Blackpage

Gentlemen,

Is there anything in the VIN # or cowl tag that would ID the car as a 1970 W31?

Thanks

stevengerard

Nope, it can only tell you for sure its NOT a W31. VIN needs to have an M in it as all W31s were made in Lansing. VIN would be 32770M

3277 F85 club coupe
3677 Cutlass club coupe
3687 Cutlass hardtop coupe
0- 1970
M - Lansing

Blackpage

I'm confused. A W31 is not a 442 right ?

stevengerard

uh, duh, my fault you are correct, I was thinking W30 but its the same for a W31 you can only tell if it isn't. Everything else can bolt on

#6 cyclinder heads
really thick harmonic balancer
W25 hood

I'll edit the post above so it should be

3277
3677
3687

joe_padavano

Only in Patrick Sullivan's restoration book...

(Sorry, another one of my pet peeves. For those who haven't seen this book, there's a photo showing a Faux-Four-Two with W-31 emblems on the fenders.)

1969w3155

Original paperwork is the only way to verify. Remember that #6 heads were used on all 1970 350 engines, with the larger valves being the difference on the W31.

Blackpage

Very helpful as always. Thank you Gentlemen.

junior supercar

if the car was sold new in Canada, GM of Canada documentation can be requested which would authentic it's W-31-ness or not

Blackpage

All I was able to get was the cowl tag info:

ST 70 33687LAN246545

TR940 75B 10A

Allan R

So it's a fastback 442 coupe that has a black interior, Matador Red body with white vinyl top and was built in the first week of October 1970. I like W31 cars just as much as W30's. Until you look under the hood, they look exactly the same (except for 31 instead of 30).

Do you know if it was a special customer order? Usually the red/white exteriors had a white interior, although black works too. Are you going to put wide body stripes on?

StickW31

Should have sport mirrors and 2 fuel lines going down passenger side frame. (one 3/8 gas line, one 1/4 return line)

pcard

Isn't the 3687 the Cutlas S Holiday (right for a W31) ?
Would that build date be first week of October 69?
And isn't 75B with a black top?

stevengerard

Yes its a Cutlass Hartop coupe 3687
yes 10A would be October first week and since its a 1970 car it would be 1969
and yes I thought B was Black top - A is white

stevengerard

I thought that was another 1 of none car worth millions

joesw31

The only way to authenticate a W-31 is with paper work. A person can replicate a W-31, but it would be costly to purchase all of the correct parts.

Allan R

Gentlemen, I apologize. I don't usually make mistakes on simple things like that; you both are right about the white and Oct 69. I think for some reason I was looking at 10A and for some reason A stuck in my mind when I was also looking at the paint color.

That's why I asked about what I thought was a 'wierd' color combo. Makes a lot more sense now.

stevengerard

No apologies necessary, I'm the one who responded first thinking he was asking about a W30.

Blackpage

Gotta buy her first but, Matador Red it will be with black stripes and gut.

Blackpage

Thank you for imparting your vast W31 knowledge.

Blackpage

I've been told that acorns should fly out of the trumpets when starting it for the first time : )

70Post

Nope--because if it has trumpets (originally)....a W31 it ain't

1969w3155

I don't believe anywhere in the post that shows that it is a 442 either, the data tag shows it to be a Cutlass, the VIN would show it to be a 442, if it were one.

507OLDS

There are the remains of one in Canada,with documentation,that is Matador red,with a white top,but has black stripe & black interior,or maybe its the other way around.I know the top color was different than the stripe & interior.
The W31's came with the normal Cutlass bumper,with no cutouts,but many have been changed since then.The W31's did not have any type of undercoating or sound deadener either.The #6 heads for the W31's were hand-picked from select castings,and were given the larger intake valves.ALL W31's came with manual disc brakes,and NO AC.You could get the W31 in the F85 post coupe,the Cutlass 'S' post coupe,or the Cutlass 'S' hardtop.The only true way to prove it is a W31 is with documentation,which isn't always with the car.

Blackpage

Thanks Brian. That's about as definative as it gets.

wmachine

Sorry, gang, that's not entirely right. There is one way, and is similar to being able to identify a W30 *if* it is an automatic: If it is a W31 with an automatic and has the original trans, it will be the exclusive JO trans and will have the VIN stamp that matches the VIN.
That is proof that it is a W31.

507OLDS

Yes,you could,BUT I have a JO TH350 trans that I removed from an original 70 Cutlass,built in Lansing,and that car was NOT a W31.How did it get installed in there,not sure,but the VIN on the trans matched the car.It was a plain Cutlass 'S' with the side moldings,power drum brakes,no AC,2:78 open rear.I can't say how many other JO's wandered into other Cutlasses,but I would think not very many.
So,what do you do if it is a 4-spd?

tomsw31

"The W31's did not have any type of undercoating or sound deadener either." That was my understanding as well, but I was questioned at the Nats in Reno about my lack of rear wheel well undercoating on my restored W31. I did not lose any points, but it got me wondering if it was only the sound deadener that was not installed on W31's. What about rear wheel well undercoating?

joesw31

Brian, I have also heard of the "JO" trans being in a regular Cutlass. The W-31's did not have under coating and the wheel wells had no under coating. Further, there was minimal insulation under the carpet. The only insulation under the carper is on the front floor board.

If the W-31 does not have the original paper work, then, it would be difficult to authenticate.

I believe a person can inspect a w-31 without documantation and state with confidence that it is a w-31, but that confidence rate may not be 100 percent.

GAOldsman

The JO trans went into the 69 & 70 350 ci F-85 platform WITH air induction.

rocketboy

my 70 w-31 is documinted and came from the factory with the cutout rear bumper im sure it was probally special ordered but you could have got it.

wmachine

Please explain. What documentation do you have on the bumper? The bumper could have been dealer installed, but that means it did not come from the factory with it. Unless you came offer some proof that it came from the factory with it, I have no reason to believe that it did.

rocketboy

by documented i mean i have the broadcast sheet and i know the owner history. and the car has had the same cutout bumper on it since it was bought new.

1969w3155

Just curious, does the broadcast sheet call out for the bumper? Could you post it here?

wmachine

No. The Broadcast Card (as opposed to the Build Sheet) has body (only) related info on it as it is a Fisher Body document. If it weren't for trim differences on the W31, you wouldn't see W31 on the Broadcast Card.

It is easy to see why a new owner would want to have he cutout bumpers and trumpets. But they didn't come from the factory with them. I'm reasonably sure that at least a few dealers did the installation.
But the W31s by and large were not bought for looks.

rocketboy

lol thats the main reason i pestered my uncle for his car for half my life was just because it looked cool. it and the rallye 350 too. just too bad i couldnt convince him to hold on to his 68 hurst/olds but he sold it to a guy that had just came home from the military so i think he deserved it.

jbichko1970S

I have stumbled on a rare W-31 PLEASE HELP.seems to good to be true. It has the motor with alum w31 intake, the hood, no isolation. The strips, whight interior how do i know that this vin matched up to a W31 package? Any websites and number to call.3336870MXXXXXX

jbichko1970S

I have stumbled on a rare W-31 PLEASE HELP.seems to good to be true. It has the motor with alum w31 intake, the hood, no isolation. The strips, whight interior how do i know that this vin matched up to a W31 package? Any websites and number to call.

jbichko1970S

I sold my sport mirrors to this guy and went to drop a them off, talked alittle bit told the guy im on a head hunt on a 442. He hits a button and low be hold a 1970 W31 dusty. Did the hand shake after staring at it w/o a blink fer 20mins or so. Out of DMV system no paperwork. Its mine! For a sum.

oldzzy

The VIN will not tell you if it's a real W-31 or not. You basically need paperwork to be 100% sure. Post some pics of your car. W-31's had no power brakes, no A/C.

oldzzy

947 white bench seat, 12B built the second week of Dec 69, 28 twilight blue metallic exterior, B80 drip rail molding, B85 wide molding on top of door edge.