ROCKET JO

Hi I need the Id. codes for a 1966 442-w30 I want to purchase this car , but I want to know its not a clone, engine,(on block) transmission (auto) dist. carbs, or anything else i need to look for, thanks as always Joe

gearheads78

I am not a numbers guy expert but I do know a real 66 w30 is extreemly rare. A build sheet would be a big plus. Most of the w-30 around are regular 442's with track-pacs added. Still rare pieces but nearly as rare as factory installed. I think one thing to look for is how the hole for the intakes is cut. a hole saw was used for add on cars but the original were pressed out at the factory and look different.

Good luck. I am sure there are penty of people to answer spceifics on the numbers.

csstrux

If you decide to pass on the car, I know someone who is looking for a 66 442, please pass info along. If you buy post pics!

Bluevista

Car sounds cool, good luck. There is a lot of information with codes if you go the tech section at the top of the page. I noticed you live in Streetsboro, I went to Auto Zone there yesterday, have to hit the Big Boy cruise sometime.

Allan

ROCKET JO

Yeah I try to get to the Big Boy cruise every now and then only a few left, solon commons always have about 400-500 cars on tuesday nites

442much

In 1966 the 442 was an option on the Cutlass line. It was not a seperate model. One way to be sure would be to see the original build sheet. The only way to be absolutely sure would be to contact the GM Heritage Center and give them the VIN or serial number. They will then tell you what options came with the car and if the car is a real W30 or not. There were only 50 of these cars made.

Also, if the guy is claiming that the car is a real W30 and it turns out that it's not, you are entitled to all you're money back (I believe that this is also valid in the US as well). I could give you head numbers, engine and tranny numbers, but this can all be added. The Heritage Center is you're best bet in my opinion. Good Luck.

Run to Rund

If it is a factory 442, the trim tag on the firewall will include 5V if a Lansing car. If a factory W30, it will have 6A, 6B, or 6C on the tag, and will be a Lansing (M) car. There is much more, too much to cover here. If the car is high dollar, and you have concerns, Curt Anderson in Mn and I know how to identify them, even if not much is left of the car. There were 54 factory built cars and probably twice or three times that many dealer or owner installed option packages.

Kaline

Drudging up an old post to tap minds about the 1966 442 W-30 package:

There is a 1966 442 (Cutlass Sports Coupe body, red with white painted top and red interior, 4-speed) for sale in my area that is being advertised as a dealer-installed W-30 package vehicle. To me, this means it either started as a L-78 4bbl or L-69 tri-power car and had the W-30 components (bumper inlets & ducting, cam, valve springs, W-30 air cleaner and relocated battery in trunk) installed at a later date (and L-69 tri-power setup if the car started life as a L-78). I have read that 93 dealer-installed W-30 packages were installed into customer vehicles. I have not seen the vehicle in person yet, but in the pictures that I have seen so far, the W-30 hardware appears to be in place. I would like for input on the following:

1. How can I identify if these supposed W-30 components are correct and not reproductions (esp. OAI system)? Has anyone ever reproduced the 1966 OAI system?
2. Are the dealer-installed W-30 components the same as the "Track-Pac"?
3. Could the L-69 engine come with both the wide-ratio (M20) and close-ratio (M21) transmissions?
4. Would these W-30/Track-Pac components come with a 4.33:1 rear axle ring & pinion, which I believe the owner could decide if they want to install.
5. Does this dealer-installed package add much value to the vehicle? I found a discussion on the Track-Pac here (https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...-66-442-a.html) which figures it adds $10-15k of value to the car. Do you agree?

The car is being presented as a low-mileage, original, un-restored southern car with a repaint in the 1990s: I am going to see the vehicle in the next few weeks. Any tips on what items to inspect (besides the VIN and trim plate data, of course) is appreciated.

hurst68olds

All factory '66 3x2bbl 442s are manual transmission.
All factory '66 W30 442s are 3x2bbl.

... therefore this automatic '66 is neither an original 3x2bbl nor a W30!

1969w3155

He states that it is a 4spd.

hurst68olds

original post

1969w3155

Sorry, I was responding to Kalines new post regarding a 442 W30 in his area, where he states that it is a 4spd.

hurst68olds

Got it. I did't notice the OP was 3 years old, my bad.

Run to Rund

It takes special knowledge to differentiate some repro stuff from original. The repro ducts have a textured inner surface while OEM and NOS were smooth. There are three generations of Tri Carb shourds, and three castings of intakes (AL, AU, AZ). If you really care, or are paying big bucks, either Curt or I should look at the car. It is easy to get fooled. All 66 W30s are special and interesting, but few were factory built. COPO Camaro type people really care which they get, factory or conversion. The Track Pack name is not from GM/Olds but refers to the "Induction Package 230195" and the so-called Track Pack cars were "conversions" using either the single part number package, or the individual parts from Olds Parts (later GMPD) or from Olds engineering (such as the existing 66 racers got before the NHRA Nationals).

I will be at the OCA Nationals this week if you care to discuss it with me.

joynerz

I have been trying to determine if my 66 Cutlass Holiday Coupe is a 442. It has all the 442 stuff on it, fenders, etc.
You stated that if it is made in Lansing (it is), and if it has a "5V" on the tag, it is a 442. My tag has been bumped or not well embossed so I really can't tell if it is a "Y" or "V". It appears to be in the "column 5" space or area. If I have deciphered this column item correctly, 5"Y" indicates a walnut grain steering wheel option - which the car does have. It appears to be the correct design for the year and it does appear to be quite old. So, I'm really not sure what I have. The 5Y or 5V is located in the lower passenger side corner of the tag, if that info helps at all. The VIN # is 338176W308738. Can you help?

Kaline

Did you mis-type your VIN? Are you sure it should not be 338176M308738? M denotes a Lansing built car. There was not an assembly plant code W

This thread has a lot of information on how to decode the 1966 cowl tag:
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...-decoding.html

Post a picture of your trim tag and post it in the thread linked above. There is enough knowledge on this forum to help you out!

wmachine

We're all better off if you start a new thread rather than tack onto an almost 4 year old thread.
The Column 5 "Y" is for Deluxe seat belts and they're pretty common. If you have deluxe belts and they're original, that's definitely a "Y" and therefore it is not 442 optioned.

joynerz

The information I have is that the "W" indicates Willow Run, Mi. The VIN cowl tag on my car shows LAN1 9650. I'm told that often plants that became too far behind on orders, sent the orders onto other assembly locations, and it seems the paper trail begins to blur when that happens. Thanks for your interest in my delimma. I'm probably not the first nor the last to chase this blurry paper trail.
Often, different readers have different tidbits of information when put together arrive at a useable conclusion. It's the assembling of that data that to often can be confusing.

wmachine

Yikes!! With all due respect, you need to toss out that information you have because it is not even close to being true.
What is on your cowl is the Fisher Body data plate, and has nothing to do with your VIN which is the Vehicle Identification Number. The "LAN" you reference confirms it was made at the LANsing plant. Plants did *not* send out orders to other plants, and Oldsmobiles were never made in Will Run.
I'd like to see the VIN with a W in it.

joynerz

My sincere apologies to everyone. It was 4:30am when I was posting the above. I have a bill-of-sale that says "W" and a title that say "M". I've only had the car a few weeks, and last night I begin in earnest to try to determine some things probably others have not been able to do in trying for a long time. I "think" I did see something about Willow Run in some of my stuff, and jumped on that info.
The car is indeed # 338176M308738. As for the 5Y versus 5V, I'm still not sure what it is. I looked thru some data several days ago from several different sources, one stating the 5Y was for deluxe seat belts, one being for walnut steering wheel. The car has both. This car has been circulating for 46 years and I'm sure several others before me have tried to decypher this stuff, and maybe went to the point of "adding" some of this stuff to the car.
I have located contact information on a previous owner in Fla. who bought the car in 2008 and will be trying to get in touch with him tonight. I'm hopeful he will have at least a bit of useable info.
My thanks to everyone for their input; I'm always open to anything anyone believes will be helpful.
You're right, I didn't see the dates on the previous postings and should have started a new one.

Run to Rund

There was no woodgrain steering wheel option on Olds A bodies in 66-7. There were only standard and deluxe wheels.

TK-65

Not true. A bodies were not made there but Oldsmobiles certainly were. Does the Omega ring a bell???

wmachine

Does '66 ring a bell? That's what we've been talking about here.

TK-65

Just pointing out that you said "Oldsmobiles were never made in Willow Run". I know its hard to admit sometimes that you dont know everything.

GAOldsman

Tell him again TK, he didn't hear you the first time. Remember, he is the "trying to remember member"