For those with a taste for gritty sand wedged in their teeth, there’s nothing quite like the grueling test of tests for automotive excellence than the Baja Desert Racing Series. Within that Parthenon of racing, there’s Group 6, a class of Baja desert racing cars that are something out of the ordinary. Once comprised of lifted ‘Cudas, AMC/Hurst SC/Ramblers and the usual GM intermediate A-body, it was the group that screamed, “Muscle cars can do a lot more than just drive straight!”

Image: Rod Hall Racing

We found this thread over on MoParts revealing possibly one of the most iconic of these cars, the 1970 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 owned by James Garner. Obviously drawing in press more of its celebrity owner than the car itself, the W-30 hooded 4-4-2 was built by GM engineer Vic Hickey to withstand the tortures of off-road racing. The car – with its photogenic owner/operator – was featured on the cover of March 1970’s Popular Hot Rodding titled, “James Garner’s ‘Goodyear Grabber’ Olds.”

Images: MoParts

The Garner 442 is back in full force today, with off-road racing legend Rod Hall at the wheel. Rod was racing the Extreme Outlaw 250 desert race in Reno this past June 19th in the original 1970 Olds owned by Garner. The car has been completely restored to as-raced condition. The car was a special-ordered Oldsmobile, touting a lightweight aluminum 410ci engine that was original to the car and the only Oldsmobile ever built with it. It’s believed that only 4 of those aluminum motors were ever built (according to the vehicle’s owner).