1972 Oldsmobile 442 W-30

Muscle car powered by Oldsmobile L77 455 CID W-30 V8.

1972 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 coupe; the photograph does not establish W-30 equipment

Engine L77 455 W-30 V8, rated at 300 net hp and 410 lb-ft

Transmissions M20 Muncie four-speed manual or M40 Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 automatic

Reported W-30 production 772 total: 659 coupe/hardtop and 113 convertible

Identity marker The fifth VIN character is X on a factory 1972 W-30

Story

1972 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 W-30

Oldsmobile changed the 4-4-2 from a separate model back into the W29 appearance-and-handling package for 1972. Buyers could add W29 to selected Cutlass and Cutlass S coupes or a Cutlass Supreme convertible, then order the W-30 performance package for the strongest factory combination.

The W-30 brought the 300-net-hp L77 455, aluminum intake, functional W25 force-air hood, heavy-duty cooling, manual front disc brakes, Anti-Spin differential, 3.42 gearing, sport mirrors, wide-oval tires, and its own stripe treatment. A 3.73 axle was optional. The 455 required either a Hurst-shifted M20 Muncie four-speed or the M40 Turbo Hydra-Matic 400. Air conditioning was unavailable, and power brakes were limited to automatic cars.

The fifth character of the 1972 VIN is the clearest first check: X identifies the W-30 engine. Oldsmobile built 772 W-30 cars for the year, including 659 solid-roof cars and 113 convertibles. Because W29 badges, stripes, and force-air hoods can be added later, buyers should still compare the VIN, engine and transmission stamps, axle code, and surviving build paperwork.

**1972 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 convertible front view; W-30 status is not established by the photograph**Greg Gjerdingen / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Price history

Values

Nominal dollars from original price sheets, auction archives, and approved value references.

Original Price

A verified original price is not yet available for this car.

Market Observations

Auction sale $64,000

Sep 2, 2025 · Bring a Trailer
Refurbished X-code Cutlass S W-30 hardtop 3G87X2M121443 with an automatic transmission. · modified · good Bring a Trailer records a $64,000 sale. The car was refurbished and repainted and has non-stock engine dress, 15-inch wheels, a rear wing, and service replacements; total mileage is unknown. Modified/good keeps those limits distinct from an original or concours example.
1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass S 442 W-30 3G87X2M121443
Auction sale $41,500

Jun 18, 2025 · Bring a Trailer
Documented X-code Cutlass S W-30 hardtop 3G87X2M205673 with an automatic and replacement 455. · modified · good Bring a Trailer records a $41,500 sale. A window sticker, shipping order, and broadcast sheet support the factory configuration, while the replacement engine, aftermarket induction and exhaust, repaint, retrim, wheels, gauges, and other changes support modified/good classification.
1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass S 442 W-30 3G87X2M205673
High bid $45,000

Mar 9, 2024 · Mecum Glendale 2024
Factory X-code Cutlass S W-30 hardtop 3G87X2M214125 with a TH400 automatic. · restored · good Mecum records a $45,000 bid-goes-on high bid and identifies the factory X-code VIN, correct 455 representation, automatic transmission, Lansing build date, and equipment. Restored/good is conservative because the archive does not establish an untouched original car. A bid-goes-on result is not a completed transaction.
1972 Oldsmobile 442 W-30 3G87X2M214125
Auction sale $90,000

Oct 11, 2022 · Bring a Trailer
Refurbished X-code Cutlass Supreme W-30 convertible 3J67X2M175230 with an automatic transmission and Canadian build documentation. · restored · excellent Bring a Trailer records a $90,000 sale. The car was refurbished around 2010 and refinished in green, and the archive supplies Vintage Vehicle Services build documentation, a component-inspection report, drivetrain-stamping photos, and disclosed replacement service components.
1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 442 W-30 Convertible 3J67X2M175230
Price guide value $40,000

Jan 1, 2020 · Hemmings 1972 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 Buyer's Guide · Latest guide point · update due
The guide's average-condition benchmark for an L77 W-30 455 hardtop. · unknown · good Hemmings' table labeled 2020 lists $28,000 low, $40,000 average, and $61,000 high for the L77 W-30 455 hardtop. The neutral good grade represents the table's average tier; this is a hardtop guide estimate, not a sale or convertible value.
1972 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 W-30 hardtop values
High bid $40,000

Mar 15, 2019 · Bring a Trailer
Long-owned X-code Cutlass Supreme W-30 convertible 3J67X2M227472 with an automatic transmission. · modified · fair Bring a Trailer records a $40,000 reserve-not-met high bid. The archive identifies the W-30 and 4-4-2 packages and X-code VIN, while prior collision repair, paint flaws, rust, replacement upholstery and audio, and a modified rebuilt engine support modified/fair classification. A no-sale high bid is not a completed transaction.
1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 442 W-30 Convertible 3J67X2M227472

Values move with paperwork, originality, options, condition, venue, and body style. High bids and guide values are labeled separately from completed sales.

Reference records

Options, Colors & Components

Source-backed details for trim, chassis, production, and authenticity.

Transmission

Factory transmission M20 Muncie wide-ratio four-speed manual with Hurst shifter
Factory transmission M40 Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 three-speed automatic

Options

1972 W-30 L77 455 engine summaryClassic Muscle · Reference illustration

W-29 4-4-2 Appearance and Handling Package required · appearance · The 1972 W-30 included the W29 4-4-2 package; W29 itself could otherwise be ordered with several non-W-30 engines.
W-30 W-30 Performance Package optional · performance · Included the L77 455, aluminum intake, W25 force-air hood, heavy-duty cooling, manual front disc brakes, Anti-Spin differential, 3.42 axle, sport mirrors, G70-14 tires, wider stripes, and W29 4-4-2 equipment.
W-25 Dual-Intake Force-Air fiberglass hood required · performance · Included with W-30 in 1972. W25 could also be ordered on other Cutlass combinations, so it is not identity proof by itself.
FE2 Rallye Suspension required · chassis · Heavy-duty springs and shocks, front and rear anti-roll bars, boxed lower rear control arms, and 14 x 7 wheels.

Paint

11 Cameo White factory · unknown
14 Silver Pewter factory · unknown
18 Antique Pewter factory · unknown
19 Ebony Black factory · unknown
24 Nordic Blue factory · unknown
26 Viking Blue factory · unknown
28 Royal Blue factory · unknown
36 Radiant Green factory · unknown
43 Pinehurst Green factory · unknown
48 Sequoia Green factory · unknown
50 Covert Beige factory · unknown
53 Saturn Gold factory · unknown
54 Sovereign Gold factory · unknown
56 Sunfire Yellow factory · unknown
57 Baroque Gold factory · unknown
62 Sienna factory · unknown
63 Burnished Copper factory · unknown
65 Flame Orange factory · unknown
68 Bamboo factory · unknown
75 Matador Red factory · unknown
81 Rosewood factory · unknown

Production

W-30 M20 four-speed and M40 automatic choicesClassic Muscle · Reference illustration

1972 W-30 total total · 772 · reported
1972 W-30 coupe/hardtop by body · 659 · reported
1972 W-30 convertible by body · 113 · reported
Cutlass two-door hardtop W-30 by body · 17 · reported
Cutlass S sports coupe W-30 by body · 19 · reported
Cutlass S hardtop W-30 by body · 623 · reported

Authenticity

W-30 Anti-Spin axle and gear ratiosClassic Muscle · Reference illustration

**1972 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 identified as a W-30 by its Commons source; visible wheels and spoiler are not factory-identity proof**BUTTON74 / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

VIN engine code X for 1972 W-30 · Vehicle VIN engine-code position · fraud detection
Package boundary W-30 is narrower than the W-29 4-4-2 appearance/handling package · Factory option documentation, build sheet, window sticker, or other car-specific records · trim correctness
OAI/louvered hood Hood is not accepted by itself as W-30 proof · Body/hood inspection plus build documentation · fraud detection
Cylinder-head casting letters GA casting letters on the 1972 W-30 cylinder heads · Front of the left cylinder head and rear of the right cylinder head · numbers matching
W-30 intake manifold Unpainted aluminum intake, casting 407570 in marque references · Casting number on the intake manifold · numbers matching
Engine VIN derivative Stamp should correspond to the car's 1972 Oldsmobile VIN sequence · Machined pad on the driver side of the block below the cylinder head, behind the power-steering pump · numbers matching