Hi gents,
I have bought what's supposed to be a 1970 Cutlass Supreme SX 455. Numbers on engine (front of head on drivers side) match VIN tag on dash.
It has the scoop hood and rear wing, I don't know if it's original or not.
Will the fender tag tell what options it came with? Also what engine it has. I have read that SX came with different 455's.
I cannot upload pics from my pc but I can try from my phone later.

Car is well used but not trashed. I want to put it back together and make a nice driver of it.

It has the center console but only the plastic shell with the door. Does anyone have a pic so I can see what I need to find?

Thanks!

 

Welcome. Neither the O.A.I hood nor the wing were factory installed on the Supremes. Yours have been added and likely are repros. The SX was available with three different versions of the 455 during the 1970 model year. Initially, the Y79 SX package came with the 320 HP L33 2bbl version of the 455. In Feb of 1970 the L31 was discontinued and the Y79 package instead got the 365 HP 4bbl L33 version of the 455. In addition, the W32 option on the SX package came with the 365 HP version of the 455 that was the base engine in the 442. Despite the same 365 HP rating, these were not the same motor. The L31 motor came with the 400118 cam that had 258/272 deg duration and 0.435" lift. The 442 and W32 motor came with the 400116 cam that had 285/287 deg duration and 0.472" lift. I seriously doubt that both cams made the same HP, despite the 365 HP rating.

 

If by fender tag you're referring to 'Cowl tag', no it won't show all the options that came with your car. The only way to know how the car was originally outfitted is to find the actual build sheet. If your car is from any other plant than Lansing, you have a chance of finding it typically on top of the gas tank. That assumes that the gas tank hasn't been removed from the car during its lifetime. If you did find that, it would be a wonderful piece of provenance for the car.

Aside from the Y79 SX package, the car could be ordered with the RPO's listed on the 1970 SPECS booklet. Note that for the most part the SX was 'virtually the same' as having a 442, if you ugraded to W32 and FE2 suspension. Only thing different was the insurance cost was much lower. Another marketing strategy by Olds to avoid the exorbitant insurance costs that muscle cars were being charged in 1970. If your car is the 2bbl, it's likely the L33

 

The center console for your SX will be the same part numbers from 1970-1972. Is it a dual gate or standard console?
Here are all 3 - Dual gate, single and Manual Transmission. The correct wood grain for 1970 is Burlwood. The faux wood parts are all reproduced.

 

If the engine is a 2bbl 455, it's not "likely" the L33, it's CERTAINLY the L33 - assuming the engine or intake haven't been changed in the last half a century.

 

Thanks for the detailed info!
So i there any way to find out what engine I have? Intake has been changed, it has a Edelbrock 4bbl now...

 

Cowl tag, sorry Will bring it up on the lifter later and can look for build sheet then.
Thanks!

 

Intake has been changed... So there's no other way to see what engine it is?

 

From what I see it has the standard auto shifter. The metal top plate is missing and I found that part on YearOne and OPGI, but then I need to a bunch of other stuff like woodgrain, indicator lens and prolly more so a drawing or an exploded view would be great help
Thanks

 

Unless you can find a build sheet, which is unlikely, there is no way to know without tearing the engine down. Both the L33 and L31 motors used the same cam, so with the original intake missing, even checking the cam won't tell you for sure. The W32 motor had a different cam and you could tell that with a teardown. All this assumes that the VIN derivative on the block matches the VIN on the car. If not, it's not the original motor anyway. Of course, if the build date on the cowl tag is after Feb 1970, it won't be an L33. Before Feb, it won't be an L31.

 

The numbers on the block matches the VIN on dash.
What gearing did an SX come with? I haven't lifted mine and tried to count yet.
Date code is 01B but not sure what that means.

 

01B is the second week (B) of Jan (01), 1970. That means that it came with the 2bbl L33 motor, which is likely why the intake was changed. Standard gearing with that motor and TH400 would have been 2.56:1, but 2.78, 3.08, and 3.23 ratios were optionally available, so you don't know until you check what's actually in the car.

 

Date code is the time frame that Fisher Body Works assembled the body of the car, installed the interior and glass, then sent it to final production for marriage to the chassis and had the final trims added. 01B means the second week (B) of January (01) production. What does the cowl tag say for factory? LAN? Your cowl tag should also indicate A51 which is the strato bucket seats. Those were a standard feature of the Cutlass Supreme, the alternate option being a no charge change to A65 Split front seat with center armrest.

The gear ratios are listed in that SPECS sheet I posted. Look at the bottom right side of the last one under POWER TEAMS. I boxed it in red.

 

Ok, I have a question about the SX production. Since 442 production could be at any factory (excepting W30's which were exclusive Lansing domain) were SX cars produced at all Olds A body factories? Just curious based on the limited production. If they were at all factories (and I'm sure they must have been) then any of them that are not Lansing cars could have the build sheet still in the car.

To the OP: If the original console is still installed but missing those top trim pieces you're probably on the right track. If you don't have a Cutlass Assembly Manual, this would be a good time to order one. They are inexpensive and have the exploded view diagrams you're looking for. This is an example of what you want. http://www.faxonautoliterature.com/1...85-P10682.aspx

 

Yes, SXes were built at multiple plants. It seems that many of the '70 convertibles were built in Linden, NJ. Mine have had two 8.5x11 build sheets in them.

To the original poster, look at the riveted tag on the side of your transmission. Does it have an OD or OG on the tag? It Should be painted on and also engraved/stamped on the tag. If your transmission is the original, that may help ID the engine too.

Terry

 

Not the best photo but maybe it helps
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Where should I look for that tranny tag? Should I be able to see it if I crawl under on passenger side? I'll try to get a pic

 

Thanks for the tips, I'll order a copy!

 

Is this the tag?

 

Well, unfortunately that's not the original trans. Looks like the first two characters are "73", and the next two are DEFINITELY "PT", which is a Pontiac trans. If it is a 1973 PT trans, that's originally from a LeMans, Grand Am, or Firebird.

 

Is this the car you purchased? If it is, I have personally examined this car and can tell you what I know about it.

 

You sent me an email stating this is the car you bought. I answered your email but not sure if you got it so I'll post my response here.
I was looking for a W32 car and there were subtle little hints that told me to look into this one a little more. A few things were out of the norm when looking at a 2 bbl L-33 car. I was really hoping to unveil a W-32. One was the guy didn't know anything about it other than what he was told by the brother of the very long term owner, an older man who had developed dimentia. The guy was from Fla and the brother took him in to live with him in Georgia. The car came along with him and the care-taking brother sold the car. The car had a real OEM hood on it that was very nice but missing the screen. It also had an FE-2 suspension with a posi rear end. The car was built in Jan and still had he hood grounding straps on the cowl. I knew both fenders had been changed and the braces were either not replaced or left hanging inside the fenders. The car was originally platinum silver with a black top and black bucket seat interior. One of my favorite combinations. I expected the usual Edelbrock intake/ holley carb setup as that was done often even if the car came with a 4bbl. What I didn't expect was that I could not even verify the car as an SX, never mind a W-32. The only thing it had going for it was a numbers matching block. Thats it. No holes in the fenders for emblems, they were all in a plastic bag. No fender braces, No intake, carb, or distributor to check numbers on. The block had the wrong C heads on it with headers, no stock exhaust manifolds. Transmission had been swapped with who know what. No Id code and numbers not even close to an Oldsmobile. It did have the cutout bumper and trumpet tips and the rear end setup. Oh and the dash was cut out for a radio, and was half hanging off because he wanted to work behind it, and the entire bottom half of the console was missing. The car had some minor bondo in the rear quarters but overall it was not a rust bucket, Undercoating was peeling under the drivers floor and under it was clean original metal. There was no paperwork present although I didn't rip the cars seats apart to find out. He said he changed the fuel tank, package tray and carpet and had the back seat out and didn't see any paperwork. The only place left would be in the front seat panels and I looked behind the drivers back rest and didn't see anything there. I told the guy, if I couldn't verify it as an SX, it was hopeless. Then I told him, even if I could verify that it was an SX at one point, it isn't anymore. Theres not enough of it left. The only thing that could be verified was it had the original engine block. And that's the story of this car.