Hi I have decided to get a 71 / 72 Olds 442 Viking Blue

Can someone please tell me where can I find the web site on where all of the numbers are decoded.

In pontiac I know all or where to find vin breakdown block numbers intake numbers ect

However Olds is new I am a numbers guy and any help would be appriciated

 

Just found Olds FAQ -- 442 great site

Opinion there is a olds 442 viking blue on E Pay with no bid Opening at 28K

Any thoughts on the car

Can it be a W30 with AC

Thanks

 

Please post a link for people to see! But I caught it anyways. It has a weathered looking OW trans tag. Fresh looking red fender liners? As stated a replacement engine out of a 71 Supreme.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1971-Oldsmo...tbfgbx&vxp=mtr
Without some paper work to prove it, i.e. original window sticker or Fisher body broadcast card. If it went to Canada when new, they had proof through import docs for GM/Olds of Canada.

Pat

 

Welcome. Some of the info in that FAQ is even correct.

Yes, you could get A/C in a W-30 in 1971. The engine would have had a less aggressive cam than those in the manual trans W-30s, however, so despite the marketing claims, the AT cars did not make the same horsepower as the MT cars. Of course, that's moot, since the car doesn't have the original motor. It does have an OW trans, however the ad does not mention if that trans has a VIN derivative that matches the car. If it does, that's about the best proof you will get. I'm always skeptical when I see a "W-30" that has reproduction red inner fenders as this one does. Of course, the $28K opening bid is irrelevant, since the car is "reserve not met". The Mecum license plates should be your first hint that the reserve is far above that number.

 

the reserve is 40 K for a non matching motor

seems high to me

no w 30 proof

the rear is not alum or the rear cover also

 

$40K for just a 442 in this condition is high but not stupid money. A real, documented 1971 W-30 would likely be close to six figures. Again, if the VIN derivative on the OW trans matches, that's your documentation. The missing H heads will be difficult and expensive to find. I don't know what your aluminum rear comment means - the W-27 was not available in 1971 and was not included in the W-package anyway. The cover was an option in 71, but again, not standard equipment and not hard to install.

 

Ive found engine codes and casting numbers are far more vague than Pontiac..I don't think Olds really cared about the long term car identifying as Pontiac does

 

I don't know what you mean by "vague". Oldsmobile casting numbers are well documented. And here's a news flash: no division of GM cared about history. They only cared about selling more product and increasing profits. The only reason PHS has all that data on Pontiacs is because Pontiac was throwing it out and it was rescued by someone who cared about it. Pontiac didn't give a rip about history. In the case of Oldsmobile, there was no similar savior when the paper documents got purged. The "fire" story had nothing to do with this. Olds threw out the records because there was no business reason to pay to store them.

 

Fair enough. But Im not talking about PHS stuff. Olds date coding is vague. It says nothing as regards to the actual year. Casting numbers are okay. but a paper engine code on a filler tube is not a good idea in the long term. A letter code stamping would be far better. Also, putting engine stamping on the cylinder head is odd. When the engine was new, that's fine, but now it says nothing about the actual block after heads have been swapped dozens and dozens of times. Lastly, there's no desgnations for automatic or manual transmissions. I have a small block 330. it says its either a 66 or 67 small block . that's all the info available. I like Oldsmobiles, they drive very well and have great engines, I just feel Pontiac are codes far more efficiently. Maybe its because Pontiac didn't have a small block or a big block, I don't know.

 

The fill tube is just pressed in. Anything on the oil fill tube is suspect in any case. Date codes are a good point, however. They are all over the map. Some do have the year, some do not. In some cases, you can use other info (like the VIN derivative on 1968-up blocks) to help. As for no designation for auto or manual, not sure what you mean. If your point is that you have to physically look at the crank flange to see if it's drilled, well, that's life. Then there's the whole mystery of lifter bank angle and lifter diameter in the mid-60s. Frankly, who cares if the 330 block is a 1966 or 67 casting. Oldsmobile was building cars to make a profit. They were not building time capsules. We collectors are the ones who have made this an issue. Personally I'd rather drive the car than worry about the date code on some obscure part.

By the way, if you really want to blow your mind on 66-67 330 motors, read the attached bulletin.