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Yes, I have heard that. That's why I say optioned similar to a ram rod. Someone posted a bulletin on the options a ram rod must have and not have. This car has the required options for the ram rod that I can see. That's why I ask. Has anybody seen a Cutlass optioned like this that wasn't a ram rod?
Probably a misprint...? 3.91 axle ratio seems more likely. That is a pretty cool options list. It's got all of the performance goodies. How would one decipher a ramrod engine on a buildsheet? @taa442 pictures always make the thread more better...let's see the 68!
A four speed and posi rear w/a 3:91 gears does not make it a ram rod, that was available as an option on just about every Cutlass. Nicely optioned car. As OldsterRalph states, it has to be Lansing built to be a Ram Rod, and it would have opition code W31 on the sheet.
See post #4. I know it's not a w 31 ,that's what makes it a weird car. How many regular Cutlass's has anyone seen optioned like this? That's why I ask for help with de coding. Does someone have something similar? Been to many Olds shows and know many Olds enthusiasts. I've asked them all,but so far haven't found any like this so far. Just curious. Thanks
You have a nicely option Cutlass. Ive seen others done like this, also 70-71-72s with the W25 hood. Most Cutlass were ordered as regular family type cars, but some people wanted a 4speed and gear without the wild cam of the W31 motor. If you wanted power brakes, or A/C, you werent getting the W31 motor either
Hey thanks. Yeh, car doesn't have power brakes or ac. It's like you said,it's as though someone wanted all those w 31 options but not the cam. Go figure, if you ordered all the hi po options,why not the engine as well. Maybe cost? Thanks again.
I thought someone had mentioned that a TO coded 31 spline differential was only available on the w30 w31 cars. Is this true?
No, it is not true
From the 1968 A-body PIM. The 3.91 axle was available with the M21, the M14 Dearborn three speed manual, and even the M31 Junkaway automatic for both the L74 4bbl and the L65 2bbl motors.
Last edited by joe_padavano; Aug 17, 2023 at 08:09 AM.
It's funny how things were ordered back in the days. I have seen so many odd ordered cars. I knew of an all black 70 442 that was as close to an F-85 as you could get. The owner ordered it that way. Absolute stripper. AM radio was the only option other than the positraction rear. Bench seat. Column shift. Standard interior. One of my brother's owned a 68 GTO. The wife of the original owner was pregnant so she said if he wanted this car she wanted a bench seat. He said cool. Factory hood tach. Hidden head lights. Four speed bench seat car. You can see it off to the right in this picture. Times were different back then.
People who didn't grow up in the 60s and 70s don't realize that 1) more folks ordered their cars to their taste vs buying one off the lot and 2) there was great flexibility to pick and choose whatever options you wanted. Base price was typically the loss leader stripper version. I remember seeing a 1968 442. Sport Coupe, three speed manual floor shift, and no other options at all except for the bench seat, which was a credit option. This must have been the least expensive 442 you could buy in 1968. Keep in mind that musclecars were frequently bought by younger males who were trying to get a musclecar for the least amount of money possible. Plus, if you were planning to race it, why load up on heavy, expensive options? I have to laugh today when every musclecar you see has been "restored" with every option possible. That's now how they were on the street when new.
Exactly Joe. You get it.
My car was funny. OAI. Dual gate. Rally Red. Sport mirrors. Super stock wheels. 2.78 open rear. No air. AM radio. Built to sit on the show room floor.
Last edited by no1oldsfan; Aug 17, 2023 at 08:43 AM.
Thanks for all the replies. ,I've had the car for probably near 30 years. As I just typed that,I can't believe how fast time goes by. I have done many restos for customers,but just seem to put my projects on hold. Classic shoemaker story.Many changes in life also happened. Funny story how I acquired car. The person who owned it at the time had recently purchased it and was leaving from a shop of another Olds enthusiast. Someone hit him leaving his shop. He asked me to write up an estimate for the damage. He chose to keep the insurance payout and asked if I wanted to buy the car. At the time I was doing a lot of Olds cars. I have a friend who has had a bunch of Olds's and he had friends who were also into Olds as well. Kinda Biblical sorta old testament birth thing.So and so had a child,and begat and begat so and so. Well ,I ended up with this car as well as many more Olds cars and parts.Sold many off. Have a garage attic full of parts. I'm down to 3 Olds. Ha! Forgot.4! Sheez! Had more stored at various locations. Anyways, I'm at a point where I can get back to the 68.Im not a techy and the computer world baffles me much. I just now figured how to post the pics I shared of docs. I just want to gain more knowledge of what I have. I have a few others I also will be asking about later.
So so cool how that car came to you. I really love the odd ball cars over the over restored built to look cool cars. You can actually drive your car. That's the point to me. I will never understand garage trophy's. What's the point?
Can some one help figure my 68 Cutlass build sheet? Looks like ram rod,but think it's just regular Cutlass optioned like a ram rod. Thanks
How do you interpret that date code in the upper left corner? This car could have been ordered before the ram rod option was even announced, and someone just wanted a hot rod cutlass....
It's a QV engine code. 350 4 bbl manual trans (not W31). HF is an M21. It's the most lively SBO you could have ordered without it being a W31. What does any of this have to do with a W31?
And TO is a 3:91 so it's a typo. Per the bulletin posted above the recommended rear for an M21 in a Ram Rod was 4:33
And FWIW this car is optioned with FE1 suspension which wasn't a mandatory option with the Ram Rod (but should have been)
Last edited by allyolds68; Aug 17, 2023 at 01:40 PM.
It's a QV engine code. 350 4 bbl manual trans (not W31). HF is an M21. It's the most lively SBO you could have ordered without it being a W31. What does any of this have to do with a W31?
And TO is a 3:91 so it's a typo. Per the bulletin posted above the recommended rear for an M21 in a Ram Rod was 4:33
And FWIW this car is optioned with FE1 suspension which wasn't a mandatory option with the Ram Rod (but should have been)
The build sheet shows RPO G88, which also designates 3.91 gears.
Interestingly on the 1968-69 cars, the 4.33 axle was actually standard equipment in the W30 and W31 with manual trans (note that the Ram Rod doesn't show up in this edition of the SPECS booklet).
Wow. 4.33's were standard? That's crazy. My brother's 440 6 bbl Roadrunner had 4.10's and a four speed. Felt like you were out of gears at fifty miles an hour. 4.33's? yikes.
Wow. 4.33's were standard? That's crazy. My brother's 440 6 bbl Roadrunner had 4.10's and a four speed. Felt like you were out of gears at fifty miles an hour. 4.33's? yikes.
These cars were only intended to run a quarter mile at a time.
Right? My brother's Roadrunner felt like it was lifting the front wheels at every stop light. No way I would want those gears daily. It was ironic because I had 2.56's at the same time. My SX.
Joe I totally understand what you are saying. That's why so many of the early drag cars have next to no miles. I absolutely love any and all early drag cars.
Last edited by no1oldsfan; Aug 17, 2023 at 06:59 PM.
Hey 83 hurstguy, good question. That's the kinda observation I was looking for. I wonder what this set up would have done in the quarter compared to the w31 back in the day. Thanks again for the interest.
This is the first time I've shown these docs in public forum. I've asked in general before without the knowledge to share visually. So it's pretty cool to have some feedback. I also have a 70 sx with build sheet waiting for resto. Interesting background buy on that one too if anyone is interested.
This is the first time I've shown these docs in public forum. I've asked in general before without the knowledge to share visually. So it's pretty cool to have some feedback. I also have a 70 sx with build sheet waiting for resto. Interesting background buy on that one too if anyone is interested.
