1976 442 Talladega pace Car

[442MUCH]

In 1991 I saw an ad for a "1976 Oldsmobile 442 Talladega Pace Car" The car was in Houston and I called the guy selling it. It was a car dealership. The guy told me that the car was either a replica or the actual 442 that paced the Nascar event. VIN is 3G37R6R146774. I didn't really buy it (the story or the car). I have tried to investigate to see if a 442 did actually pace the Talladega but have been unable to verify. Anyone ever hear of this?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/vttedrm/PaceCar.jpg

[PSU442]

that's cool looking.... ussually spoilers like that on our cars drive me nut but not today

[brad442]

WOW! Would you believe I looked at that car about 15 years ago. My dad and I were at the Pate Swap Meet (one of the largest in the country) I think around '92 or '93. I remember that car was for sale there. Guy claimed it to be the Talledega Pace car from '76 or '77, something like that. It was in pretty good shape, but had a bunch of aftermarket items on it under the hood, chrome dress up items, etc. I remember those big chrome exhaust tips hanging off the back like that and the spoiler that was too short on the sides. Paint job had been redone and I don't think it was correct. I think the grilles and headlight buckets were painted black too. I remember the guy was just claiming it was a Pace Car, but I don't think he had any photos or anything to prove it. Think it was a 350 car too. Wow, if someone could prove it, it might be cool to have...

[73hurst]

Brad, I remember hearing about this car. It was out of Ft. Worth. I don't think it was an actual pace car, but a replica. Since Olds was participating in NASCAR that year, Richard Petty drove one by the way, I think it was a commemorative model released by Olds as a limited edition. Like the GMO (Great Men of Olds) regional editions, or the Richard Petty edition of the Pontiac Grand Prix in the late '80's or early '90's. The Buick - Colorado and California Specials of 1969 would be another example like the Talledega Cutlass'. I seem to recall that they were all white with black stripes.

Pete

[Doug Blake]

That wing on the back sure looks like the one on my '83 hurst/olds! I'd say it's a phony. some stroker thinkin he's got somthing. And the trunk decal is too high. it's been repainted.

[GT73]

Its a fake, just checked my "Forty Years of Stock Car Racing" history book. Oldsmobile did not participate in any races in either 1976 or 1977 in NASCAR.

Therefore, highly unlikely it was a pace car for the 'Talladega 500' or the 'Winston 500' races in 1976.

Olds came back to NASCAR in 1978, in which Cale Yarborough won the Winston Cup Championship driving an Olds in every race that year. The body style was that of a '77 442, its aerodynamics was superior to that of the Chevys/Fords/Buicks/Dodges/Mercurys.