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I have been looking for a nice W31 that has been restored to a very high standard What kind of ball park numbers are these cars selling for? I have seen some offered by classic car dealers in the high 50's low 60's is that about right? Or would I be better off buying restored 70 442 as a investment. I say 70 because that would be my first choice for a 442. Thanks for any help.
The old car price guide has a 70 Olds hardtop in #2 condition (which is very good restoration) to be:
40 for a 442
13.3 for a Cutlass S
20 for a Rallye 350
20 for a W-31
80 for a W-30
I think that's about right for all but the W-31, which I would put at 33 or so. One thing worth noting is that the Rallye 350 is notable to no one except an Olds collector, which means it's just a Cutlass with a funky paint job in terms of value. The w-31 is an undervalued car, which makes it good to buy, but not to sell. I would buy a 69 W-31 over a 69 442, but I would buy a 70 442 over a 70 w-31 due to the increase to a 455 from 69 to 70 in the 442. The 68-69 G block 400 was not as awesome as the E block 400 from previous years, nor the F block 455. But, you can probably get a w-31 cheaper than a straight 442 of the same year, all other things being equal, just because the w-31 is relatively unknown outside the community (not as unknown as the Rallye).
The w-30 is the cat's ***, in worth and performance, in 70.
Well, I'm back to my previous statement. For me, a #1 car would become a #2 car if I "enjoyed" it, as in actually driving it. A #1 car would need to maintain museum piece / trailer queen status in order to retain/increase value over time. But maybe it's just that we have different ideas of what "enjoying" a car means.
Not sure I agree with the responses thus far. The last notable W-31 we saw for sale was the black / red Thornton car at BJ. That car did mid-50's and had some incorrect items including a complete change in colors and a few non-numbers matching items. A true #1 W-31 will fall somewhere in the mid 60's to low 70's range. I'd expect a #2 W-31 in the high 40's to low 50's. There just aren't many prime examples that pass through the marketplace that are numbers matching or restored to #1 concourse condition.
I don't believe you'll see a '70 442 (non W-30) do much better than a correct W-31.
Considering how my previous response got flat out ignored, I'm not sure why I am bothering (bored at work, maybe) but the Old Car Price Guide, which is considered a #1 valuing tool, has the following. Obviously, the rarer the car, the more inaccurate it is based on sales. The good news is you can take this when buying, along with the blue book, and the nada book, and use them to negotiate.
You are not going to find a #1 restoration car for sale. Restored cars are either below #1 in condition, or they are not for sale (at least not often).
Check out cars-on-line.com. There are a couple of W-31s advertised there. I’ve been casually looking for a 68-69 W car if I sell my GNX. Just trying to find the right car or the W-32 I used to own.
Last edited by rgs455; June 23rd, 2019 at 03:28 PM.
Not so sure about that price guide. I own a 70-442 vert 4 speed and have been offered over $100k for it a few times. The last unsolicited offer was 2 wks ago. The bad news is that I have a helluva lot more invested into the car than $100k. It's not a "trailor queen", but it's awfully close. To make a nice 70-442 vert nearly perfect costs much more than $100k these days
Totally agree with your assessment. The 70 442 convertible prices in that guide are low. Of course the NADA guide is quite high. Hagerty seems to be about right to me. I sold the blue car pictured for $120k last fall but, as you point out, I had just about that in it.
I don't own any interest in that guide, but I find it accurate. A number 1 car, 70 442 convert stick would be 96k, which matches real world sales just fine, and might even be a little high. I'm not talking Blow Job Auctions either. I doubt you'd get 100k for a non perfect version of that, and I'm not denying you were offered that, but verbal offers have a way of evaporating 30% or so by the time the simoleans hit the paperwork.
I have a 70 w-31cutlass s. It has a muncie 4 speed with hurst shifter from the factory
It needs restoration. It is sherwood green with black hood stripe on the factory ram air hood. It has the original 12 bolt posi- traction rear axle. Original factory drive shaft. Original factory rochester carb.
Last edited by Jim.33; July 7th, 2019 at 11:34 PM.
Reason: To change typo errors
June 23rd, 2019, 05:23 AM
A number 1 car does not exist . We are all human? We all try to do our best
