xracer

I copied portions of this from another forum. Please don't flame, I need a crash course in authenticating a car.

Hi, I've owned several cars over the years, but I am not knowledgeable in Oldsmobiles (or GM in general), so would like some good advice.

I am planning on going to check out a 1970 442 W30 convertible in the next day or so. It is factory original and properly stored in a climate controlled facility.


Specs as I've been told and recall: color: gold with black stripes
interior: black
transmission: unknown at this time, has Hurst shifter.
mileage: 600 actual (that's six hundred)
engine: 455 HP not yet known

I may be going to buy it tonight and need to know what to look for to authenticate even though my source is trustworthy.

I was told there are no build sheets for a W30 and thus the window sticker is necessary to authenticate. Is this correct?

Any help is appreciated, but need it asap.

Oldsmaniac

If your story and this car is legit I can only imagine what the price on it would be....500G's?? Yes from what I have come to know you would need a Real window sticker to document this car.

DENT

Welcome to the forum , Get a copy of the vin and post it on this forum, there are a lot of knowledge people here.

vette442

There are no 8.5x11 full build sheets for Lansing cars, correct. However, there ARE smaller Fisher Body broadcast cards that are sometimes left in cars and these would have a "W30" marking in one of the boxes so line workers would know they needed the fenders that were punched for the W30 emblems.

On a Lansing car (which a real W30 would be, with an M in the VIN), check under the bottom rear seat cushion or in the backs of the bucket seats (behind the hard plastic covers). If it's a bench seat car, also check under the carpet on either side of the bench seat near where the two carpet sections overlap. One may be stashed in other locations, but these are most likely places to find them in a Lansing car.

Terry

xracer

Thanks.

Rest assured this is legit. I lived through the 60's and have had my share of cars, just no Oldsmobiles. No particular reason.

If I purchase the car (God forbid it hasn't been sold, but loose lips sink ships), the story will be told with lots of pictures. At this point the price is irrelevant.

Now, if there is no window sticker, because the car is unmolested, I would think that doesn't by itself invalidate its authenticity, but that is why I'm pursuing expert advice.

Rickman48

I'd be very leary of this vehicle, as there are a lot of 'rip-off' artists out there!
I'd be wondering why, with those 'low miles', the owner would sell it outright, and not take it to a well promoted auction, that might bring double or triple the money?
I'd be taking someone with that could confirm authenticity - a couple $$ would be worth it!

xracer

Sadly I missed out; just received a phone call the entire collection is gone.

My wife's uncle (76 years old who himself liquidated his rides, tools, tractors etc. last year) purchased a 1990 454 SS truck from the family who live in the Thumb of Michigan where we live. The 442 was available at that time which he saw but was not interested figuring he had no use for it. Obviously he didn't realize the car's real value, and I wasn't aware of it until just recently. This was by word of mouth, and likely someone informed the owner of what he had shortly thereafter; end of fairy tale.

The cash price offered to my wife's uncle was $35k. Yes, that is correct, and it was 100% unrestored original with 600 miles on the odometer according to my wife's uncle. Whether it was authenticated by Barrett Jackson is anybody's guess.

Among the other vehicles were IIRC were (2) 1940 Ford Coupes, 1959 Cadillac Coupe De Ville 5000 miles.....others if any I don't recall. All stored in tile floor climate controlled building, owned through 3 generations. The last owner's (son) father bought the 442 in 1970, died in 1992 and the son decided to sell the family collection, although at the time my wife's uncle bought the truck he was only interested in selling the car and truck.

If anyone is interested they were brought to Barret Jackson in Florida and sold within the last few weeks, exact date unknown. I looked but did not see anything resembling what they had.

Thanks for your interest and apologies for wasting your time; it was not intentional.

stevengerard

if there is no documentation then you need to look at it as an awesome find 442 with W30 parts. If the VIN starts with 344 then its a real 442 if it has an M in the middle then its from Lansing and "can" be a W30. without paperwork you can only prove its not a W30 by confirming it was assembled at a different pant than Lansing.

If it has a Hurst shifter and its an automatic check to see if the tag on the transmission says OW. OW trans were specific to the W30s (and Buick GSs) There should be a four number stamp on that tag that would look like 70-OW-1234 the 1234 is the trans number, on the trans case itself there should also be a VIN number stamped on it. This can all be found on the passenger side of the trans

It certainly can be done but if all the W30 parts are there it certainly will help say it is a W30 but again naysayers will say it doesn't prove it. You can PM me your phone and we can chat.

The obvious parts are the aluminum manifold, the red inner fenders, the OAI hood and the F-Heads. Check numbers on the carb and distributor as they are unique to a W30. If it has an original alternator that will give you heads up on a few things but not whether its a W30. with only a few hundred miles the car has to have some providence/history you would think.

You can check the VIN on the engine and the frame as well to make sure those all match.

xracer

Last update:

Barrett Jackson bought the car collection. I thought he took the cars to Florida, but that is incorrect. My wife's uncle asked if he got what he wanted. Answer: no.

Be watching in the future for a gold 1970 442 w30 convertible at auction selling for a very large sum of money.

442craig

No gold 70 W30s but here is a red convertible... Any guesses on what it'l go for?

Looks like it will go on the auction block Saturday.


Craig

http://www.barrett-jackson.com/appli...ln=370&aid=464