Cortez Silver 1970 W-31 real or clone?
February 22nd, 2015, 10:47 AM
#42
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 22
In a case like that Sammy:
The first thing I would do is confirm that the Broadcast Card does indeed belong to that particular car...check that it matches the Fisher Body Tag and check the Body Tag for any signs that it has been tampered with.
Confirm that the Broadcast Card build options match the car configuration.
Talk with the seller about the history of the car. Is there a paper trail of previous owners?
Check and confirm that the frame VIN stamping matches the VIN of the car. If they do not match, then I would tend to think that the car has been re-bodied.
Next, confirm that all of the W30 parts are there, and make note of whatever parts are missing.
Is the drivetrain numbers matching? To many people that is a big plus, I am in that camp. Is that a deal breaker to me?? Not in and of itself, but I will subtract some value for replacement blocks and transmissions.
Now it's time to put a value on the car. If the seller can provide an original Lansing Broadcast Card, or has GM of Canada paperwork...which I would independently confirm with GM of Canada, and I am satisfied that the car is legit based on my inspection, then I would start the value of the car commensurate with the current market value of a legitimate W30 in the overall condition presented. Then I would subtract the value of the missing W30 parts plus a bit more for having to find those parts and getting them installed on the car. I would subtract some value for non-matching blocks and transmissions. I would also subtract value for body and interior color changes... but that's just me, color changes are not important to some guys. My feeling is that color changes and other alterations devalue the car by the amount of money it will take to get those color changes and other alterations corrected.
You might have guessed that I am kind of a stickler for originality. To me these factory built high performance cars have important historical significance. I like to see that history preserved.
The first thing I would do is confirm that the Broadcast Card does indeed belong to that particular car...check that it matches the Fisher Body Tag and check the Body Tag for any signs that it has been tampered with.
Confirm that the Broadcast Card build options match the car configuration.
Talk with the seller about the history of the car. Is there a paper trail of previous owners?
Check and confirm that the frame VIN stamping matches the VIN of the car. If they do not match, then I would tend to think that the car has been re-bodied.
Next, confirm that all of the W30 parts are there, and make note of whatever parts are missing.
Is the drivetrain numbers matching? To many people that is a big plus, I am in that camp. Is that a deal breaker to me?? Not in and of itself, but I will subtract some value for replacement blocks and transmissions.
Now it's time to put a value on the car. If the seller can provide an original Lansing Broadcast Card, or has GM of Canada paperwork...which I would independently confirm with GM of Canada, and I am satisfied that the car is legit based on my inspection, then I would start the value of the car commensurate with the current market value of a legitimate W30 in the overall condition presented. Then I would subtract the value of the missing W30 parts plus a bit more for having to find those parts and getting them installed on the car. I would subtract some value for non-matching blocks and transmissions. I would also subtract value for body and interior color changes... but that's just me, color changes are not important to some guys. My feeling is that color changes and other alterations devalue the car by the amount of money it will take to get those color changes and other alterations corrected.
You might have guessed that I am kind of a stickler for originality. To me these factory built high performance cars have important historical significance. I like to see that history preserved.
Last edited by Ken442; February 22nd, 2015 at 10:55 AM.
February 26th, 2015, 07:20 PM
#43
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Meriden CT
Posts: 823
Here are the pictures. Harmonic appears to be too thin by my eyes, again no picture of the hydromatic tag! Cowl tag shows TR 930 (33687)=buckets and I also noticed date code has no zero before the month, any one has seen one that way? It looks to be not molested by my eyes
I see boxed rear control arms, sway bar and non power front disc brakes which seems to be right. But all this could have been pilfered and bolted on early on.
With no documentation, to many red flags. I would not be plunking down the kinda of monies requested.
http://sunvalleyautosales.zenfolio.c...d6a0#h29fa099a
Pat
compared to this photo from the angle?
I see boxed rear control arms, sway bar and non power front disc brakes which seems to be right. But all this could have been pilfered and bolted on early on.
With no documentation, to many red flags. I would not be plunking down the kinda of monies requested.
http://sunvalleyautosales.zenfolio.c...d6a0#h29fa099a
Pat
compared to this photo from the angle?
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