1970 W30 **Documented**
December 15th, 2014, 01:01 PM
#1
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Posts: 22
1970 W30 **Documented**
I have for sale a Broadcast Card Documented 1970 442 W30 Sport Coupe with a dual-gate automatic transmission.
This W30 has never been restored. It has been repainted in its original color combination of Platinum Silver with Black stripes and has a black bucket seat with console interior. Other than the repaint, the car is mostly original and is what I would call survivor. The body, undercarriage, trunk, and frame are all very nice. The passenger side fender has been replaced, it is a fender from a 71-72 car and the 442 emblems are not located correctly. The only other issue that I can think of is that the A/C is not working; I replaced a leaking hose and I am looking into getting the system recharged.
The drivetrain is numbers matching front to back including the original W30 OW transmission, SF code 3.23 anti-spin rear axle, F 404-438 heads, W-455 aluminum intake. Carb (7040258) and distributor (1111979) are both correct for 1970 W30 with automatic transmission. X and Z exhaust manifolds. Original red inner fenders. Original OAI hood and ram air induction system.
Codes and Options:
W30 ----- High Performance Engine Package
W25 ----- Outside Air Induction System
Code 14 -- Platinum Exterior Paint
C08 (B) -- Black Vinyl Top
930 ------ Black Bucket Seat Interior
M40 ----- TH 400 Automatic Transmission
G91 ----- 3.23 Performance Rear Axle
G80 ----- Anti-Spin Axle
FE2 ----- 442 Suspension Package
Y72 ----- Heavy Duty Engine Cooling and Generator
W26 ---- Console with Hurst Dual Gate Shifter
C60 ----- Air Conditioning
A01 ----- Tinted Glass
JL2 ------ Power Disc Brakes, Front
N47 ----- Power Steering
A46 ----- Power Seat, LH Bucket
U21 ----- Rally Pac Gauges
U15 ----- Safety Sentinel Speed Minder
N34 ----- Custom Sport Steering Wheel
U63 ----- Deluxe AM Radio
U80 ----- Rear Speaker
Y60 ----- Accessory Group Package
T44 ----- Interior Hood Lock
D35 ----- Sport Mirrors
G66 ----- Super Lift Rear Shocks (Air Lift)
N66 ----- Super Stock II Wheels
PK5 ----- 14x7 Firestone Wide Oval Tires
The engine runs smooth and strong, and the car drives absolutely fantastic! This is not a "trailer queen". You can show and drive this W30 now, and have a ton fun with it!
If you are looking for a super solid, mostly original, and great driving 1970 W30, this is exactly what you are looking for.
Anyone seriously interested is more than welcome to come and see the car in person. I would also be happy to talk about the car over the phone.
Asking $55,000
Call anytime or PM if interested.
Ken
608-790-5196
This W30 has never been restored. It has been repainted in its original color combination of Platinum Silver with Black stripes and has a black bucket seat with console interior. Other than the repaint, the car is mostly original and is what I would call survivor. The body, undercarriage, trunk, and frame are all very nice. The passenger side fender has been replaced, it is a fender from a 71-72 car and the 442 emblems are not located correctly. The only other issue that I can think of is that the A/C is not working; I replaced a leaking hose and I am looking into getting the system recharged.
The drivetrain is numbers matching front to back including the original W30 OW transmission, SF code 3.23 anti-spin rear axle, F 404-438 heads, W-455 aluminum intake. Carb (7040258) and distributor (1111979) are both correct for 1970 W30 with automatic transmission. X and Z exhaust manifolds. Original red inner fenders. Original OAI hood and ram air induction system.
Codes and Options:
W30 ----- High Performance Engine Package
W25 ----- Outside Air Induction System
Code 14 -- Platinum Exterior Paint
C08 (B) -- Black Vinyl Top
930 ------ Black Bucket Seat Interior
M40 ----- TH 400 Automatic Transmission
G91 ----- 3.23 Performance Rear Axle
G80 ----- Anti-Spin Axle
FE2 ----- 442 Suspension Package
Y72 ----- Heavy Duty Engine Cooling and Generator
W26 ---- Console with Hurst Dual Gate Shifter
C60 ----- Air Conditioning
A01 ----- Tinted Glass
JL2 ------ Power Disc Brakes, Front
N47 ----- Power Steering
A46 ----- Power Seat, LH Bucket
U21 ----- Rally Pac Gauges
U15 ----- Safety Sentinel Speed Minder
N34 ----- Custom Sport Steering Wheel
U63 ----- Deluxe AM Radio
U80 ----- Rear Speaker
Y60 ----- Accessory Group Package
T44 ----- Interior Hood Lock
D35 ----- Sport Mirrors
G66 ----- Super Lift Rear Shocks (Air Lift)
N66 ----- Super Stock II Wheels
PK5 ----- 14x7 Firestone Wide Oval Tires
The engine runs smooth and strong, and the car drives absolutely fantastic! This is not a "trailer queen". You can show and drive this W30 now, and have a ton fun with it!
If you are looking for a super solid, mostly original, and great driving 1970 W30, this is exactly what you are looking for.
Anyone seriously interested is more than welcome to come and see the car in person. I would also be happy to talk about the car over the phone.
Asking $55,000
Call anytime or PM if interested.
Ken
608-790-5196
Last edited by Ken442; December 17th, 2014 at 06:18 PM.
December 17th, 2014, 08:10 AM
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Location: Delta BC Canada
Posts: 3,688
December 17th, 2014, 09:41 AM
#8
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 22
First off, thank you for the nice comments on the car; it really is in very nice condition. A great car for someone that wants to experience some "behind the wheel time" with their W30 - actually get it out and drive it!
As for the question about A/C being available on the 1970 W30s. Air Conditioning was an option on any automatic transmission equipped 1970 W30. However, to my knowledge A/C was not an available option on manual transmission W30s.
If you look at enough MATCHED Broadcast Cards and the W30 cars they belong to, you will notice a definite pattern.
Here's how it works:
We know how to match a Broadcast Card with a particular car - through the Fisher Body number. By comparing the sequence of six numbers following the "LAN" on the Cowl/Data Tag on the top of the cowl under the hood to the Body Number in the top row of the Broadcast Card; if those numbers match, viola! ...you have the correct Broadcast Card for a particular car.
Common question: Why are some of the options that my car has, not listed on the Broadcast Card? The answer is that the Broadcast Cards were used by Fisher Body to build just the bodies. They only needed to know the options that would directly affect the parts that they put into a particular car: A/C - different firewall, Radio/speakers/rear defrost - different rear package trays, seat type - different seat frame mounting points.....
Another question may come up then: Well, why are the W30 and W31 options listed on the Broadcast Card, they are engine options? Because for one thing, each of those options required different front fenders from their regular Cutlass and 442 brothers... the punch-out holes for the pins for the correct front fender emblem configuration was the issue. The script "Cutlass" combined with the W31 emblem for the W31 cars, and the individual 4 - 4 - 2 numerals combined with the W30 emblem for the W30 cars.
The W30 or W31 option is almost always indicated in Box 3 of the Broadcast Card for 1970 cars. However, on rare occasions I have seen it in other locations, and I personally have one car with the W30 designation across boxes 13 and 14.
A/C as we now know is an option that IS indicated on a particular car's Broadcast Card. Air Conditioning is option C60 - look for it in or near Box 8 of the Card.
The transmission type is not indicated on the Broadcast Card, that is why you need MATCHED Broadcast Cards and the W30 cars together to draw any conclusions concerning the W30 with A/C question. If you have a matched Broadcast Card and a car...you know the transmission type for the Broadcast Card you are looking at.
The pattern you will find is that Air Conditioning (C60), while not particularly common, is found on quit a few 1970 W30s. But all of them, at least in my experience, are automatic transmission cars. I have NEVER seen it on a Broadcast Card that is linked to a legitimate 1970 W30 with a manual transmission. Not saying it never happened, but I seriously doubt that it ever did.
Another issue with that is that all 1970 W30s I have had or seen with automatic transmissions were 3.23 rear cars, which is fine for an A/C equipped car. All manual transmission W30s that I have had or seen have been 3.42 or 3.91 rear cars. Those steeper gears combined with a manual transmission?? ...not so good for the A/C compressors of the time. Oldsmobile engineers and execs probably saw the issues that would inevitably arise from allowing that combo and said..."uhh, uhh, not gonna happen"
I'm not claiming to be an expert by any means, just passing on a few observations from my personal experience with these cars. If anyone has a different opinion or more information on this, I'd certainly be interested in hearing it.
Anyway, I hope this helps some of you out there understand this question a little better.
As for the question about A/C being available on the 1970 W30s. Air Conditioning was an option on any automatic transmission equipped 1970 W30. However, to my knowledge A/C was not an available option on manual transmission W30s.
If you look at enough MATCHED Broadcast Cards and the W30 cars they belong to, you will notice a definite pattern.
Here's how it works:
We know how to match a Broadcast Card with a particular car - through the Fisher Body number. By comparing the sequence of six numbers following the "LAN" on the Cowl/Data Tag on the top of the cowl under the hood to the Body Number in the top row of the Broadcast Card; if those numbers match, viola! ...you have the correct Broadcast Card for a particular car.
Common question: Why are some of the options that my car has, not listed on the Broadcast Card? The answer is that the Broadcast Cards were used by Fisher Body to build just the bodies. They only needed to know the options that would directly affect the parts that they put into a particular car: A/C - different firewall, Radio/speakers/rear defrost - different rear package trays, seat type - different seat frame mounting points.....
Another question may come up then: Well, why are the W30 and W31 options listed on the Broadcast Card, they are engine options? Because for one thing, each of those options required different front fenders from their regular Cutlass and 442 brothers... the punch-out holes for the pins for the correct front fender emblem configuration was the issue. The script "Cutlass" combined with the W31 emblem for the W31 cars, and the individual 4 - 4 - 2 numerals combined with the W30 emblem for the W30 cars.
The W30 or W31 option is almost always indicated in Box 3 of the Broadcast Card for 1970 cars. However, on rare occasions I have seen it in other locations, and I personally have one car with the W30 designation across boxes 13 and 14.
A/C as we now know is an option that IS indicated on a particular car's Broadcast Card. Air Conditioning is option C60 - look for it in or near Box 8 of the Card.
The transmission type is not indicated on the Broadcast Card, that is why you need MATCHED Broadcast Cards and the W30 cars together to draw any conclusions concerning the W30 with A/C question. If you have a matched Broadcast Card and a car...you know the transmission type for the Broadcast Card you are looking at.
The pattern you will find is that Air Conditioning (C60), while not particularly common, is found on quit a few 1970 W30s. But all of them, at least in my experience, are automatic transmission cars. I have NEVER seen it on a Broadcast Card that is linked to a legitimate 1970 W30 with a manual transmission. Not saying it never happened, but I seriously doubt that it ever did.
Another issue with that is that all 1970 W30s I have had or seen with automatic transmissions were 3.23 rear cars, which is fine for an A/C equipped car. All manual transmission W30s that I have had or seen have been 3.42 or 3.91 rear cars. Those steeper gears combined with a manual transmission?? ...not so good for the A/C compressors of the time. Oldsmobile engineers and execs probably saw the issues that would inevitably arise from allowing that combo and said..."uhh, uhh, not gonna happen"
I'm not claiming to be an expert by any means, just passing on a few observations from my personal experience with these cars. If anyone has a different opinion or more information on this, I'd certainly be interested in hearing it.
Anyway, I hope this helps some of you out there understand this question a little better.
Last edited by Ken442; December 17th, 2014 at 09:48 AM.
December 17th, 2014, 10:03 AM
#9
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 22
Oldsmobiledave, I only have one of the other W30s here in the garage at my house right now. I'm in the final stages of a body off rotisserie restoration of the Platinum and Black bench seat 4-speed car. Body and paint are done, drivetrain is in. Just starting to get to installing the interior, just did the headliner the other day. Next up is getting the side glass put in, hopefully I can get to that yet this week.
The other W30s are in storage and are at the back of the building, can't even get to them again until spring. Those cars are waiting their turn for restoration. I could probably dig up a few pictures of the Blue car, I posted some of that one a couple of years ago. A few of the guys here might remember it.
If I get some time, I'll see if I can post some pictures of some of the restoration process of the Platinum 4-speed car. I'm thinking something like that should probably be done on another thread though.
The other W30s are in storage and are at the back of the building, can't even get to them again until spring. Those cars are waiting their turn for restoration. I could probably dig up a few pictures of the Blue car, I posted some of that one a couple of years ago. A few of the guys here might remember it.
If I get some time, I'll see if I can post some pictures of some of the restoration process of the Platinum 4-speed car. I'm thinking something like that should probably be done on another thread though.
December 17th, 2014, 11:27 AM
#10
That sounds like quite a collection of W-30s!
There is another reason you will not find factory installed a/c or power assisted brakes on a 1970 4 Speed, W-30 and that is because the 4 speed cam had more duration, which produced lower vaccum at idle and made the car run "lopey". The 4 speed cam did not support these two options on the lower end of the RPM range and made very good power at the peak of the RPM range which was not ideal for A/C compressor longevity.
There is another reason you will not find factory installed a/c or power assisted brakes on a 1970 4 Speed, W-30 and that is because the 4 speed cam had more duration, which produced lower vaccum at idle and made the car run "lopey". The 4 speed cam did not support these two options on the lower end of the RPM range and made very good power at the peak of the RPM range which was not ideal for A/C compressor longevity.
December 17th, 2014, 12:04 PM
#11
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Posts: 22
Thank you Stefano. And right you are. No power brakes available on the 1970 W30 4-speed cars either, with the cam profile being the reason.
Nice seeing you again last month at the Muscle Car Nationals in Chicago.
Nice seeing you again last month at the Muscle Car Nationals in Chicago.
Last edited by Ken442; December 17th, 2014 at 12:06 PM.
December 17th, 2014, 03:32 PM
#13
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Orland Park, IL
Posts: 1,419
Additional reasons Fisher Body needed W30 or W31 on the broadcast card is because those cars received minimal sound deadening, and no side trim (as opposed to a Cutlass S or Cutlass Supreme convertible).
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