how to tell a true 1971 olds 442 w30
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how to tell a true 1971 olds 442 w30
Can anyone help to verify if 12bolt rears came
On 1971 442 w30
On 1971 442 w30
Last edited by dhwhite43; Sep 1, 2018 at 04:53 PM. Reason: The 12 bolt rears come in on a olds 71 442w30
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,446
From: eastern MA
A 71 442 will start with 344 in the V.I.N. if its a w-30 the only letter will be an M in the VIN because all W-30 were built in Lansing. The rest of the numbers designate body style and the sequence of cars off the line. To authenticate the W-30 pedigree of such a car it must have some supporting paperwork like: broadcast card that has VIN and W-30 stamped on it. Build sheets from Lansing are very rare to find but also any dealer paper work or original owner paperwork could add to authenticity. Besides these things there is a slew of W-30 specific parts with #'s that should be on the car but all those could be found and added to a basic 442 to mimic a W-30.
Why don't you show or tell us what you are looking at and I am sure a lot of people on this board will chime in.
Why don't you show or tell us what you are looking at and I am sure a lot of people on this board will chime in.
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,585
From: Modesto CA
An original OW tag on a matching numbers transmission would be a clue. Or any other tag on a matching numbers transmission would prove it’s not a w30. Of course an OW tag could have been added so it doesn’t prove 100%. If it’s a four speed or the transmission has been swapped this would not apply.
Last edited by 4speed455; Aug 27, 2018 at 03:50 PM.
Old(s) Fart
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 50,802
From: Northern VA
Welcome. The fundamental problem is that the parts that make it a real W-30 can be added to any 442 or Faux-Four-Two. It's certainly easy to prove that a bad fake isn't real, but it's very difficult to prove that a real car is real. Blank OW trans tags are available on line, for example.
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 12,798
From: Evansville, IN
Yes, it certainly would. The issue is not "disproving it", but "proving it." You and I could amble up to the car, see G heads, and go, yup, it's a fake, or at least has a different engine.
But, the problem is, like Joe said above, you can take a 71 442 and bolt all the correct parts on it and no one would know, provided you did it right. Documentation must be had.
For 442 W-30s, there were so few in 66 they're known about. 67 was similar, to a lesser extent, and it's mainly the air cleaners, carb numbers, and some weird details that tells these.
In 68-71, they were models (442s) so that you cannot fake a 442 without VIN tampering (this stops a lot of fakery). 68-69 W-30s are not cloned as much due to the G engine
and the existence of the H/Os. 72s had X in the VIN, so again, VIN tampering, which leaves 70 and 71 to be the prime faking years.
But, the problem is, like Joe said above, you can take a 71 442 and bolt all the correct parts on it and no one would know, provided you did it right. Documentation must be had.
For 442 W-30s, there were so few in 66 they're known about. 67 was similar, to a lesser extent, and it's mainly the air cleaners, carb numbers, and some weird details that tells these.
In 68-71, they were models (442s) so that you cannot fake a 442 without VIN tampering (this stops a lot of fakery). 68-69 W-30s are not cloned as much due to the G engine
and the existence of the H/Os. 72s had X in the VIN, so again, VIN tampering, which leaves 70 and 71 to be the prime faking years.
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