Earliest built 1970 442 & W30
#1
Earliest built 1970 442 & W30
What is the earliest built 1970 442 and the earliest built 1970 W30 from the Lansing Michigan plant? What is the earliest known vin # and build date for 1970? Just wondering I guess.
#5
Kurt do you have a list of 442 vin#. I was wondering how someone can keep track of them. I was curious on my 442 convert. Delivery was 10/9/69 so i guess my car would be built a week before or 2 weeks i do not know the time frame of that. Also how long did the cars sit before being transported by rail.
#6
Does anyone know what the typical production per day would be at Lansing? My 71 442 was built on August 31/70 and is the 3948 off the line, making it an early 71 442. Do you think that would have been during the first week of production? Being an early 71 it doesn't have any bumps on the fenders under the hood and has a glue on plastic moulding on the dash pad. Anybody have info on this? Thanks.
#9
Any guess what the first 70 442 vin would be for the august build date. Are there some In the first 10000 cars built from the Lansing plant? How may 442 where built that month and wonder how many are still around?
#10
Including all plants, 816 442s were made in Aug and 2404 in Sept. I'm reasonably certain that the 816 were pretty close to all made in the last 2 weeks in the month, and more were Lansing cars than any other plant, because Lansing usually started first to "work out the bugs".
Kurt do you have a list of 442 vin#. I was wondering how someone can keep track of them. I was curious on my 442 convert. Delivery was 10/9/69 so i guess my car would be built a week before or 2 weeks i do not know the time frame of that. Also how long did the cars sit before being transported by rail.
You don't have to guess. Your cowl tag has the week the body was made, and the final assembly was usually only a matter of days later.
Without knowing for sure, I'd say yes, that is possible. The figures I have say that through October, only 1166 442 were made (all plants). I'll know better once I get the earlier months from the GM Heritage Center.
#15
The ealiest-built 70 that I ever owned,was a 70 Cutlass 4-spd,built in Frammington,Mass.It was built in September/69.The block was cast in May.The latest car I ever had,was a Lansing-built 70 cutlass,that was built July/70.
The coolest VIN I ever had was my 71 convertible.The last 3 digits were 442.That car was built in June/71.
The coolest VIN I ever had was my 71 convertible.The last 3 digits were 442.That car was built in June/71.
#16
Rocketbrian
I sold a 71 442 to my friend. It is was built 5th week of Aug. It was built in Arlington, TX. Weird car. Bucket seats, column shift, manual drum brakes all around. It does have the flat fenders. I do not recall about the dash bead.
Don W
I sold a 71 442 to my friend. It is was built 5th week of Aug. It was built in Arlington, TX. Weird car. Bucket seats, column shift, manual drum brakes all around. It does have the flat fenders. I do not recall about the dash bead.
Don W
#18
Interesting about the 08E. My 442's firewall tag indicates 08D, however, the small broadcast card says Aug 31/70, and the blue sticker on the door indicates Sept/70. As Monday the 31st, would be 08E, my 442s body must have been made near the end of the week of the 24th, probably the 28th or 29th, assembled on the 31st., and out the door on the 1st of Sept. How's that for over the top detail!
Good to hear confirmation about the flat fenders on another 71. Both my 71's don't have the bumps. Drum brakes, wow I thought my 442 was plain; I got a bench seat and wheel covers.
Agree, 507Olds. Something I never knew about 442's until I got mine, is that while a 442 is mostly based on a 442, the dash is trimmed like a Supreme, with the lower woodgrain and the dash bead molding. Also, 442's are suppose to come with the chrome backing plates behind the door armrests, again like a Supreme. Although, the guy on the line on Monday morning missed them on my car.
Do you still have a 70 -72 "S"/442 roof? Thanks.
Good to hear confirmation about the flat fenders on another 71. Both my 71's don't have the bumps. Drum brakes, wow I thought my 442 was plain; I got a bench seat and wheel covers.
Agree, 507Olds. Something I never knew about 442's until I got mine, is that while a 442 is mostly based on a 442, the dash is trimmed like a Supreme, with the lower woodgrain and the dash bead molding. Also, 442's are suppose to come with the chrome backing plates behind the door armrests, again like a Supreme. Although, the guy on the line on Monday morning missed them on my car.
Do you still have a 70 -72 "S"/442 roof? Thanks.
#20
according to this new shipping order i have for the W30 it says these are some of the options that were standard on a 442
D15 Delux interior decor
B01 Wood Grain Vinyl Inst. Panel Trim
B30 Wall to Wall Floor carpeting
B50 Foam Padded Front seat cushion (I never heard of that)
B80 Chrome roof drip Moldings
D15 Delux interior decor
B01 Wood Grain Vinyl Inst. Panel Trim
B30 Wall to Wall Floor carpeting
B50 Foam Padded Front seat cushion (I never heard of that)
B80 Chrome roof drip Moldings
#21
Thanks for the breakdown of codes for the 442. D15 must include the dash bead molding and chrome armrest backing plates.
In my last post I made the mistake of saying the 442 is mostly based on the 442, duh, should have been Cutlass "S". The roof drip rail chrome molding you list is one of the differences I found out as well; Cutlass "S" does not have a chrome roof drip rail molding, while a 442 does. Both get the molding if you have a vinyl top.
In my last post I made the mistake of saying the 442 is mostly based on the 442, duh, should have been Cutlass "S". The roof drip rail chrome molding you list is one of the differences I found out as well; Cutlass "S" does not have a chrome roof drip rail molding, while a 442 does. Both get the molding if you have a vinyl top.
#22
"The devil is in the details". The Cutlass S does not have the B80 chrome roof drip rail standard. But in addition to having it come with the vinyl top, it is also available as option B80, and must be ordered with the chrome side window sill moldings (B85 on the Holiday Coupes and B90 on the Sports Coupes).
#29
In Sept '69 There were also 2 days that could make a cowl date 09E. So the last cowl date for 09D is Sept 27, 3 days before the first production date in October.
So as has been often been said, this is not an exact science. And I'd say it is improbable that an 09D is a W30, I can't statistically eliminate it for sure.
#30
#32
The oldest 1970 W-30 I've seen (but only in pictures) had a Fisher Body build date of 10C and a VIN sequence number of 163xxx. It's a survivor and certainly looks legit, but I haven't seen official factory paperwork to prove it's a W-30.
In second place is my own W-30, with factory documentation, with a Fisher Body builld date of 10/21 and a VIN sequence number of 169xxx.
I also know of another W-30 built (Fisher) on 10/21 and one built on 10/22.
I'm not saying these were the first, because, like Kurt said, there were 367 W-30s built in October.
In second place is my own W-30, with factory documentation, with a Fisher Body builld date of 10/21 and a VIN sequence number of 169xxx.
I also know of another W-30 built (Fisher) on 10/21 and one built on 10/22.
I'm not saying these were the first, because, like Kurt said, there were 367 W-30s built in October.
#33
This is a very interesting thread. I've been wondering the same thing about my Fremont built 70 442 - how close is it to the 1st 70 442 built??? VIN is 3 4487 0Z 100850, Fisher tag is 00087 with tag date of 08E, so 5th week of Aug '69. The blue GM door jam decal is also still in place and says manufactured 9/69 and corresponding VIN. It's a (- -) paint code Rally Red car (now black), pearl bench seat, turbo 400, 3.23 posi and no A/C. Previous owner added a factory OAI hood.
Since it's a Fremont car, chances may be good I will find a build sheet. I've looked a bit in the interior, but only the easy to access areas thus far. If it's like my previous Fremont 70 442, the build sheet may very well be on top of the gas tank, fingers crossed. I didn't give the low vin # much thought when I bought the car several years ago, but now feel very fortunate to have one of what had to be in the first handful of 70 442's built, with the bonus that it still has it's matching number, born with drivetrain. The body is overall great with very minimal rust, even for a western car. I think it spent much of it's life in Calif. So to any of you wondering if there are any early built 70 442's still out there, here's one!
Thanks to all of you that chimed in to build this thread, it is very informative! I hope any info I've added can help as well.
Mark
Since it's a Fremont car, chances may be good I will find a build sheet. I've looked a bit in the interior, but only the easy to access areas thus far. If it's like my previous Fremont 70 442, the build sheet may very well be on top of the gas tank, fingers crossed. I didn't give the low vin # much thought when I bought the car several years ago, but now feel very fortunate to have one of what had to be in the first handful of 70 442's built, with the bonus that it still has it's matching number, born with drivetrain. The body is overall great with very minimal rust, even for a western car. I think it spent much of it's life in Calif. So to any of you wondering if there are any early built 70 442's still out there, here's one!
Thanks to all of you that chimed in to build this thread, it is very informative! I hope any info I've added can help as well.
Mark
Last edited by 442mark; March 14th, 2013 at 04:46 AM.
#34
Thanks for posting, Mark. That certainly is an early VIN. If it were a Lansing car, that sequence number is low enough that it might have been built on the very first day of production. I don't know if Fremont used the sequence numbers the same way.
#35
This is a very interesting thread. I've been wondering the same thing about my Fremont built 70 442 - how close is it to the 1st 70 442 built??? VIN is 3 4487 0Z 100850, Fisher tag is 00087 with tag date of 08E, so 5th week of Aug '69. The blue GM door jam decal is also still in place and says manufactured 9/69 and corresponding VIN. It's a (- -) paint code Rally Red car (now black), pearl bench seat, turbo 400, 3.23 posi and no A/C. Previous owner added a factory OAI hood.
Since it's a Fremont car, chances may be good I will find a build sheet. I've looked a bit in the interior, but only the easy to access areas thus far. If it's like my previous Fremont 70 442, the build sheet may very well be on top of the gas tank, fingers crossed. I didn't give the low vin # much thought when I bought the car several years ago, but now feel very fortunate to have one of what had to be in the first handful of 70 442's built, with the bonus that it still has it's matching number, born with drivetrain. The body is overall great with very minimal rust, even for a western car. I think it spent much of it's life in Calif. So to any of you wondering if there are any early built 70 442's still out there, here's one!
Thanks to all of you that chimed in to build this thread, it is very informative! I hope any info I've added can help as well.
Mark
Since it's a Fremont car, chances may be good I will find a build sheet. I've looked a bit in the interior, but only the easy to access areas thus far. If it's like my previous Fremont 70 442, the build sheet may very well be on top of the gas tank, fingers crossed. I didn't give the low vin # much thought when I bought the car several years ago, but now feel very fortunate to have one of what had to be in the first handful of 70 442's built, with the bonus that it still has it's matching number, born with drivetrain. The body is overall great with very minimal rust, even for a western car. I think it spent much of it's life in Calif. So to any of you wondering if there are any early built 70 442's still out there, here's one!
Thanks to all of you that chimed in to build this thread, it is very informative! I hope any info I've added can help as well.
Mark
My70 Cutlass Supreme is a Fremont built car, Vin 3 4257 OZ 100891, with tag date of 08E also. The GM door jam also says manufactured 9/69 and the build sheet that i found on top of gas tank that the scheduled date was august 29 1969.The Fisher Body number is 00449...Our cars were built pretty close(same week)
Thought this was interesting...not too sure if it has anything to do with initial poster"s question....
Also, it was delivered Sept. 5, 1969 to Calgary, Alberta CANADA
Ted
Last edited by sammy; March 21st, 2013 at 05:33 AM. Reason: Addition
#36
Have a 12C build date on a 344870M vin that has OW trans with matches vin and has W30 carb, dist, f heads. Engine cast is 396021F, but on the oil filter mount and the back of F head is 009-7-87. Anybody ever scene block stamping that match heads? The pad by #1 has L3E and underneath it 8401Y.
Last edited by classicmuscle442; February 20th, 2014 at 06:02 PM.
#37
This thread caused me to go back and look up some information on a couple of my cars. I recently sold a 70 442 Sport Coupe (Post) built in Fremont with a Fisher Body # of 00032 and a build date of 7D. This thread kind of confirms my suspicion at the time that it may have been one of the first, if not the first, 442 built there that year. It was Azure Blue with a white interior and a turbo 400. It showe evidence of having been raced at some point so any paperwork that may have been ibn the car was long gone from that period.
I also bought a '70 442 W30 in '72. It was an all Platinum car with a bench 4 speed and AM radio. It had a build date of 10/21 (from the broadcast card which I found inside the rear bench seat springs after 40 years of ownership. It was Fisher Body #269808
I regret selling both of them.
I also bought a '70 442 W30 in '72. It was an all Platinum car with a bench 4 speed and AM radio. It had a build date of 10/21 (from the broadcast card which I found inside the rear bench seat springs after 40 years of ownership. It was Fisher Body #269808
I regret selling both of them.
#38
The oldest 1970 W-30 I've seen (but only in pictures) had a Fisher Body build date of 10C and a VIN sequence number of 163xxx. It's a survivor and certainly looks legit, but I haven't seen official factory paperwork to prove it's a W-30.
In second place is my own W-30, with factory documentation, with a Fisher Body builld date of 10/21 and a VIN sequence number of 169xxx.
I also know of another W-30 built (Fisher) on 10/21 and one built on 10/22.
I'm not saying these were the first, because, like Kurt said, there were 367 W-30s built in October.
In second place is my own W-30, with factory documentation, with a Fisher Body builld date of 10/21 and a VIN sequence number of 169xxx.
I also know of another W-30 built (Fisher) on 10/21 and one built on 10/22.
I'm not saying these were the first, because, like Kurt said, there were 367 W-30s built in October.
#40
Also another tidbit of information on the car I wanted to share...the Original Titled date on it was 11-21-1969. So this may or may not be an October build. If it is a November build, that's still not bad, just not one of the first few hundred.