was actually your only choice—the W29 package could be ordered on Supreme convertibles (and Cutlass S coupes).

So the car you’re looking at is essentially a Cutlass Supreme with the 442 appearance package (W29), evidenced by the build sheet mentioned in the listing. However, it’s worth noting this particular car has a non-original 455 engine—the original was likely a 350. This makes it more of a “tribute” or “clone” 442 rather than a numbers-matching original.

You can see the distinction in the market: there’s another 1972 Cutlass Supreme 442 convertible listed at Streetside Classics for $66k with a 4-speed manual, while this one’s priced at $27,500—reflecting its modified/tribute status versus a potentially more authentic build.

Would you like me to find more comparable Cutlass convertibles, or do you have questions about the 442 package specifically?