There are quite a few cars that have a significant meaning when it comes to the performance wars in the 1960s. Sometimes just a simple number will mean a lot to enthusiasts: 426, 327, 409, 302, 429, 455, and 442. While the other numbers all stood for displacement, the last number meant something other than displacement, and it’s often misunderstood what the three digits actually represent.

Oldsmobile introduced the world to the Cutlass with the musclecar theme when they gave us the 4-4-2. Some people will tell you all sorts of things that the three digits stand for, including 400 cubic inch motor or two wheel drive, but those would be wrong. The original 4-4-2 came to us with the simple translation of 4-barrel carburetor, 4-speed transmission, and dual (2) exhaust.

While later years did see different engines and different packages, the 4-4-2 meant something to musclecar enthusiasts for the early years and representations of the car. When the 4-4-2 designation was just thrown about casually in the late 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, it meant very little to enthusiasts who expected better performance.

Checking through eBay lately, we came across one of those earlier examples, complete with a “numbers matching” headline that meant this car is not only a survivor, but it’s been kept together, too. This brown and tan convertible is said to be a real 4-4-2 based on the VIN tag, and runs a 400ci engine bolted to the original Muncie M21 4-speed manual transmission. The car is up for bid at just under $70k, making it another one of those musclecars that most of us can never own.

It’s clear that the asking price is reasonable by the seller, but is it worth that kind of money to a buyer? Only time will tell, because this auction has just a short time left before it ends. Would you pay $70k for a genuine 4-4-2 convertible, or is that too much for a car that may have helped launch an era?