Beteljuze

Hello, my name is Frank and I've posted here before as I am looking for a 71/72 Cutlass. Here is one I was looking at. The owner(3rd) said he bought it out of Pa.and it has no rust. It was repainted 7 years ago. The owner is in the military and said he bought it from a retired officer who had " restored" it back than. He has owned it now for 5 years and is selling because they are relocating him. The vin # is 3887H2m161009. Can you guys look at the listing and some pics and tell me everything you can see about this car? Any and all advice is appreciated. I posted pics also.Thanks in advance, Frank.
http://fayetteville.craigslist.org/cto/3243510833.html
http://mail.aol.com/36912-111/aol-6/...nbox&partId=10
http://mail.aol.com/36912-111/aol-6/...nbox&partId=12
http://mail.aol.com/36912-111/aol-6/...nbox&partId=14
http://mail.aol.com/36912-111/aol-6/...Inbox&partId=9
http://mail.aol.com/36912-111/aol-6/...nbox&partId=20
http://mail.aol.com/36912-111/aol-6/...nbox&partId=21

1970cs

Matching#s does he still have the manifolds ex/in air cleaner pieces, valve covers and other stuff is minor if your O.E. guy. Whats up with the black box on the fire wall with Oldsmobile script? Interior, trunk and exterior appear like factory.

Not a claim jumper, but what kinda of coin?

Pat

Beteljuze

I didn't know what the black box was either. He's asking $9500. Is there a way to verify the mileage?

Allan R

I couldn't view the pics you posted; AOL got blocked on my PC.
Verifying mileage on a 5 digit (6 counting the tenths) is virtually impossible without some sort of documentation when mtce was done on what date. Don't forget also that these old speedos weren't even close to tamper proof. Very common for sellers and some unscrupulous dealers back in the day to roll them back with a common reversing drill.

I say the CL ad. The car looks decent but has some custom stuff under the hood that says it's been played with. Usually when it shows low mileage like that, the odometer has rolled at least once. Eg: My car I know has documented mileage. The odometer says it has 20,415.7 miles. Looking at the car, engine and interior you would swear that's it. But it's actually 120,415.7 Even if I didn't have docs on that I would disclose it to a buyer just because it's the right thing to do.

BTW, did you know that UNLIKE today's cars, if you drive your car in reverse the mileage will decrease and the speedo won't register?

Beteljuze

I did not know you could go in reverse and lower the mileage. The owner said the guy he bought it from did the work to the engine. Timing chain, oil pump, gaskets, seals, intake, carb.,headers, exhaust. He has reciepts for the work.QUOTE=Allan R;448940]I couldn't view the pics you posted; AOL got blocked on my PC.
Verifying mileage on a 5 digit (6 counting the tenths) is virtually impossible without some sort of documentation when mtce was done on what date. Don't forget also that these old speedos weren't even close to tamper proof. Very common for sellers and some unscrupulous dealers back in the day to roll them back with a common reversing drill.

I say the CL ad. The car looks decent but has some custom stuff under the hood that says it's been played with. Usually when it shows low mileage like that, the odometer has rolled at least once. Eg: My car I know has documented mileage. The odometer says it has 20,415.7 miles. Looking at the car, engine and interior you would swear that's it. But it's actually 120,415.7 Even if I didn't have docs on that I would disclose it to a buyer just because it's the right thing to do.

BTW, did you know that UNLIKE today's cars, if you drive your car in reverse the mileage will decrease and the speedo won't register?[/QUOTE]

Allan R

Actually the VIN you posted is not correct. It should be 3G87H2M161009
3- Oldsmobile
G-Cutlass
87-Hardtop Coupe (Cutlass S)
H-350 2bbl
2 - 1972 model year
M-Lansing produced
161009 - lansing production sequence (not related to body number on cowl tag)
At a guess I would guess this car was built around Jan by the sequence number. The cowl tag will tell you what week and month.

The info on the CL ad tells me the intake is changed, carb is changed, exhaust is changed (was originally a crossover single pipe). The windshield washers should park below the hood chrome - check to see if the 'restoration' used the wrong motor assembly or simply installed them wrong.

Overall it's a decent looking Cutlass S. The Cowl tag should have
ST 72 ....33687LANXXXXXX....BDY (X-the body number assigned by Fisher)
TR.......940......................75 75 PNT (matador red lower/upper)
(rivet) X X A52
the X X is the time build code.

It's a nice looking apparently turn key car. 9500 sounds like an ok deal.

I have a feeling that box at the back is a custom cover for an MSD ignition

Beteljuze

Here is a pic of the protecto plate and the cowl tag.


http://mail.aol.com/36912-111/aol-6/...nbox&partId=14
http://mail.aol.com/36912-111/aol-6/...Inbox&partId=8

Allan R

Everytime I try to open that it says I'm not logged into hotmail.com I don't want to open an account there just to view the pics.

Either that or try this:

* clik the 'go advanced' tab
* Press the icon that looks like a paper clip; and A 'Manage Attachments' box will appear
* Choose (navigate on your computer to where the pics are stored) and hit 'open'. repeat for all 5 pics.
* Hit 'upload'. It may take a bit of time depending on your pic resolution. If you have ultra high res, you will have to 'resize' them with your picture editor to a 1024X768 size for the C.O. server to accept them.
* Close the "manage attachments' box.
* Preview your post and the images will be at the bottom
* Hit 'submit post' and the thread will have the images installed at the bottom. Unfortunately you can only do 5 pics at a time this way.

If you have the pics hosted on another web server?
* Copy the IMG url and Press the icon that looks like an envelope with mountains on it. Paste the URL into that box and hit 'ok'. You can install up to 20 images this way.
* Be sure to preview your work.
* Make sure the images don't carry on across the page, stack them for easier viewing.

Aceshigh

Exactly.

Go with your gut and I'd always assume the seller is either
A. Oblivious to the ACTUAL mileage that he purchased it at
B. He's full of crap trying to sell it as something it's not.

I never believe anyone's claims of super low mileage like that on a ~40 year old classic.
They know it's a 5 digit odometer regardless of whether or not the car's been restored
to appear legit. Funny how so many classic's just sat for decades unused right ??

Beteljuze

Aceshigh: I have to agree with you. I could never believe that a car that old has such low mileage. And as honest as the owner was about the car, he wasn't dwelling on the low mileage. If I was selling a car with such low mileage, I would keep going back to that point over and over.

GreekDog

9500 is a little pricey in my opinion. It took me nearly a year till I found my 72 cutlass convertible. I would say wait it out, you'll know when the right one comes along.

Beteljuze

Greekdog: I totally agree. I also think $9500 is too high. I have been looking for about 2 months now. And a lot of the Cutlasses which are high priced have been listed over and over again because they don't sell. I am following two others now, one is $12k the other $12.5!! They have been listed for at least 3 months and have not sold. Yet their optimistic owners haven't lowered the price. I have seen other cars start at about $9000 and end up all the way down to $6500 before they sold. So yes, your right. It pays to keep looking. It pays to be patient.
I just sold an old car myself. The first offer I got on it was $2000 less than what I was asking. I thought that was pretty ballsy of the guy. Four days later I sold it for the price I was asking. So it works both ways.

Beteljuze

Allan: I'm sorry, you're saying " click on the go advanced tab" Where are you talking about? On this website? On AOL mail? I'm not sure I know what you mean? I am using an iPad, if that makes any difference.
Frank

Allan R

Frank, the 'Go Advanced' tab is just down to the right of the dialogue box you type your message into on this site.

I don't have an iPad, so I have no idea what it's doing.

Beteljuze

Allan: I just got home from work and have been trying like crazy to upload the pics but I can't do it. I tried on my wife's laptop too but no luck. I wish it would work because he sent me good pics. Anyway, the protecto plate says:
O3-165. 06-23-72
3887H2M161009. 00015
The cowl tag says:
ST72. 33607LAN330364. BDY
940 75 75 PNT
01A. A52

The only thing I can't make out for sure is the 2 zeros in the long number on the cowl plate are either zeros or eights-I can't tell. So the number could be:
33687LAN338364
Thanks and sorry for the picture problem.
Frank

Allan R

Only thing to add is your car was built in the first week of January. The body number is consistent in comparing to mine. (built on April 7, 1972) My body number is 442325

sicky olds

you keep getting errors due to the link is associated with his Email. So when other users try to click on it it goes to Betel's email.

I agree on the waiting it out... especially with the custom under the hood job and it only being a cutlass (nothing wrong with them but that price seems like a 442 price).