Hello Oldsmobile lovers! I recently picked up a 68 442. I'm just tyring to figure out if this could possibly be a W30 car. It's Supposedly a one owner low option car ordered that way by the original owner. 12 bolt posi, auto on the column, all drum manual brakes and of course the ram air with red plastic wheel wells. This was a true "barn find" and everything looks original with some rust issues due to it sitting in barn dirt for years since the owner passed away. I'm sorry I may sound ignorant but this is the fist GM product I've had in years. Ask me about Mopars and I can help you out> Thanks!

 

The first and most obvious question is whether its a Lansing car.

It's real tough to document 68-69's unless they're from Canada.

 

yes it's a lansing car. Vin:
344878M362514

 

What color is it?

The most popular tend to be EB5, FE5, FF8, and FC7 . . . oh, sorry, you're asking about an Olds. ;-)

But what color is it? Does it have the side stripe? What color is that? Can you take a photo of the latter? Because the position of the stripe may narrow things down.

 

Post a few pics of the engine bay. We can start asking questions from there.

 

Original color was code GG, Willow Gold. I was told there was stripes but the car has been repainted Maroon. I just got the car and I'm working on getting it running dependably so it has not been taken apart in search of the broadcast sheet or build sheet which ever you prefer. The stripe were on option for all 442's and could have been deleted for W30's so though they may add some verification they aren't a guarantee.

 

That is correct.

 

You won't find a build sheet and the broadcast card won't tell you if it's a W30. I've only seen one documented car that was a stripe delete so that's fairly rare.

 

I can do that tomorrow as the car is in my freinds shop. The original 400 is out getting rebuilt. We threw in a 350 we had laying around but had to fix a short to get it to run. I need to get it back and forth to body and mechanics shops etc.

 

i tries to upload photos you all requested but it kept failing. I'll keep trying. Sorry!

 

 

You've obviously researched enough to show the pics of the important things. The motor doesn't look original. Is the VIN derivative correct on the trans? (I can't tell from the pic). That's probably the one thing that verifies it as a real W30

 

Is the VIN derivative "38M362514" on that OW transmission?

 

Correct about the engine. It's still in NY where I bought the car from. It is a 400 and I believe that there are certain letters on the heads that are W30 specific. Also the OW trans is W30 specific, not meaning that only W30's have them but they Should be present on W30's. Now please understand I am just repeating what I have read and learned within the last week or so, weather it is 100% correct I can't say. I was told that everthing in the car is original and by the looks of them (Carpet, seats etc) it is. Well I'll keep on trying to verify and keep you posted.

 

I haven't had a chance to look as the car has been getting work done just so I can get it around (brake lines, tune up etc). Where on a GM tram could I find this??

 

That's the first most obvious thing to go for on an auto trans car.

Trans, RH side, tag about 1x1.5" - I see you found that already.
It says OW therefore that's a W30 trans. I don't think anything else used the OW trans except maybe the H/O which would be even better.

Trans case, LH side, in the cast finish part JUST above the pan gasket, about midway fore-aft on the pan, stamped-in VIN deriviative like
38M100123
but with exact characters matching your VIN = W30 proof.

Among other 442/W30 cues
Manual Brakes
typically have Rallye Gages and fender stripe
Often have faux wood steering wheel
442's should have a double white stripe on the dash metal under the dashboard.


SOME cars got a bright molding inside on the roof between windows and headliner. Pretty rare and is NOT an indicator of 442 or W30, I just mention it in case you have that option.

Post the Body Tag photo?

The blue valve covers would not be original- is that the driver engine?
Post photos of the "D" casting heads?

Document EVERYTHING
e.g. the letter stamped into the block deck surface next to each bore- typical run of the mill engines will be A, B, maybe C- W30 bores will probably be "D" stamped with "A" pistons. Looser fit.
Details of the Chamfers and notches on the front of the cam will tell what factory grind it is.
Consult the factory Chassis Service Manual and Assembly Manuals via wildaboutcars.com.

Look for "W..." grease pencil markings on the inside of the front fenders.

Find out the rear end ratio by whatever means necessary.

 

It will be on the other side of the trans, just above the pan rail.

 

Some good new information to look for. Thanks. This car As I was told by the wife of the owner and by what I can see just by looking was a very low option car not even rallye package dash?? Also the car was gold with black stripes as per wife. The car was painted and even the red fender wells were painted black. Engine was put in there just to get the car around. The original is still in NY where the car is from have to go pick it up.

 

The only info of interest on the cowl tag that you haven't noted already is that "TR 950" is a black bench seat interior

04E is a fifth week of April build week

Where in NY are you finding this stuff? All I find up here are rusty POS

 

Nice find, so far it seems to be leaning towards a real W30. The original heads on the original engine and carb number will tell more as well. For you 68 folks - what about the manifold isn't that W30/Hurst specific too

 

Nope, all are the same except the toro

I think the carb is a 7028254 but I don't believe much of anything I read on 442.com. I seem to remember they used 7028253's on automatics (and all other 442's). Chris or Joe can tell you for sure. They both own 68 W30's

 

Oh i never said it was rust free!! Far from it. The trunk is good, some small rust through on floor, behind front seat?? The rest of the floor is fine. Then typical stuff similat to yours, lower fenders, some small door stuff etc, etc. Nothing to expensive or something I can't do. The worst part was evicting the animals, very sad!

 

The 442 emblems on the fenders appear to be in the correct position for W-36 stripes (it's hard to tell from the angle of the photo). This isn't necessarily proof but it's corroborating evidence. Nearly all 68 W-30 cars came with the stripes, but stripes were also optional on other 442s.

Bottom line is that the car appears to be legit. The OW trans tag looks like it was born there. I've seen red inner fenders painted black before (I've even got one). Nice find.

 

Thanks for your help and input. It's not imperative that it be a W30, just want the bragging rights! I've liked 442's since I was a kid and always wanted one. I've had musle cars from almost all American makers but not Olds or buick and when this popped up for 2g's I felt compelled. I want to restore to original as possible for weekend romps (in cool weather, no AC!!). I'll try to post better side pics but where are the emblems supposed to be??

 

congrats on the car...Here are the emblem location on my 68 442..as was mentioned, from the angle of your pic it is hard to tell...mine was a stripe delete car, with a white pin stripe running under the side chrome moulding and back above drip rail to top of window pillar...
I had some of that rust...but at least we are saving them!

welcome to CO

Ted

 

Yep, that's mine but painted green. I'm even looking at replacing the frame/chasis. I was told that the frame is stamped with identifying number calling out being a 442, WO or HO. Has anyone else heard of this or knows about it. I think there may be to much rust to get a reading though. Is your car finished? If so post some pics so I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

 

Ted,

Was yours GM of Canada documented and/or was it an Oshawa car?? The reason I ask is it looks like your numbers are in the standard location for non W36 stripe and if it was a Y-74 stripe delete it meant the pin stripe was deleted and the W36 stripe was added. There was no delete code for the W36 stripe. Things were different in Oshawa though

 

So you are saying the W36 stripe was not deletable from the W30 package? Thats what I always thought, that all 68 W30s had the W36 stripe.

 

Mike,
My 442 is an Oshawa car and I have the docs from GM. The car never had the W36 stripe.....sorry, the term stripe delete I maybe should not have used.The car is GG paint with a Provincial White pin stripe(C), and was ordered that way.

Ted

 

I am not totally schooled on the W36 fender stripe but I thought it "generally" went with the W30 pkg, but could be deleted or even added to a non-W30 car, so it's by no means definitive. We do know that the numerals on the striped cars are positioned differently on the fender- see just about any epay advertised car for incorrect stripe over too far fwd numerals, so that stripe hits wheel opening trim at the bottom... Whereas the proper stripe is farther aft and ends up about in the middle the fender's heel.

There should be a frame VIN derivative stamp matching that of the engine and trans, but NOT any sort of indicator of W-ness or H/O-ness to the best of my knowledge, other than that already provided by your VIN-Stapmed OW trans.

I'd be very interested in seeing the carb numbers. Date should be stamped into the BASE near the left rear mtg hole. LH side. Many used the '8251 carb, as found on every run of the mill 1968 RWD bb- 88, 98, std issue 442, etc. The rumored but seldom seen Manual Trans Carb '8253 is almost as rare as the Solid Main Web 403 of lore. Later W30's were fitted with the '8254 carb, which I have one of, so I know they exist.

Does your carb have a gray/black choke pulloff at the front right corner? It seems the performance carbs of that era got that unit.

More Photos, por favor...

 

When I was referring to there not being a W36 delete I was talking about his non W30 car wouldn't have a W36 delete because it was never had that option to begin with. I know I wasn't very clear about what I was trying to say.

Like Chris said, I believe the W36 stripe could be deleted the W30. There's a thread on ClassicOlds about a year or less ago about a 68 W30 that was a stripe delete. It's a car that has the original (when I find a pic I'll post it so you can tell me for sure) window sticker documenting it as such.

 

the reason I posted in the first place was to show the placement of the 442 emblems on a non W30 car, so he could compare .

 

Here's the thread on the 68 W30 without the stripe

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...nvertible.html