1970 W-31 runs after sitting for 26 years!!!!!!
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 823
From: Meriden CT
1970 W-31 runs after sitting for 26 years!!!!!!
Well, most of you know that i bought this rare 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass W-31 post a couple weeks ago and i finally got around to fiddle with it to see if me and my buddie could get it running. Well WE DID!!!! here are a couple of the video's. the last one notice all the acorn shells coming out of the tailpipes......ENJOY!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YNLgS86iC0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFrzTq9qU0s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRpck1Vm7UI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YNLgS86iC0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFrzTq9qU0s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRpck1Vm7UI
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 86
How are the brakes and rubber? I bought my Olds 98 this summer that had been sitting in a garage for a long time. The whole car is solid, but all the brake parts were shot from water in the fluid, the bottom of the radiator was rusted and the trunk, door, window, and convertible top rubber is brittle as glass.
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 473
From: Indianapolis, IN
Hahaha, thats amazing! Just goes to show the old saying is true "they just dont build em' like they used too". These classics will run forever if theres someone there to turn the wrench and turn the key. This is why i get upset when someone has a car like this and lets it sit and rot in their garage and only drives it a handful of times a year. Its understandable if the car is waiting to be restored, it should be stored then. But if the car is restored and/or in driver shape it should be driven. These things can take such amazing abuse and punishment and are so hard to kill its almost an insult to baby them as much as a lot of people do. When you get yours done, drive it! Its a performance car, let it live the way it was intended to live 
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,226
From: Central IN
I missed this first time around...
F'n awesome !
Mine sat for 18+ yrs. Changed juices & plugs and it fired up even on the 20+ yr old gas.... & just like yours, there were piles of crud from the exhaust & the I smoked out the whole neighborhood for 15 mins til it settled down!
The 'Yeah!' in the vid when it caught brought back that great memory !
F'n awesome !
Mine sat for 18+ yrs. Changed juices & plugs and it fired up even on the 20+ yr old gas.... & just like yours, there were piles of crud from the exhaust & the I smoked out the whole neighborhood for 15 mins til it settled down!
The 'Yeah!' in the vid when it caught brought back that great memory !
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 823
From: Meriden CT
Hey guys.
Its been a while since I have posted about the W-31. Had some charging problems which are now resolved and it may be time for a new clutch seeing that this car was sitting for sooooo long, it chatters bad at takeoff.
On July 30th I took the car to its first local cruise night in North Haven CT. The location of this cruise is the SAME EXACT parking lot we used to hang out with our cars when we were growing up. It was great. Its funny because my buddie in North Haven had a 1970 442 W-30 4-speed the same color combo as my current W-31. I actually bought it from him in the late 90's then sold it after realizing it was too much of a restoration project at the time (what a dummy). Alot of old buddies from that era saw the W-31 at the cuise and thought it was my old W-30 car!!!!!! Anyway it was a great time. I actually black primered the hood and rear wing just to make the car look more presentable and I buffed the car too!!!!!!!
It runs really strong. As I drive it and bring the RPM's up in first gear the tires start to ignite around 3000RPM, power shift into 2nd and the byas ply Polyglass tires keep spinnin' , then I let off and shift into 3rd and another 5-10' of rubber!!!! 3:91's make this car really lay rubber everywhere!!! I know i'm going to get a ticket really soon!!!!! I feel like I'm in high school again doing holeshots everywhere!!!!!
Next thing is I'm having the hood, rear wing and a different trunklid painted to match the existing paint to make it even more presentable as a "survivor"
PICS TO FOLLOW
Steve
Its been a while since I have posted about the W-31. Had some charging problems which are now resolved and it may be time for a new clutch seeing that this car was sitting for sooooo long, it chatters bad at takeoff.
On July 30th I took the car to its first local cruise night in North Haven CT. The location of this cruise is the SAME EXACT parking lot we used to hang out with our cars when we were growing up. It was great. Its funny because my buddie in North Haven had a 1970 442 W-30 4-speed the same color combo as my current W-31. I actually bought it from him in the late 90's then sold it after realizing it was too much of a restoration project at the time (what a dummy). Alot of old buddies from that era saw the W-31 at the cuise and thought it was my old W-30 car!!!!!! Anyway it was a great time. I actually black primered the hood and rear wing just to make the car look more presentable and I buffed the car too!!!!!!!
It runs really strong. As I drive it and bring the RPM's up in first gear the tires start to ignite around 3000RPM, power shift into 2nd and the byas ply Polyglass tires keep spinnin' , then I let off and shift into 3rd and another 5-10' of rubber!!!! 3:91's make this car really lay rubber everywhere!!! I know i'm going to get a ticket really soon!!!!! I feel like I'm in high school again doing holeshots everywhere!!!!!
Next thing is I'm having the hood, rear wing and a different trunklid painted to match the existing paint to make it even more presentable as a "survivor"
PICS TO FOLLOW
Steve
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 95
From: Ukiah, California
Steve, I love the 3rd you tube video. Reminds me of firing up my car the first time. We towed mine home, worked on it for a few days, fired it up and we sounded as excited as you guys did!! Unfortunatly we also heard a small rod knock, so thats where the restoration started! Would have been fun to take it for a spin around the block but never did. You have a cool ride there, cant wait to see some more pictures. Good Luck, Dan
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 349
From: Hague, VA...1-1/2 hours from modern society
Sounds like high school fun alright. North Haven...i haven't heard that town mentioned in awhile. I spent my first 23 years in CT. During the mid-'80s, I looked at a pair of Cutlasses in North Haven just off Merritt Parkway. One was a '71, Bittersweet or Sienna paint (i don't remember), BUT had Rallye 350 decals on it 
.
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,213
From: Dover, Ohio
Hey guys.
Its been a while since I have posted about the W-31. Had some charging problems which are now resolved and it may be time for a new clutch seeing that this car was sitting for sooooo long, it chatters bad at takeoff.
On July 30th I took the car to its first local cruise night in North Haven CT. The location of this cruise is the SAME EXACT parking lot we used to hang out with our cars when we were growing up. It was great. Its funny because my buddie in North Haven had a 1970 442 W-30 4-speed the same color combo as my current W-31. I actually bought it from him in the late 90's then sold it after realizing it was too much of a restoration project at the time (what a dummy). Alot of old buddies from that era saw the W-31 at the cuise and thought it was my old W-30 car!!!!!! Anyway it was a great time. I actually black primered the hood and rear wing just to make the car look more presentable and I buffed the car too!!!!!!!
It runs really strong. As I drive it and bring the RPM's up in first gear the tires start to ignite around 3000RPM, power shift into 2nd and the byas ply Polyglass tires keep spinnin' , then I let off and shift into 3rd and another 5-10' of rubber!!!! 3:91's make this car really lay rubber everywhere!!! I know i'm going to get a ticket really soon!!!!! I feel like I'm in high school again doing holeshots everywhere!!!!!
Next thing is I'm having the hood, rear wing and a different trunklid painted to match the existing paint to make it even more presentable as a "survivor"
PICS TO FOLLOW
Steve
Its been a while since I have posted about the W-31. Had some charging problems which are now resolved and it may be time for a new clutch seeing that this car was sitting for sooooo long, it chatters bad at takeoff.
On July 30th I took the car to its first local cruise night in North Haven CT. The location of this cruise is the SAME EXACT parking lot we used to hang out with our cars when we were growing up. It was great. Its funny because my buddie in North Haven had a 1970 442 W-30 4-speed the same color combo as my current W-31. I actually bought it from him in the late 90's then sold it after realizing it was too much of a restoration project at the time (what a dummy). Alot of old buddies from that era saw the W-31 at the cuise and thought it was my old W-30 car!!!!!! Anyway it was a great time. I actually black primered the hood and rear wing just to make the car look more presentable and I buffed the car too!!!!!!!
It runs really strong. As I drive it and bring the RPM's up in first gear the tires start to ignite around 3000RPM, power shift into 2nd and the byas ply Polyglass tires keep spinnin' , then I let off and shift into 3rd and another 5-10' of rubber!!!! 3:91's make this car really lay rubber everywhere!!! I know i'm going to get a ticket really soon!!!!! I feel like I'm in high school again doing holeshots everywhere!!!!!
Next thing is I'm having the hood, rear wing and a different trunklid painted to match the existing paint to make it even more presentable as a "survivor"
PICS TO FOLLOW
Steve
Glad youre havin fun with it!! wis i could say the same about the ramrod!!
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 896
From: Connecticut
I know i'm going to get a ticket really soon!!!!! I feel like I'm in high school again doing holeshots everywhere!!!!!
You just watch doing them burnouts and holeshots in Deep River or Essex, Steve, I may just have to put my uniform back on and be the one to pull you over. I might actually put an old detective light on the new W30 and get into a pursuit with you. haha
You just watch doing them burnouts and holeshots in Deep River or Essex, Steve, I may just have to put my uniform back on and be the one to pull you over. I might actually put an old detective light on the new W30 and get into a pursuit with you. haha
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 896
From: Connecticut
I know i'm going to get a ticket really soon!!!!! I feel like I'm in high school again doing holeshots everywhere!!!!!
You just watch doing them burnouts and holeshots in Deep River or Essex, Steve, I may just have to put my uniform back on and be the one to pull you over. I might actually put an old detective light on the new W30 and get into a pursuit with you. haha
You just watch doing them burnouts and holeshots in Deep River or Essex, Steve, I may just have to put my uniform back on and be the one to pull you over. I might actually put an old detective light on the new W30 and get into a pursuit with you. haha
Actually I just bring basil see if you can keep up with her!!!!
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 896
From: Connecticut
Sounds like high school fun alright. North Haven...i haven't heard that town mentioned in awhile. I spent my first 23 years in CT. During the mid-'80s, I looked at a pair of Cutlasses in North Haven just off Merritt Parkway. One was a '71, Bittersweet or Sienna paint (i don't remember), BUT had Rallye 350 decals on it .
.Funny I had a 71 bittersweet cutlass console auto black interior in the 80's. My first olds. I also happened to live in STAVEN you know East of North Haven across the Q. I may have sold that car to someone in North Haven, very small world.
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 5,507
From: Seneca Falls, NY
If you were an officer in EH and ever worked a detail on the East Main St bridge job over RT 1 & Amtrak when it as rebuilt 15 or so years ago I probably met you. I was the Super running the job.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 823
From: Meriden CT
I know i'm going to get a ticket really soon!!!!! I feel like I'm in high school again doing holeshots everywhere!!!!!
You just watch doing them burnouts and holeshots in Deep River or Essex, Steve, I may just have to put my uniform back on and be the one to pull you over. I might actually put an old detective light on the new W30 and get into a pursuit with you. haha
You just watch doing them burnouts and holeshots in Deep River or Essex, Steve, I may just have to put my uniform back on and be the one to pull you over. I might actually put an old detective light on the new W30 and get into a pursuit with you. haha
Wouldn't that be racing and against the law????
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 823
From: Meriden CT
Sounds like high school fun alright. North Haven...i haven't heard that town mentioned in awhile. I spent my first 23 years in CT. During the mid-'80s, I looked at a pair of Cutlasses in North Haven just off Merritt Parkway. One was a '71, Bittersweet or Sienna paint (i don't remember), BUT had Rallye 350 decals on it .
.wow really.......i probalby was the one that owned the cars...
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 262
From: connecticut
That last video made me laugh out loud.I actually called my wife over to see it.A couple years ago I bought a 66 Bonneville that was in a barn,unstarted for 23 years.When I finally got it started I had this god awful smell.Then little smoking pieces of mice and nuts came flying out and bouncing all over the garage.
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 823
From: Meriden CT
That last video made me laugh out loud.I actually called my wife over to see it.A couple years ago I bought a 66 Bonneville that was in a barn,unstarted for 23 years.When I finally got it started I had this god awful smell.Then little smoking pieces of mice and nuts came flying out and bouncing all over the garage.
I hear you!!! glad you enjoyed the video. If i told the story of that happening without the video it would be hard to prove...lol
Last edited by StickW31; Sep 27, 2012 at 08:35 AM.
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 823
From: Meriden CT
Thank you. The cam specs are a classic stock W-31 cam:
308/308 duration .474/.474 lift
This engine was rebuilt years ago and has flat top forged pistons, It has 190 Lbs per cylinder of cranking pressure measured with a compression tester wihich tells me close to 10.5 to 1 or possibly more.
