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Good afternoon. New old guy here. I found a 1970 442 convertible advertised as a w31 but I cannot find any info on production numbers for such an animal which leads me to suspect that it is a clone or replica. I have asked for the VIN for this vehicle and will start from there. The car is nice but it is priced as authentic. I can find nice un-authentic ones for much less. The car is 500 miles away and I have not seen it in person. I know about the fuel lines and the oversize harmonic balancer. Anything else I should know?
Oh, yeah what is the deal with the 2 air vent controls on each side kick panel? The last Olds I owned was a 78 Cutlass and prior to that I had a 70 w30 and I do not recall there being dual air vents.
Thanks for your help.
Oldermobile Bob
Oh, yeah what is the deal with the 2 air vent controls on each side kick panel?
Non a/c cars had these as standard, top ***** on either side gave you outside air through the left hand and right hand vents. The bottom ***** gave you outside air to the floorboards. The center of the dash, would be a simulated, solid, non functioning block off vent.
Your on the right track by getting the VIN. For 1970 the VIN will tell you if it's a 442 or not.
If the VIN says it's a 442 then maybe they meant to say it's a W-30. To determine W-30 status original documentation is best otherwise start searching this site for other ways to validate.
If the VIN says it's not a 442 but one of the Cutlass variants then it could possibly be a W-31 and once again will need to validate the same as I stated above.
There never was a factory produced, publicly sold 1970 442 with a W-31 drive train
I don’t think there was any convertible W31 in 70, only a super rare few (NOT 442 based) in 69 and I’m not sure any were sold to the public. People who really know will hopefully add their input here.
I don’t think there was any convertible W31 in 70, only a super rare few (NOT 442 based) in 69 and I’m not sure any were sold to the public. People who really know will hopefully add their input here.
…
Yeah, your right. The 1970 W-31 convertible falls in the "none of none" category as none were built.
Beyond all that, no manual transmission W-31 can be authenticated without paperwork, regardless of how convincingly it may be equipped. There is nothing in the VIN or on the cowl tag which will indicate the presence of the option.
An automatic W-31 MAY be authenticated without paperwork if it has its original matching numbers JO coded TH350 which would have been unique to the W-31. But even then, E-bay sells custom order repop Hydra-Matic transmission tags.
And just to summarize what's pointed out above, you can have a 4-4-2 (which CAN be authenticated by its 344- prefix VIN and may or may not include the W-30 option) or you can have a W-31, but you can't have them both. At least not in the same car.
Last edited by BangScreech4-4-2; Mar 19, 2025 at 02:49 PM.
The car is advertised as a 442 but the photos show W 31 badging. In this case I would have expected to see a VIN that starts with 34467 but, if I understand what is being said in this thread, that the VIN will more likely indicate that the car is another model and either the 442 or W 31 (or both) badging are add ons. In the absence of documentation, or the physical verification of the proven W 31 features this would indicate the car is a clone, or replica. Not that this is necessarily bad, provided the price is right.
Am I getting closer to being on track here?
The car is advertised as a 442 but the photos show W 31 badging.
I have seen this kind of thing before. The seller may be inadvertently overstating which coincidentally brings more attention to the sale. Far more people know what a 442 is than a W31. And to the casual car person the models are identical looking... So conflating the two performers happens.
