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I’m pretty new here and used to have two 1971 442’s. Sold both of them about 9-11 years ago. Anyhow I stumbled across a 1970 442 shell. After going to look at it the owner told me he had the rest of the car except short block and trans. it has red inner fender wells, ram air, factory 404 casting F heads, aluminum intake, power windows, power drivers seat, rally pack, sport wheel, air conditioning, dual gate. When He got the car he tore it apart looking for a build sheet but wasn’t able to find one. I have looked in the seats for a line tag or whatever it’s called but found nothing but a ton of mice nests. Car body has some rust but surprisingly it’s solid for Hawaii and even mainland. So my questions are: any other way to verify a true w30? Anyone got any secrets on ways to verify. Previous owner says it hasn’t been registered since 1986 but in my cleaning out i found a insurance card from 1999 for a Oldsmobile. I do know the rear bumper on the car is not the original one. Also obviously you guys haven’t seen the car. But what do you think this thing could be worth as is. Remember no short block or trans. Front fenders are off vista cruiser as he said they were rusted beyond salvage
If so, those are the two pieces to the puzzle. VIN proves it is a 442 (all w-30s were built in LAN) unless VIN has been altered.
The W-30 is the hard part even though the chance is pretty good with the parts I guess? The only way to prove its pedigree is with one of two pieces of paper (build sheet or broadcast card) without those two and if its a 344 car then its a non numbers matching 442 due to the missing short block. The real hard part is proof of w-30 because any of those w-30 parts could have been added without the docs to prove it.
If that car was real in that condition (with docs) and no missing parts Id say +/- $18k
A real, non numbers eng and trans 442 w-30 (with docs) +/- $10k
The way it is right now (442 non numbers, no docs) +/- $8k
This is JMO, the parts are worth quite a bit alone. Did you check the rear end, carb, distributor, alternator and radiator? If all those things are correct it only builds your case but still hurts price without the papers.
Maybe there is some dealer info somewhere out there?
Last edited by scrappie; March 16th, 2018 at 05:20 AM.
The other thing to consider is that, when the engine and trans are gone or not numbers matching, then there is debate about, even IF the car was a w-30 to begin with, how much W-30 is left. Some people swear by the cowl tag, like it's the body that matters.
Me personally, it's the powertrain that made a W-30. If the powertrain is gone, I don't care if the shell and frame were a W-30 at one time, it's dead. Service replacement block and all original everything else, that's fine. All original everything else but different block, maybe. But, all non numbers or missing, no banana.
why O why do people always put pontiac wheels or buick wheels on these cars.
That is SO true! When I got my 1969 H/O decades ago, it had two Pontiac honeycomb wheels on it.
On the OP's car, unless you can find a broadcast card in the car, or if it was originally sold in Canada, there is no way to prove the car is a W-30. Just put it together and enjoy it. Like my own 70 W-30, it's never going to be a fully documented six figure car. That's fine with me, since I'd rather drive it.
[So my questions are: any other way to verify a true w30? No Anyone got any secrets on ways to verify, NO. Previous owner says it hasn’t been registered since 1986: Back taxes due? Each state is different.
There is no way to verify that it is a W30 unless you have a broadcast card, window sticker, or the OW transmission with the VIN on the pan rail, Canadian documentation. In essence its a 442 with some W30 parts. How about posting pictures?
Last edited by Tirekicker; March 17th, 2018 at 07:08 AM.
That’s crazy I had my hopes so so high cause the guy I bought itnfrom
lived in the same town but the vins do not match. Thanks though.
Yes I know it is a 71 bumper hence I said it isn’t the original one.
As others have said no broadcast card, dealer invoice, or GM of Canada documentation, no way to prove W30 authenticity. Looks to be a real 442.
I have to disagree with Koda's post though.
Most of these cars if they were used for what they were intended, the motor blew up long ago. If you are one of the lucky ones and still have the original motor non-rebuilt you are in the minority. Most have had there motor rebuilt, and in that rebuild most of the internals if not all, have been replaced. Which essentially makes the motor no longer the same. The same can be said for the transmission.
Ask yourself, how impressed you are when you see a numbers matching block, but the car has "J" heads, a plastic tank radiator, a Cardone water pump, Bosch alternator, Holley carburetor, and MSD ignition, along with a myriad of other local auto parts store parts on it?
As opposed to a vehicle that the original block is gone but has everything else dead on.
March 15th, 2018, 10:30 PM
