1969 Cutlass S W-31, purchased in the summer of 1996. Numbers matching drivetrain with 3.91 gears. Missing radio, hoses and under bumper scoops and sporting an aftermarket steering wheel. Options included buckets, console, automatic, HD cooling, rallye pac and SSI. Code 80 powder blue exterior (that’s an exclusive Toronado color) and blue interior. She was and still is sporting its original paint although it’s not in very good shape, severely faded with surface rust in many places. About 126K miles, the car ran but not very well. It had no brakes (steel line rusted through). It sat in a barn for 6 years before I bought it. Chicago car its entire life, sold new to a woman from Jim Graham Oldsmobile in Joliet, IL. I’m the 5th owner.
I have gone through the brakes, had the engine and trans rebuilt and stored the original 3.91 rear and installed a 68 31 spline 4.33. I swapped to correct SSII (I like those better than the SSI) with repro Goodyear Polyglas. I also installed a blue sport wheel, bought NOS OAI hoses and reproduction under bumper scoops from Mike Siedlik of The Good Olds Days. Sadly she’s been sitting most of the last 4 years (an even more rare 70 Tempest GT-37 400 4bbl 4sp has entered the scene). Luckily the W-31 has survived a marriage, divorce, several moves including buying and selling my first house and several jobs. Last year I finally took part of the car apart, the front clip specifically. The car has never been apart before so it was fun. And shockingly, almost all of the bolts cooperated. The reason, I was finally able to get all the rust in the front fenders and core support repaired.
It’s going to be a long slow process but I need to buy a few clips and fasteners and then start putting the front clip back together. The rest of the paint and body work will have to wait until I move to a house with more garage space, but baby steps.

Here are some before pics

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Here's the "new" core support (a little dusty, but hey)

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I bought my car in 1977 and finished it last year. Hang in there because it feels good to have it finished. I have no experience with rust being from Calif. but saving a rare car that is rusted takes even greater devotion to the hobby. Keep posting progress.

Lee

 

Chris,
Awesome car & can't wait to see what you do with it. Those 4.33's would be a lot of fun with that 4 speed. Good thing you redid the brakes!!

 

Chris , Good luck with the resto on the W-31 well deserves it. Rare car even more so rare color.

 

69 W-31 auto with 4.33 gears...should be fun. When you're finished will you be running it at the P.S.M.C. drags, by any chance.

 

Now how cool is this? I'd love to have a W-31

 

Is that the car you brought to Bowling Green in 2007? [I think that was the show.] It is sad what the weather and salt do to such an interesting car. I am glad you are bringing it back!

 

Nice car - like to see it! Looks the same color as my 69 442, [long gone!]
Have you an idea when Graham went OOB?
I moved to Lockport in '90, and don't remember them - Olds dealer had GMC trucks when I got out here!

 

Nice to see that you are finally tearing ito that thing. Looking foreward to seeing more pics. That's a really cool W31.

 

after I rebuilt the engine about 7 years ago and worked out some bugs I drove the car a bit. Took it to the dragstrip, cruises/car shows, rare trip to work. absolute ball to drive with those 4.33s, but with manual drums one must be careful.


Scott, the W-31 is an auto. The Pontiac is a 4sp, currently with 3.90s. However, good chance it may get 4.33s

absolutely!!! drivetrain was built to PSMCDR specs. Although I'd like to build another motor and store the vin matching one. But one thing at a time.

yep. I've had it at the Nats in Bowling Green. Also brought it to NJ back in 2000.

no idea

 

Glad you are finally documenting this build. Nice core support, maybe give us a peek at the repaired fenders.

Maybe one day the car will have a maxed out 350 to spin those 4.33's for the PSMCR drags.

Then watch out Mr. Marks.

Matt

 

Here's a pic from Nov 2009 at US41 in Morocco, IN

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Great picture. Looking forward to watching this one.

 

Very cool!!!

 

I didnt know that was your car. I talked to you at byron bop in 2010 you where a few trailers over i love the car. Atleast i think it was the same car but i doubt i seen another one like it.

 

btw if you ever get the car media blasted i can get you a great deal on any metal cleaning. My dad is the foreman at redi strip co in roselle it is also where i work on my car . Let me know ahead of time if you are intrested .

 

and here's the repaired fenders. I'll paint them this spring, no rush. I'm just glad there is finally no holes in them anymore.

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yeah, I remember that. And that was me as I've only seen one other 69 Olds A-body in this color, and it may have been a W-31 also (was missing drivetrain). Byron and then the racing at US41 in Nov is the only timeframe in the last few years the car has been out, sadly. I plan to change that next year though.

redi strip in roselle, good deal. I've got a buddy working on a couple 70 442s, I'll touch base with you in the spring as I have some bolt on pieces I'd like to get done - doors, fenders, trunk lid. Thanks!!

 

Man those fenders turned out great. Now you have some rust free sheet metal for your W31. Woohoo.

Matt

 

haven't forgotten about her. I moved this spring and still working through that fun but now I have A LOT more room. I just need to put the drivetrain back into my F-85 after replacing the leaking rear main.

Then back to the W-31 to replace the heater core and put the front clip back on. I really would like to get it back together for the Supercar Reunion at Route 66 in Aug, but thats a big if.

 

long overdue update, but I did say progress would be slow. in between work on a couple houses (most of it not planned) I was able to get a few things restored. specifically the bumpers and the wiper motor

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where did you get the bumpers redone? Fair price?

 

Well iam partial to the 69 model year lol....following along....

 

Thats not this car is it?

 

If my memory is right that's his car. I remember being in the pits next to him at byron back in 2009. But this picture is from a diffrent track.

 

yep, that's it. ironically that's also the pic I had linked towards the beginning of this thread .... until the hosting site went away. I'll have to save the pic and work on relinking it.

copper, it's from US41

oh, Steven. Bumpers were redone by Ogden Chrome, from the sale set up through this site. fair price for what was done. I do know The Finishing Touch would be $1000/per and I didn't think I wanted to pay that much. work from The Finishing Touch is outstanding though.

 

Those bumpers sure look sweet. I bought my '69 W31 in '96 also, don't know when I'll ever get to it.

 

I remember seeing your W31 at Byron :-)

Do you have pics of your Daily Driver F85.

Dan

 

catching up on some pics and other details

First, the fenders mentioned and shown above. after MUCH more closely scrutinizing them, the repairs are pretty bad and they'll have to be redone.

Dan, I do, somewhere. it's white, blue interior and originally from Minnesota, so it's rough.


I got the frame back several months ago, it was dipped and e-coated. came out REAL nice. the original frame was pitted beyond repair, nothing was legible. and the rear frame rails were thin.

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The body is currently at the blaster. I just dropped off a box weighing almost 80lbs of items on the way to Sparky for plating.

 

My original 4 core radiator was recored at some time in the past. I had it checked out by the same place 83hurstguy used for his 68 H/O radiator and it's good. No need for a recore.



CAUTION!!! THE BELOW IS NOT FOR THE WEAK!!!

here is some of the extensive rust damage Chicago winters did. Believe it or not, the phillips screw for the clip on the passenger side came out fine.


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Nice to see you're moving forward, Chris.

 

Hi Chris,


It was great to meet and have a few minutes to chat at PSMCDR!!!


Hopefully we can help each other as we restore our W-31 cars!!! (I am not digging in nearly as far as you...............you are the man!!!!)


PS: I am so jealous of your bumpers:-)


Ryan

 

^that was probably worth half a tenth.

Glad to hear Mike hooked you up.

 

if only it was lighter on the front end

stopped by the resto shop today as they needed the previously posted core support in order to align the front end sheet metal. after that it goes for primer and then blocking.

progress on the chassis has slowed as the weather has gotten a little cold for blasting suspension pieces. I finally acquired some missing pieces so I can start back up on the assembly. Talked with Sparky recently and he's mostly through with the plating of items I sent him.

 

Wow thats going to be nice, I love 69's, their my favorite year. I hope to have one some day but dont know if i have it in me to build another like the 67 im doing now. Just a regular 69 442 4 speed would make me happy, but a W31 would be too cool. Keep up the good work, cant wait so see the end result.

 

I also love -69:s!

 

looks similar to one of my other 69s, except mine is an S instead of a supreme



Had some time in the garage today for other things but set aside a little time to do stuff on the frame

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Looks great, dual fuel lines.

Ryan

 

Looks good. Who'd you get the lines from?