While tightening emissions regulations, rising insurance premiums, unleaded fuels, and activist politicians conspired to strangle the American muscle car out of existence, Oldsmobile held the line for one final, brilliant year, 1971, with its sophisticated yet brutally powerful 442.

For this year, the machine could be had only with 455-cubic inch V-8 power, and buyers had nothing to fear, as “Dr. Oldsmobile,” the mad scientist who was memorably depicted in period advertisements, was still managing to pull impressive muscle out of it. The factory rated the optional W-30 version as being capable of 350 gross horsepower, but as with most muscle cars of the era, that was only a number thrown out to keep the insurance company’s bean-counters at bay. Its actual performance was sparkling, with a 442 capable of crossing the quarter-mile in under 15 seconds. Even better acceleration could be had when pairing the “hot” W-30 engine with the Muncie four-speed manual transmission and its accompanying lower 3.42:1 rear axle ratio.

The car offered here was one of only 32 Oldsmobile 442 Convertibles produced with the desirable combination of a four-speed transmission and the W-30 in 1971. It was originally delivered through Royal Pontiac-Olds, of Butler, New Jersey, and finished in Saturn Gold with black stripes. It was optioned not only with those two special features but also a Hurst shifter, a heavy-duty positraction 3.73:1 rear axle, a W27 rear axle cover, “Rocket Rally” gauges, a “Tic-Toc-Tach,” bucket seats, a center console, and a sport steering wheel.

The car has been lucky enough to have been owned by a succession of well-known muscle car enthusiasts, most prominently North Carolinean enthusiast Robbie Yow, and it was restored by Oldsmobile expert Joe Cubellis, of New Castle, Pennsylvania. Mr. Cubellis’s exceptionally well-detailed restoration was authentic to original specification and is impressively documented by a collection of accompanying paperwork, including copies of the build sheet, dealer invoice, and the Protect-O-Plate, as well as an owner’s manual. Even the Goodyear Polyglas GT tires are an accurate touch.

Some claim that the first “muscle car” was the Oldsmobile Rocket 88, which was introduced in 1949. This rare “last of the breed” model must be considered one of the ultimate performance Oldsmobiles, and it is a car that no outstanding muscle car collection is truly complete without.