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So my Dad has as described above- 1972 Cutlass Supreme 442 W-30 Convertible, owned since new, bought in Canada. He has all the original documents for it. At some point either he or I will want to "restore" it into a driver quality car.
Here is the current state as I know it.
The good: Paint and body are good, though I know there is some filler in various places. Interior is good, some of it reupholstered. Convertible top in good condition.
The bad: Car has been sitting for over 10 years. The engine+trans is not original and the original is long long gone. Currently has a 350, not sure what exactly for trans. I imagine almost anything + everything under the hood needs to be replaced. Anyways it'd be nice for it to have its original size engine.
The question: Neither of us do much beyond the basics in terms of repair/restoration, what would either of us be looking at in terms of money putting back the correct engine/trans, and god knows what else for the car? I am guessing too- it'd be better to bring this car down to the USA for any restoration?
Your question is like going into a home builder and just saying how much to build me a house, without specific details. The fatness of your wallet is the limiting factor here.
post good photos and you might get more feedback on your resto expectations - but at a bare minimum, if yoiu were to turn the car over to almost any decent shop and tell them to essentially call you when its done, my guess on the lowest end would be $50k and 2 year's wait to bring it back to turn-key driver quality
the key to starting any restoration is what you think is 'good' may not be as good as you think
Last edited by 70sgeek; April 7th, 2022 at 04:58 PM.
Original engine and drivetrain missing is a bummer, but not necessarily a deal-breaker, the mitigating factors being that you have paperwork, plus the fact that it's a '72 so the VIN will verify W-30 status (it is an X-code, right?). Also, any gaps in the documentation can be filled in by getting the GM Vintage Vehicle Services package (only available for cars built or sold in Canada) if you haven't already done so.
Where you go from here is entirely up to you. And your dad, I guess. Obtaining a correct '72 engine will be a bit of a challenge (not to mention the transmission -- was it originally a Muncie or a TH400?) so you may want to build your own out of a garden variety 455. However, going as correct as you can here will yield rewards when it comes to selling. '72 W-30 convertibles are among the hottest of the hot in an already overheated Olds-world right now, so money-wise you will reap what you sow. It might be worth it to go beyond a driver-quality build.
And it should go without saying that any modifications or customizations you do should be of the kind that are easily reversible. This is a rare and valuable car and you have a certain obligation to it.
You might want to post some pictures just to give us an idea of the car's condition and what it might require. The more information you can supply, the more accurate and comprehensive the advice you receive will be.
So, these photos may be irrelevant as they are from 2005- the last time I remember having the car out in the sun (otherwise garaged) sooooo- might be looking at more like 20 years since it has been road worthy!
Don't mind the Cutlass grills, the originals were missing teeth so to speak so my dad put the cheaper / easier to find at the time Cutlass grills on. I totally forgot about GM Canada having records vs the US not- I should get in touch with them. For sure I am all for keeping the whole thing as original as can be.
Bonus, back in the day photo. Notice the big key mark down the side of the fender from someone who just doesn't appreciate cars...
Seeing the body tag- this debate always comes up too, car is supposed to be Baroque Gold, but to me it looks like it was painted Saturn Gold (it has had more than 1 repaint in its life)
Well, sketchy underhood notwithstanding, that actually looks fairly nice at a glance. If it still presents anywhere near that well, it might be easier than you think to put it right. I see the X code.
Two other things: when you take more photos, try to get as many and as detailed as you can of the undercarriage. Also, why was it taken off the road twenty years ago?
Seeing the body tag- this debate always comes up too, car is supposed to be Baroque Gold, but to me it looks like it was painted Saturn Gold (it has had more than 1 repaint in its life)
My car is Saturn Gold and yours definitely looks different, so it may be Baroque Gold. Possibly something else, but definitely not Saturn Gold.
Why was it taken off the road 15-20-ish years back? No reverse gear, or a very intermittent reverse, and radiator leaking- all I remember is my dad dropping in stop leak a few times. Yes on the surface, it looks alright- under hood makes me cringe for the poor thing.
Good luck with what ever direction you go with it. I am sure you know already but the trunk lid emblems are way off. I would 455 it for sure. I think it would be beneficial and very cool to track down the Canadian documents. There are more than a few Canadian Oldsmobile people here. Maybe someone can direct you towards a good Canadian source.
Last edited by no1oldsfan; April 10th, 2022 at 02:01 PM.
April 7th, 2022, 02:45 PM
