General Discussion Discuss your Oldsmobile or other car-related topics.

W-31 Convertible

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old November 18th, 2022 | 08:04 AM
  #1  
Bigmikey65's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 705
W-31 Convertible

From Antique Automobile magazine. Nothing further to report.
Old November 18th, 2022 | 10:30 AM
  #2  
69 Hurst's Avatar
Olds Fanatic
 
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 662
From: Cartersville, GA
And it showed up at our club's annual show in Sept. beautifully restored...






Old November 18th, 2022 | 11:29 AM
  #3  
Fun71's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 14,849
From: Phoenix, AZ
I wonder why they wanted a convertible for a race car?
Old November 18th, 2022 | 12:11 PM
  #4  
Tri-Carb's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 747
To get into a stock class in which that car would be more competitive. All our convertible muscle cars have had better traction characteristics than the same model in a hardtop or sedan.
Old November 18th, 2022 | 12:12 PM
  #5  
Bigmikey65's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 705
That car has cool written all over it. Do you know who did the restoration ?
Old November 18th, 2022 | 12:32 PM
  #6  
tva442's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 577
From: Lincoln Univ, PA
Originally Posted by Bigmikey65
That car has cool written all over it. Do you know who did the restoration ?
Garner Customs and Restorations in FL
lots of pics and videos on their Facebook page, including resto pics
Facebook Post

The owners are local to me and have attended our chapters and other shows in the PA/ NJ area. Awesome (and loud!) car and the nicest people as well!

Last edited by tva442; November 18th, 2022 at 12:36 PM.
Old November 18th, 2022 | 12:38 PM
  #7  
Bigmikey65's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 705
Are there any vintage photos of the car in action from back in the day ?
Old November 18th, 2022 | 12:43 PM
  #8  
Rallye469's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,112
From: Jacksonville, FL
It was also at the Nats this year.
Beautiful.



Old November 18th, 2022 | 12:54 PM
  #9  
tva442's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 577
From: Lincoln Univ, PA
Originally Posted by Bigmikey65
Are there any vintage photos of the car in action from back in the day ?
Yes. Here's some from the Garner FB page



Old November 18th, 2022 | 01:01 PM
  #10  
no1oldsfan's Avatar
Banned
 
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 6,267
Originally Posted by Bigmikey65
Are there any vintage photos of the car in action from back in the day ?
There are so many vintage pictures of that car out there.
Old November 18th, 2022 | 05:44 PM
  #11  
jakane254's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 3
NHRA divides the NHRA accepted horsepower into the factory shipping weight and this calculation is used to determine what class a car best fits in. Oldsmobile wanted to cover five classes and with the convertibles weighing differently than the hardtops, they could race in different classes with small blocks, big blocks , sticks and automatics. There were two W-31, Convertibles racing in G/S and G/SA. Also, a W-30 convertible.
I hope this helps.
Old November 18th, 2022 | 06:01 PM
  #12  
OLDSter Ralph's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 4,301
From: St. Paul Minnesota
Originally Posted by jakane254
NHRA divides the NHRA accepted horsepower into the factory shipping weight and this calculation is used to determine what class a car best fits in. Oldsmobile wanted to cover five classes and with the convertibles weighing differently than the hardtops, they could race in different classes with small blocks, big blocks , sticks and automatics. There were two W-31, Convertibles racing in G/S and G/SA. Also, a W-30 convertible.
I hope this helps.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^------ This.
Old November 18th, 2022 | 06:15 PM
  #13  
Andy's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 2,295
From: Sarasota Florida
beautiful car, I watched it being restored at Garners little by little, not daily or anything.. Dick Smothers came to Garner to see the car..car was found I believe in Lakeland, Waibel"s son or relative had it in a shed..
Old November 18th, 2022 | 07:39 PM
  #14  
Koda's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 11,137
From: Evansville, IN
I believe it, there's still a lot of land around Lakeland. I hunted out there in between there and Dade City in the 80s and early 90s.
Old November 18th, 2022 | 07:46 PM
  #15  
Bigmikey65's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 705
Jim Waibel won the G/S Class in this car at the 1969 NHRA Spring Nationals. Ran a 12.66 @110.56.
Old November 19th, 2022 | 09:55 AM
  #16  
jakane254's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 3
Originally Posted by Andy
beautiful car, I watched it being restored at Garners little by little, not daily or anything.. Dick Smothers came to Garner to see the car..car was found I believe in Lakeland, Waibel"s son or relative had it in a shed..
Yes, the car was still in Jim Waibel's building in Lakeland. I purchased it from the Waibel family four years ago and the restoration was completed November 2021, in time for the 2021 MCACN show in Chicago. It was part of the grand unveilings last year.
The Smothers Brothers, Jim Waibel, King Olds was restored by Garners Customs and Restorations in Bradenton, Florida.
Old November 19th, 2022 | 11:52 AM
  #17  
OLE442's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 911
From: Way freakin too close to the city
1969 Oldsmobile W-31 Smothers Brothers Drag Car Unveiling & Updates - Garner Cars
Old November 19th, 2022 | 12:07 PM
  #18  
Andy's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 2,295
From: Sarasota Florida
Originally Posted by jakane254
Yes, the car was still in Jim Waibel's building in Lakeland. I purchased it from the Waibel family four years ago and the restoration was completed November 2021, in time for the 2021 MCACN show in Chicago. It was part of the grand unveilings last year.
The Smothers Brothers, Jim Waibel, King Olds was restored by Garners Customs and Restorations in Bradenton, Florida.
Its a stunner now, love the sound of that 350 too, damn thing roars..nice job bringing an iconic car back to life sir.
Old November 19th, 2022 | 12:20 PM
  #19  
jakane254's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 3
Originally Posted by Andy
Its a stunner now, love the sound of that 350 too, damn thing roars..nice job bringing an iconic car back to life sir.
Thanks Andy, we are very happy the way it turned out and so glad the Waibel family got to see it.
Old November 19th, 2022 | 03:17 PM
  #20  
rgs455's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 112
From: Oakville, Mo.
I’m glad to see a piece of drag racing history being showcased for everyone to see again.
Old November 21st, 2022 | 07:05 PM
  #21  
68post's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 155
From: Indianapolis
It is very sharp, and love the name. Love to hear that sound clip.
What rear gear did this and/or the other W31's run with ?
Tim King

Last edited by 68post; November 21st, 2022 at 07:07 PM.
Old November 23rd, 2022 | 03:08 PM
  #22  
vincet's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 47
Originally Posted by 68post
It is very sharp, and love the name. Love to hear that sound clip.
What rear gear did this and/or the other W31's run with ?
Tim King
466 or 500
Old November 23rd, 2022 | 03:10 PM
  #23  
vincet's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 47
weibel's son tried to do a gofundme to restore the car
until people saw his Camaro drag car in the background of a pic
that ended that. LOL
Old November 23rd, 2022 | 03:46 PM
  #24  
66-3X2 442's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,738
From: Birmingham,Alabama
Originally Posted by Fun71
I wonder why they wanted a convertible for a race car?
Stock eliminator classes are determined by advertised HP to advertised shipping weight. You take the shipping weight and devide it by the advertised HP and that gives you the class break. That's why some raced station wagons,4 doors,hardtops,sedans & convertibles. For example,a car that had a wight break of 10.49 and another car could have a weight break of 10.00. The 10.49 car would have to carry .49 more pounds per HP than the 10.00 car did. That was the old days of classification,now it's the class weight break x HP no matter the body style.
Old November 23rd, 2022 | 03:49 PM
  #25  
66-3X2 442's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,738
From: Birmingham,Alabama
Originally Posted by vincet
weibel's son tried to do a gofundme to restore the car
until people saw his Camaro drag car in the background of a pic
that ended that. LOL
Jimmy Weibel's standing among some isn't what it should be.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
dc2x4drvr
General Discussion
0
July 7th, 2022 10:31 AM
4+4+2=10
Cars For Sale
10
February 14th, 2022 05:57 PM
Stefano
General Discussion
43
August 1st, 2021 06:28 PM
no1oldsfan
General Discussion
9
July 3rd, 2021 12:11 AM
scottv442
Cars For Sale
46
December 24th, 2017 09:59 AM



Quick Reply: W-31 Convertible



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 02:19 AM.