joe_padavano

Yet another example of why I dropped my subscriptions to the various Hemmings magazines. The Feb 2018 Hemmings (original magazine) has a feature on a 1968 "W-30". The shiny new power brake booster features prominently in the engine compartment photo.

On the other hand, at least the stripes are in the right place.

Koda

I'd like to be educated a bit here. From what I understand, the most powerful w-30s, and by that I mean the more radical cam found in the stick shift versions, as opposed to the tamer automatic cam, did not have AC or power brakes. The latter is because of the vacuum issue, but was the former because of no vacuum for the controls, or because of concerns of throwing the compressor's belt, or both?

joe_padavano

Sorry, but that only applies to the 1970 model year and up. For 1966-1969 W-30s, all transmissions got the same cam and the same restrictions on no power brakes, no A/C, etc.

And before someone points it out, yes, 1966-67 W-30 cams are not the same as 1968-69 W-30 cams. On the 1968 car in question, both MT and AT cars got the 328/328 cam.

83hurstguy

Probably should read the article... it states a previous owner added the power brake booster. Fred mentioned the same thing in a conversation at MCACN this year.

I guess there's no point in posting anything positive on this site anymore... maybe we can treat this like YB and trash all the newbs too...

joe_padavano

I skimmed the article on the newsstand, specifically looking for something about the booster being added and didn't see it. Sorry, but I'm sensitive to the fact that there is a lot of incorrect info and a lot of incorrect cars out there. The owner can certainly do whatever he wants with the car, but it would have been nice to more prominently feature the fact that the booster was added - say in the caption of the photo. My whole point wasn't about the car and owner so much as about the magazine.

hurst68olds

I think it is more of an issue of everyone wanting the top dog - reality or not

does it mention whether or not the 328/328 cam was still being used?

joe_padavano

I was wondering the same thing. Wouldn't exactly be a W-30 if it weren't.

Koda

I asked Joe a technical question since he knows. I don't have any feelings for the car one way or the other.

Let's not be like YB....that "post your wife or girlfriend" thread got me a lot closer to the gynecology field, and not in a good way, than I ever wanted.

allyolds68

Luke,

You obviously know Fred so I understand the criticism bothers you. I had the same comment on Facebook when it was posted a week or so ago. My issue wasn’t with Fred (he clearly stated in the article that the power brakes were added), it’s with Hemmings. With 68-69 cars being so difficult to authenticate, I would have been more interested in seeing a true documented 68 W30. From what I saw of the scan of the article, there was no mention of paperwork.

442Fred

I have to chime in here since it is my car and have owned for the last 11 years or more. What kind of documentation would you like to see on a 19,000 mile original car? Maybe the original green OW trans tag with the black rivet VIN coded to the car, window sticker?

I don’t write the articles and only give them what they ask for and proof it when they are done. I called it out when I discussed the car with the writer that the booster was added at some point in its life, it is in print bigger than life so please look at the facts before you go off on this kind of stuff.

Joe you have lots of knowledge but it doesn’t help inform people when it is colored with criticism.


This is how I bought the car and I am leaving just like that period, I know it is not correct but I could care less.... it is my car not anyone else’s.

83hurstguy

I can't claim to know Fred that well, and have no particular reason to defend his car above any others. It bothers me when people grab a snapshot of reality and start discrediting a car based off a single feature. Facebook is loaded with that crap, and it sucks to be plastered here too.

I don't mind Koda's post, nothing wrong with asking a question. It's another to jump to conclusions...

olds 307 and 403

I just checked out the Yellow Bullet Forum, what a turd of a site. The N***ER joke thread is beyond awful. It does say don't post anything racist.

Jon442

And that's what it really boils down to.

I've been out of town, so hopefully my Hemmings will arrive in the mail tomorrow and I can see what all the fuss is about.

RROLDSX

Hemings Muscle Machines is my favourite magazine. I always take everything I read with a grain of salt anyway. I just love looking and reading about the old muscle cars, especially Oldsmobile’s, and no other magazine does it better IMO. I understand your sensitivity to bad info Joe since you do go out of your way to keep it straight and I appreciate that as well. Contrary to popular belief though, you are only human. Wonderful car Fred! I’ll be in Scottale towards month end.

Tirekicker

The most important thing is you enjoy your car!

joe_padavano

Yeah, I'm cynical. I've found it unfortunately necessary these days. The problem is that the casual reader of the article may not see the statement that the booster was added, as I did not. Now this article becomes "proof" for a whole raft of bogus cars. I have no issue with people customizing their cars (I'm still debating putting disc brakes on my 27,000 mile 68 W-30, because I'm not a fan of go kart sized manual drums on a high powered car), but we need to be prepared to field legitimacy questions as a result.

This article was in Hemminings, not Muscle Machines, but I dropped my subscription to the latter years and years ago because I got tired of all the incorrect info I kept reading.

This also ties in to the other thread about the gold 1970 at Kissimmee. Yeah, that is also a low mileage, preserved car, but it has black painted grills. Yes, we all did this. The problem I have isn't with the car, it's with the "Vintage Certification" process that purports to documenting standards for how these cars were built. Pointing out the inconsistencies in an otherwise rare, low mileage car is sure to be seen as nit-picking, but I think it is important to prevent truth decay and to help flag the true bogus cars that keep popping up.

Am I an arrogant *** about it? Yeah, definitely. I'm also really, really tired of "special order" justifications and "pilot car" stories, etc, etc to justify stupid prices for bogus cars. That hurts all of us. Knowledge is important.

droldsmorland

Cool car Fred! A unique piece of history among all the others in your "fleet". Love the rear antenna. Wish mine came with that. The roof is black right? Hard to tell with the desert glare. Unique color combo (with red W36). Is it a Teal Frost Poly F or K code Ocean Turquoise car?

Ctls442

Would also like to know the color name. Looks great with the red fender stripe and redline tires. Enjoy it just the way it is brother.

cherokeepeople

"truth decay" i like it joe.

442Fred

It is teal frost with black vinyl top.

Rocketguy

Nice booster

Stefano

Congrats on the Inc, Kool W-30. Class of '68?

Turnpike

Great car - amazing only 19k miles... My '68 has an added 0 = 109k....

Would have liked my antenna mounted on the rear quarter as well.

What determined the location of the antenna for the '68? Radio choice? Mine is on passenger fender.

Also, curious of the detail of the rear antenna mount. Based on the picture, you can see the black plastic gasket following the ridge lines of the quarter. How is it fastened from underneath? Meaning, is it a nut that threads onto the antenna base?

droldsmorland

The rear-mounted power antenna was an option (U71 or U75, book lists both not sure what is different?). The front fender antenna is the manual mast RPO antenna that automatically came with whichever radio you chose. Radio delete would negate both. You had to check off power antenna with the radio otherwise you got the standard manual mast.
The power mast mounts in a similar fashion as the manual mast with a nut spacer and gasket on the top side. The power mast has an additional locating spacer on the underside. There are two different styles of upper spacers depending on which body style you had...eg vert, sedan and coupes.

Info gleaned from the 68 AIM, section 0, pg 155 and section 1-4, pg 325

442Fred

Really that is all you have to say?

texasw30

I have a 67 w30 that has power brakes. It was built in Van Nuys Ca and the power brakes are on the window sticker. Mine also has power windows am-fm power antenna factory 8 track and tilt wheel. Is also an automatic. Maybe back in those days restrictions were not as strictly enforced as today.

droldsmorland

Sounds nice. We all enjoy pictures. Please post a few.

texasw30

Here a few.

allyolds68

All W30's were built in Lansing (Your car was built in Fremont, not Van Nuys BTW)

CS-Bill

Your car is stunning Fred, love it !!!!

Stefano

Welcome aboard, Kool car and not to take away from Fred's real deal W-30, but the likelihood that your 442 was equipped with the W-30 option from GM / Plant is very unlikely. It could have been a Track-Pac / Dealer installed.

Here is more info when your car was sold at BJ and later at Mecum.

https://www.barrett-jackson.com/Even...-HARDTOP-21971

Mecum in 2010 Same car?

https://www.mecum.com/lots/FL0110-88...obile-442-w30/


https://www.mecum.com/lots/SC0510-91...442-w30-coupe/


Mecum 2011

https://www.mecum.com/lots/FL0111-10...442-w30-coupe/

Mecum 2016

https://www.mecum.com/lots/SC0516-24...bile-442-w-30/


https://www.mecum.com/lots/LS0916-25...bile-442-w-30/

hurst68olds

Welcome to C-O!

good looking car, but based on the VIN on the reproduction window sticker (is there a VIN tag on the car?) it was built FALL '66 & in California ("7Z")

W30s were built in Michigan ("7M") - during February/March '67

joe_padavano

Welcome, and unfortunately, no you don't. All 1967 W-30s were built at the Lansing, MI plant. No Oldsmobiles were built in Van Nuys in 1967, however full size cars were built in South Gate and A-body cars were built in Fremont. AT or MT were both available with the W-30 package in 1967. Power brakes were not. The whole "anything was possible" claim is false, however. Olds took great pains to document the smallest change on the assembly line, through both dealer service bulletins and engineering orders. For example, there is a very detailed service bulletin concerning the fact that late in the 1967 model year, about 750 cars were built with 330 motor using 1968 350 block and head castings.

You likely have a Track Pack car. The parts were available over the parts counter for retrofit onto any 442.

TK-65

Window sticker is fake.

texasw30

Excuse me let me crawl back under my rock too much knowledge here for me.

Turnpike

texasw30

It sold in 2005 at BJ for $46750. From 05 to 16 in was in the Ray Skillman collection in Indy he sold 20 cars in 2016.

This car was restored in the early 80's

I bought the car in 2016

texasw30

Actually the trim tag build date is 10E

I did say Van Nuys but I meant Fremont

it is not a track pack car as it has the correct automatic transmission and the Pontiac 10 bolt rear end that track pack cars don't have.

I'm pretty sure the window sticker is not fake. . I still have the window sticker I removed from my new 67 442 in June 1967. Just like this one even the smudges around the edges because they had to be misted with water to remove.

I also bought a 1968 W30 in Jan 68 I have a couple pictures if anyone is curious what they looked like new. This is not my 1st 442 not an expert but know how to spot a fake.

TK-65

Its fake. Someone aged it to look authentic. Fremont listed the options in alpha numeric order. A to Z.

Olds never made W30s in California. That alone makes it fake. I can point out other things if you want more proof.

Real Fremont 67 442 sticker.

texasw30

Please educate me TK 65. I am glad to see that window sticker. I had a Fremont 442 about 20 years ago and every one said it was not a real 442 because it wasn’t built in Lansing.