For The Love Of Olds

Like any kid with older siblings, Steve Bielski learned a lot by watching his brothers. They were "weekend mechanics," wrenching by necessity on their 1960s muscle cars. Bielski developed a taste for the cars of that era, both through his brothers' cars and from popular culture — the TV commercials and print ads in Hot Rod, Time and Life magazines pitching muscle cars as symbols of youth and freedom. He liked the style those cars had, and a V-8's burble and roar — depending on how far you put your foot in it — projected a power that was both comforting and exciting. One of his brothers' cars, in particular, captured Bielski's imagination: a 1965 Oldsmobile 442.

This is not, as some people may speculate, a car with a 442 cubic-inch engine. Rather, according to literature Bielski has collected, the name comes from a collection of features that were standard on this Olds: a four-speed transmission, four-barrel carburetor, and dual (that is, two pipes) exhaust. Bielski's current pristine example is not the car his brothers had. In fact, Bielski let another one come and go before he purchased this one — "I knew when I sold it, that I'd regret it," he says. He's tried to keep tabs on the second 442, but he hasn't tracked it down precisely. He thinks it's in Iowa, which is where his family lived before they moved to Minnesota in the late 1960s.

Between his early Olds experiences and his current car, Bielski, who now resides in Chanhassen, attended trade school, then earned his bachelor's degree and started an irrigation business. While he did not major in auto mechanics, he often found himself in the school library in his free time reading everything it had on cars. He read the library's books on body repair, engine building, transmission and suspension work. When the time came to get back into Oldsmobiles, he was ready. And the seasonal nature of his work made a winter (and evening and weekend) car restoration an excellent project for himself and his son, Daniel.

Bielski took his quest to the Internet, posting a note on the 442.com website. For four months, no one responded to his ad seeking a 1965 model. Then, he got the phone call: a man had one — a rust-free vehicle in Albuquerque, New Mexico — and he was thinking about selling. They closed the deal and Bielski brought it home for a full restoration. He and Daniel pulled off all the body panels, took out the drivetrain, wiring and interior, and set about bringing everything back to factory specs.

They took the body to bare metal, rebuilt the transmission and rear end, had the chrome polished and plated, and replaced the 40-year-old suspension. The engine rebuild Bielski entrusted to a pro — a decision he may have made after watching his older brother assemble a Chrysler Hemi motor in the family basement, only to realize he couldn't get it upstairs without tearing it apart again.

A few thousand hours later, the Sterling Mist four-speed, four-barrel, dual exhaust Olds is a source of pride and pleasure for father and son. The car is pretty much completely stock — just as it was 40 years ago. Yet with 375 horsepower, it isn't a machine left behind by modern vehicles. As Steve explains, "It's fun to drive a classic car that you've personally restored to its original vintage condition."

As he and his father cruise in the Olds, Daniel loves getting the thumbs-up from other motorists. Once he pointed to another car and said,

"Look at that Jaguar!" Steve quipped, "Anyone can have a Jaguar; not everyone can have a 1965 Olds 442."

It's a small fraternity compared to some classics, but a helpful one. Steve says fellow 442 owners from all over the country freely provide help and advice over the internet on such tricky restoration items as instrument panels, electrical components and the drivetrain. And many people stop him throughout the summer months to talk about their own experiences, years ago, with an Olds 442.