'71 Oldsmobile revved up
There are no shortage of reasons why four-wheeled restoration projects get stalled. What start as good intentions can sometimes wind up wedged way back in a far corner of the garage, while the possibility of transformation into a drool-worthy boulevard dream diminishes with each year's passing.
A surefire way to jump-start a lingering rebuild is to have an enthusiastic, V-8-loving son spark that fading restoration fire.
Streamwood resident Matt Jenski proved to be such a motivation for his father, Len, who had a forgotten automotive project languishing away in the family garage.
Neither can say exactly what caused their 1971 Oldsmobile 442 to be cast off into hibernation for 14 years, but it was in the fall of 2010 when Matt decided he had had enough and was ready to see their Detroit bruiser back on the road.
“We worked on it the first couple years after the initial purchase but then the car just sat,” Matt said. “I had too many fond memories of seeing the old car in its many pieces around as a young boy and I was intent on having it put back together and completed.”
The younger gearhead also had plans to include the rolling classic in his upcoming wedding ceremony, a mere 11 months away. So the elder Jenski threw out a tantalizing offer that added to the son's renewed passion: if Matt had the project accomplished by the big day, he could keep the car.
The pair set off vigorously tackling the 442's ramshackle and rust-eaten bodywork. The rear quarters, front fenders, trunk floor, firewall and dashboard all needed replacement.
The guys planned for this Olds to match a ‘68 442 that Len once owned and restored as an 18-year-old backyard wrencher. The original Sienna brown paint was stripped off and replaced with a sinister coat of glossy Ebony Black, highlighted with race-inspired factory gold stripes. The interior received a facelift by way of the brown color scheme being exchanged for an exterior-matching black.
Matt wanted his once bare-bones cruiser loaded up with every available option for '71 and made sure he included all the accessories. He wired in power windows, door and trunk locks, interior map lights and a rear window defrost grid. They installed comfort features like power steering and improved brakes.
The factory bestowed 455-cubic-inch V-8 propulsion was left alone, mated to the TH400 transmission armed with a Hurst Dual Gate shifter.
With the excitement level at an unmatched high, the project barreled toward its proposed deadline and was wrapped up a month ahead of schedule.
“Our first driving experience was phenomenal! We couldn't wipe the grins off our faces,” Matt recalls.
For the skillful duo, the most satisfying part of reviving this once-forgotten classic was knowing they restored it with their own hands.
“Not one part of this car was touched by anyone else. All the welding, bodywork, painting, interior work and mechanicals was done by the two of us,” Matt said.
When it came time for Matt's nuptials, Len was true to his word, and proudly dropped the keys to this stunning black beauty into his son's eagerly awaiting hand.