The good Dr. Oldsmobile -- a sort of mad scientist in a baggy white lab coat, slicked-back hair, and silent-movie handlebar mustache -- appeared in 1969. He was conjured up to personify the division’s muscle efforts in 1969 and the cars from his laboratory were more potent than ever. The 1969 4-4-2 received grille and taillamp revisions, including bolder "4-4-2" and "W-30" graphics.
Little changed inside, apart from upholstery and door panel revisions. The 400 was again exclusive to the 4-4-2 and came standard with 350 horsepower with manual transmission and 325 with automatic. The Force-Air option brought 360 horsepower again.
 1969 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 styling included a dual-snout air scoop on the hood and an air-foil spoiler stuck up from the decklid. |
Also returning was the Hurst/Olds 4-4-2, but no longer was it remotely low-key in silver and black. "Firefrost Gold" striping accented its white paint, a dual-snout air scoop was on the hood, and an air-foil spoiler stuck up from the decklid. The engine was again the 455-cubic-inch V8. It was detuned slightly to 380 horsepower, but still churned out 500 pounds/feet of torque.
Testers saw 0-60 mph in 5.9 seconds and the quarter in 13.98 at 101.3 with the ’69 H/O. Built again in limited numbers, H/O production for this year totaled 904 hardtops and two convertibles, though some sources say an additional six hardtops were built as prototypes and promotional cars.
Olds introduced the W-32 package this year. It combined the
350-horsepower manual-transmission 400-cube V-8 with the M40 automatic
transmission. It was billed as a more civilized route to a 350-horsepower
4-4-2.
"The W-Machine a mother could learn to love," explained an ad that
pictured Dr. Oldsmobile in the company of his mother. The W-32 used the
Force-Air scoops, rally hood stripes, and posi-traction rear. This, Dr.
Oldsmobile advised, was "a honker with culture. Which means with a refined,
unlumpy idle."
Only 297 W-32s are thought to have been built: 247 hardtop coupes; 25 post coupes, and 25 convertibles. Production of 4-4-2s fell off in general this year, down to 26,357, of which 4295 were convertibles.
| Engine Type | V-8/Oldsmobile |
| Displacement (cid) | 400 |
| Horsepower @ rpm: | 350 @ 4,800 (1968) 360 @ 5400 (1968)* 360 @ 4600 (1969) |
| Torque (pounds/feet) @ rpm | 440 @ 3200 (1968) 440 @ 3600 (1969) |
| Compression Ratio | 10.5:1 |
| Bore (inches) | 3.87 |
| Stroke (inches) | 4.25 |
| Valve Lifters | Hydraulic |
| Availability | 1968-69 |
*1971-72
Times*:
| 0-60 mph (sec) | 5.8 (est) |
| 0-100 mph (sec) | 10.5 (est) |
| 1/4-mile (sec) | 12.97 @ 108.17 mph |
| Top speed (mph) | N/A |
| Axle ratio | 3.91:1 |
| Engine type | 455/390** |
| Model year | 1968 Hurst/Olds |
*Source: Car Craft
**Hand assembled engine
Times*:
| 0-60 mph (sec) | 6.3 (est) |
| 0-100 mph (sec) | 11.5 (est) |
| 1/4-mile (sec) | 13.33 @ 103.56 mph |
| Top speed (mph) | N/A |
| Axle ratio | 3.91:1 |
| Engine type | 400/360 |
| Model year | 1968 W-30 4-4-2 |
*Source: Car Craft
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