Ever hear the phrase, “If something’s meant to happen, it will happen?” Who hasn’t, right? Well evidently it’s true, we see it everyday; couples get back together, an office employee gets that job promotion, and if you’re like “Mr. George,” you get to rebuild your dream car twice -after it’s been stolen!

A freshly restored interior covered in black vinyl always looked good in these cars. The Hurst shifter is a bonus.

The car in question is this legit ’70 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 W-30, and it’s one of the finest examples we’ve seen. We found out about it via a video on YouTube as a feature story with our friends over at Hemming’s TV.

In our opinion, it’s the perfect blend of a restoration and pro-touring. Call it a resto-mod if you’d like. Making this Olds such a fine example of classic muscle it is today wasn’t easy.

Initially discovered at a classic car lot/junkyard while looking at a project fastback Mustang for his son, George bought the car on the spot at first sight not knowing what lie ahead.

You see, after some paint and a general fix-‘er-up job to make it a nice driver, someone stole the 442 from George’s place of employment. Luckily it was found the next day.  Unluckily however, the only thing left of the car was the quarter panels and rear deck lid and spoiler.

That didn’t deter George though. He took his 442 back home and completely rebuilt the car, having to sell his cherished ’83 Cutlass Hurst/Olds after 23 years of ownership to help fund this project. That’s dedication.

A 1970-spec 455 'plant replaced the engine that was stolen from George's car.

The motor is a 1970-spec 455 equipped with W-30 heads, an aluminum intake, and just about everything else necessary to complete the package. George took things a step further and added aftermarket exhaust and wheels, 4-wheel disc brakes and Eibach suspension.

The finished product looks amazing, and we wish George and his 442 many years of happy motoring together. They both deserve it.