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My Dad still has his 1972 442 W30 he purchased new. We've been doing a mild restoration on it for the past few years. I tried to talk him out of it, but he had his heart set on getting it repainted, so he had that done.
He just got the car back a few days ago. The car looks amazing as you'd expect. The guy that did the work took the car completely apart to paint it. I guess the driver's seat had a tear, so the front seats were reupholstered.
The guy doing the work found a broadcast card crumpled up in the seat when he took the seat apart. My Dad had already found a broadcast card under the carpet. The broadcast card that was found crumpled up in the seat is for a different car that has a sequence number shortly after my Dad's car.
In the picture below the top broadcast card is the one my Dad found under the carpet in his car and it does belong to his car. The bottom broadcast card was found in the seat and is for a different car.
If you own the other car and want the broadcast card please send me a PM and I'll make sure you get it. No charge, of course.
Now there's a gentleman! My card was found by a guy right in my hometown, he knows I'm rebuilding my 442 and he made me pay for the card. A lot of Vultures out there that would do anything for a buck.
How would someone determine if this was their build card? The reason I ask is the unique color codes 19/19. My cowl tag is 19/19 which was a special order I'm told...
Of all the 1972 W-30s I know of (about 60) this is only the 2nd one I have recorded in that color. That makes it rare TO ME.
Ok, works for you. Reason I asked is my car is code 14/14 and I think it's a fairly common color. Then again, you're comparing apples to oranges. I'm applying it to all A body 72 Cutlass models, you're applying it to only W30 72 cars.
Originally Posted by Eastflorida
How would someone determine if this was their build card? The reason I ask is the unique color codes 19/19. My cowl tag is 19/19 which was a special order I'm told...
Easy, look at the cowl tag on your car. The body number is listed there. Compare it to the broadcast card and voila!
They could be under the seat springs, under the carpet, under the package tray, tucked behind door panels, under the dash...anywhere a Fisher employee thought of stashing it instead of walking to the closest garbage bin.
EDIT: As mentioned before, your car is a special order in 72 with the 19/19 paint code. That paint wasn't part of ANY of the A body lineups in 72. Not Olds, Pontiac, Buick or Chevrolet.
How would someone determine if this was their build card? The reason I ask is the unique color codes 19/19. My cowl tag is 19/19 which was a special order I'm told...
Just a point of clarification. The card posted above is called a 'Broadcast Card' and was issued by the Fisher Body Works plant that built the shell of your car and installed the interior trim.
A Build Sheet is something completely different. It's the instructions for the Framingham Assembly Line (where your car was built) about how the chassis and other finishing components were to be installed for final delivery.
Your car might have the original build sheet stuck up on top of the gas tank, since most of the factories (except Lansing) would often stick them up there. I have no idea why though.
The card for the other car is special order paint code 19 black car. Your car is very rare paint code 14 Silver Pewter & it is a lovely color.
I had posted some pictures of my Dad's car in my Newbie post awhile back. It's not much different from that, other than the new paint this summer. My Dad still had his trumpet tips, so we put those on awhile back too.
I didn't take too many pictures of the car after it was painted, and they really don't do it justice, but here are a few of what it looks like now after new paint.
Again, pictures just don't capture how shiny the new paint is compared to the old original paint. I'm still kind of torn on it. Part of me wishes he kept the original paint, but now that I see how nice new paint looks I can see why he wanted to do that.
There were a couple small rust spots the original paint was hiding, and the guy patched in new metal to fix those spots. I think the possibility of rust after all these years was my Dad's main concern. I think going through the repainting process has put his mind at ease that rust won't be an issue down the road.
Shortly after these pictures were taken my folks let me drive the car for the first time. They let me drive them around for about an hour. Quite an experience I will never forget. I loved everything, except the manual brakes. In that hour of driving I never quite got used to how much force was required to stop the car with manual brakes. Manual steering is fine. Manual transmission is fine. Manual brakes, no thanks.
Dad has started taking the car to car shows now. I went with him to a show a few weeks ago and we had a really good time. He's pushing 70 and not retired yet. When he pulls the trigger on retirement I suspect the car will make it to a lot more shows.
Thanks for the tip on downshifting. When my Dad drives the car he down shifts back through all the gears. In my mind that is a lot of extra wear and tear on the clutch and that's not how I've driven modern manual transmission cars in the past.
Now that you guys mention that, it would explain why he doesn't have the same issues I do. Learn something new everyday. Thanks again!
Last edited by Happy Trails; Aug 8, 2017 at 11:13 AM.
Beautiful 72 ! Of course I am also partial to the color combo as similar to my 69. And your are awesome to try to find the owner of the broadcast card and for no charge
Question though - should your broadcast card have a W30 code on it ? I thought it would, though I am not seeing it. Just curious and trying to learn. Maybe was different by 72?
Question though - should your broadcast card have a W30 code on it ? I thought it would, though I am not seeing it. Just curious and trying to learn. Maybe was different by 72?
No, in 1972 in order to get the W30, the car had to get the W29 options first. Then the added features like the W25 hood, 455 and trumpet exhausts, striping package became automatic add ons. The W29 option deleted a number of trim and appearance items, plus added the FE2 suspension package that wasn't standard on any of the production Cutlass models. The W30 options were part of the final assembly, not the Fisher Body Works. Fisher was responsible to ensure that the body for the W29 matched the requirements for final assembly where the marriage of the chassis to body took place. To understand 'shell', it means the body of the car, without the front clip, bumpers or hood, and without the rolling chassis.
Note that the W30 package requires the W29 package.
Nice car Happy, by all means enjoy the car your Dad has, its a nice legacy. Always something to learn about them too. They should be driven, that is what happy trails are all about. I think its a great looking car.
Absolutely stunning car! Must look gorgeous at night under the lights. Kudos to your dad for keeping it so long and you for posting the broadcast card.
No, in 1972 in order to get the W30, the car had to get the W29 options first. Then the added features like the W25 hood, 455 and trumpet exhausts, striping package became automatic add ons. The W29 option deleted a number of trim and appearance items, plus added the FE2 suspension package that wasn't standard on any of the production Cutlass models. The W30 options were part of the final assembly, not the Fisher Body Works. Fisher was responsible to ensure that the body for the W29 matched the requirements for final assembly where the marriage of the chassis to body took place. To understand 'shell', it means the body of the car, without the front clip, bumpers or hood, and without the rolling chassis.
Note that the W30 package requires the W29 package.
Allan,
Thanks for the explanation ! I assumed it had something to do with in 72 with the 442 becoming an option, not a model, again. I know on earlier years, the broadcast card maybe the only documentation for a W30. So guess would need a window sticker in 72 for W30 documentation ? Or ?
