anthonyP

According to the 1972 Assembly Manual, the rear spoiler option was deleted prior to the production run - but some '72 442's and W-30's are seen with a rear spoiler. I understand that the spoiler may have been installed by the dealer or owner, but some are claiming that the spoiler was factory installed.


Does anyone have documentation showing that a spoiler was factory installed on a 1972 Cutlass, 442, or W-30?

anthonyP

According to the 1972 Assembly Manual, the rear spoiler option was deleted prior to the production run - but some '72 442's and W-30's are seen with a rear spoiler. I understand that the spoiler may have been installed by the dealer or owner, but some are claiming that the spoiler was factory installed.


Does anyone have documentation showing that a spoiler was factory installed on a 1972 Cutlass, 442, or W-30?

mmurphy77

It was very clear in the assembly manual that the option was cancelled (IIRC mid-1971) so I can't see any instance where the factory would go against that. Now, I'm sure dealers installed tons of them as they were doing stuff like that all the time. There may be people with that documentation. A lot of people claim their '70-'72 convertibles came with a rear spoiler too and that didn't happen either.

joe_padavano

Some '72 442s aren't really 442s, either...

joe_padavano

I merged your two identical threads. As always, you'll get better answers if you keep all responses in a single thread instead of spreading them around.

anthonyP

Thank you Joe. I had thought the one posting was not accepted, so I reposted the original message on a different forum. Why some install a spoiler on a convertible or Supreme is beyond me, I personally do not think it fits properly or looks aesthetically correct, otherwise the factory would had offered it, like Hurst did on the '69 H/O convertible.

Allan R

Even on 70/71 CS Convertibles with 442 or W30 options the rear deck wing was not an option. You'll also see CS Hardtops that are badged as 442, but that body style was never offered with 442 option.

Oldsmobiledave, who has a radiant green W30 admits that his car with the deck wing was added by a PO through a dealer. 72 442's never came with deck wings from the factory - period. Check the ordering guide and find me anything that shows W35 Spoiler as an option in 72. 70 and 71 - sure, but not 72.

From 1971 SPECS


1971 Specs for 442 - W35 only on coupes - not verts


From 1972 SPECS - CS vert only was allowed the W29 or W30 packages. Note no references to W35? Same as with 72 Cutlass and Cutlass S.

anthonyP

Thank you Allen for the information. Where did you find copies of the model options and features? No one seems to know why the spoiler option was cancelled for '72, nor could I find any document giving a reason for the cancellation. I guess it will go into that "will never know" file, along with why Oldsmobile cancelled the 15" SS-II rim/G60-15 tire option in 1970, as well as the lightweight frame option for the W-cars.


I used to be able to find it on Wild About Cars/AHPS, but I only get a HTTP 403 error page when I try to access the website. It is a great website, but I tried everything to resolve the problem, but to no avail.

Allan R

Anthony,
The model options for the cars came from the Salesman Prices, Colors and trim Specifications booklets that were printed for each model year. You can still get some of them from The Old Car Manuals Project (which is totally free BTW). They don't have Assembly Manuals or Chassis Service Manuals, but do have some neat period ads and dealer brochures.

Likely the reason you're not getting a connection to WAC is because it no longer exists.

EDIT: My best guess for the spoiler cancellation is that the 72 model year was originally intended to be the 'Colonade' series of A body that was later introduced in 1973.

vette442

Wildaboutcarsonline.com just worked for me.

anthonyP

That is what I am leaning towards. You are correct, the '72 model year was suppose to be for the new Colonnade models, but the GM strike in late '71 delayed the implementation of the new style. So the '72 models were only a gap fill measure, which was great for us, but is probably why the spoiler was deleted, as well as A/C for the W-30/W-46 engine, and other changes. It is surprising that Olds bothered to change the pearl color interior to white, and the wood grain to rosewood for this hold over year, as well as to make the monaural am/fm radio for just that year.

anthonyP

WAC said they checked their end and determined that it must be either my computer or modem IP address. I am able to get onto the website outside of my home. I tried my wife's computer and still could not get onto the website. I only get an error page - HTTP 403. It is very frustrating since I miss able to access all of the available information on Oldsmobile's and the other available manufacturers.

Diego

I would not be surprised if the spoiler was cancelled from the factory but resumed as a dealer-installed item for 1972.

oldsmobiledave

In 1972 dealers were more than happy to install any option you wanted that the factory would not. They knew that a major body style change was coming and were happy to get rid of parts inventory. I am sure that many a 1972 A body got dealer installed wings upon original sale or soon after like my W-30 did. Rest assured that none left the factory with a W-35 option on the build sheet.

Diego

It's one thing for the dealership to install anything that the customer desired. But for the spoiler to be offered as a dealer-installed option for 1972 is another issue. I would be interested to see if the spoiler was listed in a document such as this:

http://www.gt-37.org/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=1057

For what it's worth, production documents from the GM Heritage Center show no W35 for 1972.

oldsmobiledave

I am not saying that the spoiler was available as a dealer installed option but rather that some dealers had spoilers in inventory for body shop repairs etc. The dealer in Regina SK that sold my car new was not the dealer that installed the spoiler.

Diego

Yeah, I gotcha. I was merely suggesting that even though the spoiler wasn't a factory-available option, it may have been available as a dealer-installed option sanctioned by Oldsmobile. I don't have a hunch nor proof, but thought it could be a possibility.

Allan R

Dave is right on the money. Diego - are you looking for something like this?? Dealer Worksheet Order from 1972 and there is no check box for the W35. Also note this 442 W29 is special order at extra cost paint - Black was not an A body color for any of the GM brands that year.

Diego

That *may* be what I'm looking for, but what is there in the list that could be a dealer-installed item? The only dealer-installed item listed in the totals is undercoating, which is not in the list.

I could be way off on the possibility of a dealer-installed spoiler. I guess finding the answer would require an accessories brochure or ???, which must be difficult to find.

Also, I think you've misread the car's color - it's not black.

Allan R

Diego,
I have the dealer ordering guide and there is absolutely nothing in it for W35.

Yes, you're right about the color - the trim was black, not the car. My bad.

re: Well let's see, for starters how about B32/B33 -Auxiliary Floor mats - front/rear, N34 Custom Steering wheel, N66/N67 SSII / SSIII wheels, C49 Rear Window Defogger, U21 Rallye Pac, U35 electric clock, U57/U58/U80 Stereo Radio/8 Track/ Rear speakers, T44 Hood lock, D35 Sport mirrors, C08 Vinyl Roof, K30 Cruise Control, N10 Dual exhaust??? All of those are not only Factory options but also available as dealer installed, n'est-ce pas?

Diego

But do you really think a dealer would install dual exhausts when it normally could be done at the factory?

Here's what I'm trying to find out - check out this Pontiac item:

http://www.gt-37.org/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=1047

It says it's available on the GTO and several other A-bodies. However, I have production info that shows none were installed on GTOs other than the Judge. Hence, if a buyer or owner wanted a spoiler, it would be installed at the dealer.

Is your dealer ordering guide similar to the Pontiac item? As I can't visualize it, I'm using the Pontiac example to clarify an apples to apples comparison.

Allan R

Diego,
What I'm saying is that any Joe Blow could go to a dealer lot in 72 and find a car that he liked, but would like better with some other options. So YES, I do believe that those options I listed (and the W25 hood to BTW) could easily be added to the car by a dealer after it was delivered. Call it an aftermarket sales add on or whatever. There's no doubt in my mind it was done since my Dad had the C49 option installed at the dealer after he bought the car there (used BTW).

Obviously installing the dual exhausts (N10) wouldn't change the VIN of the car, but it would be 'as if' it had come with a dual exhaust coded car.

The Olds dealer guide does have accessories listed but in different format than the Pontiac link you provided. All the accessories have a write up per application. You don't have that guide?

joe_padavano

Don't confuse factory-authorized, dealer-installed options with something custom done by the dealer. There were factory authorized packages for the dealer to install power brakes or power steering, for example, despite the fact that this was much easier to do at the factory. I'm guessing these were aimed at buyers who purchased a loss-leader car then later decided that they wanted those options.

On the other hand, a dealer could have installed a Buick hood tach or a Chevy motor in an Olds. That doesn't make it anything other than a custom installation, no different than if someone had done it in their own garage.

Allan R

Joe, I'm not confusing anything. What I said was pretty straight forward and I believe it was pertinent to Diego's question. I'm fully aware that there were many options sold over the dealer counter that could just as easily have been factory ordered with a car purchase.

Things that were custom done by a dealer should have their own dealer invoice and pedigree. I'm not fooling anyone with my car. It was definitely a loss leader - basically a salesmans DD. I'm changing it to a highly optioned car that will be custom modified by myself and represented as such. It will look 'as factory as possible' but be represented as 'Modified with added period correct options by owner'. If it's ever sold, that will be part of the condition of sale - all documentation goes with the car.

GAOldsman

It is listed in the "Dealer Installed Equipment" for 1972.

Listed as

"Spoiler, deck lid"

Club and Hardtop Coupes

Intermediate Cars Not Cruisers

part# 983190

Suggested List Price - $71.75

Approx. Time (Hr) - 1.3

GAOldsman

Even though not a factory installed item, it is possible that the original purchaser ordered a car that way and it quite possibly could be on a window sticker as such.

Allan R

Scot, I know where that page came from but in all honesty I don't believe it's typical of 72 production or dealer installed options. I think it's simply a carry-over from the 71 model year and not proof checked well. (what's new, huh?)

That said, I suppose a dealer could install pretty much anything you requested - for a price.

GAOldsman

Yup Al that page comes from a known book to be riddled with errors, but if you look on page 149 of the PDF from the GM Heritage Center under 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 Info Kit, the same exact thing is listed in that factory documentation.

PDF Link> 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 (28mb)

GAOldsman

Also if you look at the '71 "Dealer Installed Equipment" list you will see it was revised for '72. The '71 list states F85 and only a $70 Suggested List Price as two noted differences in the two years.

anthonyP

Thanks to everyone for their information and input.