bobb

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the warm welcomes! I look forward to getting answers to questions others have probably asked a million times already and sure do appreciate all your help. You seem like a great group of guys. I'm thinking this is going to be a fun ride.

I can generally decode GM trim tags without a problem, as all the 442 books include the GM Assembly Manual explain it well....but the trim tag (located on the cowl, drivers side, under the back of the hood) on my 70 W30 has a code I can't seem to decifer. On the third line immediately after the time date code it says B85. Does anyone know what this means? Is it an option code of some sort?

To be clear my trim tag says this:

First Line: ST70 34487LANXXXXXXX BDY
Second Line: TR 930 14 19 PNT
Third Line: 03B B85

Thanks again for your help!!

regards,
bob

arodenhiser

I have a picture of a '68 build sheet and it lists a few B8 and B9X codes as various trim and molding pieces. It might be in that area.


Adam

bobb

Well....a little more digging and it appears B85 is either an Exterior Belt Molding option (car is not a Supreme so that's not it), or "Moldings, Chrome Side Window Sill, Coupe". That last one comes from the list of Factory Installed Equipment page in the Olds literature.

So now the question is.........does anyone have a pic of what the Chrome Side Window Sill Moldings actually look like, as mine aren't on the car?

thanks,
bob

spf1410

Bob: here's my guess-

B85: Molding, Body Reveal.

From this link: http://www.442.com/oldsfaq/ofocd.htm

This should be the belt reveal molding that runs along the top of the door and quarter panel. You can see them in this video as I go by down the side of the car:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNBjsgpfSKA

Hope that helps! Jim

bobb

Yup.....I understand now. Thanks for the video Jim......very cool car. These moldings run along the top of the door and in front of the rear quarter windows. Baasically if you stuck your arm out the window your upper arm would rest on this trim. I found a pic of a used door on Ebay and they were clearly visible. So now I just have to find a complete set including the quarter window molding pieces. I did a quick look online and it doesn't appear these are repopped. Anybody know if this was a common option.....or am I gonna pay out the nose when I find a set?

thanks,
bob

wmachine

Once again:
The "oldsfaq" at http://www.442.com/oldsfaq/ofocd.htm is and has been *DEAD*.

Updated and LIVE version is:
http://www.oldsmobilewiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page

spf1410

Thanks Kurt, the "Wiki" site is cool!

70Post

It's a lot less common NOW...and it wasn't a real common option in the first place. What happened is nobody offered outside window sweepers that could be used with these moldings so a lot of people just tossed them and went with the more common "bare sill" look since the outer sweepers for that style have been available virtually forever.

Now, I think the correct sweepers are around. Finding a set of moldings???---who knows....you may get lucky and find a set that someone left off their now-restored car and has no need for them.

Also...they are aluminum and they were anodized so you will have to deal with the finish if you get used pieces. Either get them re-anodized (after any dents and dings have been removed) or you can strip off the anodizing, polish them up and either try clearcoating them with paint (may or may not last) or just leave them bare and periodically polish them with a good aluminum polish.

Anodizing isn't typically real cheap unless you have a buddy in the plating business.

Not repopped to my knowledge.

NOS type moldings, if you find them. will likely be expensive and even those may need to be refinished depending on how they survived over the years and/or how new you want them to look. Lots of NOS stuff is reject stuff and/or beat up, etc....be careful. Don't fall for the trick of some guy saying...."What do you mean are they nice??...they're NOS so they are perfect!!"

bobb

Hi Patton,

Thanks for the info......and I hear what you're saying. I believe the sweeps for these molding are now being repopped......I found a set on Ebay that say they are for "FOR CARS WITH SPECIAL MOLDING ON THE DOORS". I haven't pursued it further, but I'm thinking he means the moldings we are talking about.

I'll keep my eyes out for a set of moldings, now that I know what I'm lookin for, but won't be too disappointed if I never find them. It'll just be one of those things that will always bug me about my car if I don't have them and it came from the factory with them. But life's too short to sweat that kind of stuff.

Thanks again for taking the time to educate me......it's a full time job.

Have a great night,
bob

spf1410

Bob- don't let it drive you too crazy. I've not had drip rail moldings on my car for years, because they were not previously available. After a while, it got "easier" to look at. I feel your pain, brother!

(I know drip rails are available now. However, I haven't convinced my wife that they're essential and, therefore, she hasn't let out enough line to me.)


PS- any pictures of your car?

bobb

Hi SPF,

I have taken some pics of my monster, but I'm not sure how to upload them for you guys to see them. I'm sure it's explained somewhere on this site....I just haven't had the time to look. When I figure it out I'll put up what I have of my 70 W30 JBOW (that's Junk Box on Wheels) and some of my 72 W30, which is a nice original 50K mile unrestored car.

This site looks like a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to talking to you guys. I haven't met many Olds fans I haven't liked........I'm thinking it's a good brotherhood to be in.

Take care,
bob

stevengerard

Man.... another W30 guy who has no idea how he is devaluing his car by not putting the exact correct parts back on the car - you should just give it to me You have two any way. Post some pictures!!!!!! I'm still not sure what you guys are talking about after looking at the video - which by the way is one great looking car - wow, ralley red with gold stripes - unbelievable color combo

bobb

Hi Steven,

It's hard to see the moldings we're talking about in the video unless you really look hard and know where to look. Basically, we're talking about the outside window fuzzies on the doors and quarter windows behind the doors. On cars without the option the window fuzzies are black rubber with a real thin chrome stip or bead that you see from the outside of the car, and they don't extend very far on the upper door lip where it meets the window. With the option the fuzzies are different and don't have the chrome bead because a wider aluminum trim piece sits on the top of the door with a different fuzzy behind it. So if you were to look at the where the door meets the window on a non optioned car you'd simply see the black rubber fuzzie with the thin chrome bead. On the option car there's an aluminum molding about 3/4" wide that sits on top of the door ledge with the fuzzie behind it and runs from the back of the quarter window to the end of the door by the mirror (but it's two pieces ). This molding is on both doors and also on quarter panels at the base of the quarter windows. Check out this link to the ebay auction for the door I was talking about and look closely at the pics....you'll see what we're talking about. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1970-...item4cefac7637

Funny thing is this molding is no big deal. Which is why I can't figure out why they'd actually put the code on the trim plate. Go figure.

Take care,
bob

stevengerard

ok, now I recognize it, maybe they put the code on because as little as it may mean to many of us back then it could have been an easy thing to skip on the assembly line, or maybe it was just rarely ordered. My cowl tag has zero options listed on it yet my car is loaded, original price was expensive so I know it came with a lot originally.

allyolds68

If the moulding requires a hole for a clip on the door (or probably more importantly the rear 1/4) that is anything different than the base model it would have to have a body option code from Fisher so that it could be used accordingly in the Olds assembly plant. I can't remember which codes designated what over the years but I know that 64-67 have a specific code that designates the 4 speed hole in the floor on the cowl tag. I also think I remember something about a cowl tag code for the rear antenna option too in 68/69

I'm sure someone more knowledgable than me can talk about what made it onto the cowl tag & what was on a Fisher broadcast sheet (as apposed to Olds Build sheet)

My442

I had my B85 moldings stripped and polished.

Hit them once in a while with Autosol polish.

The anodized ones from the factory were not that shiny.

bobb

Ok.......my worries are over. When I bought this 70 W30 it was complete, but most of the chrome and trim was in the trunk. I just went thru and sorted all the parts.........and the original 4 pieces of B85 molding were there.......with the old window sweeps still attached. Ahhh....life is gooood!

Thanks for your help,
bob

Diego

So is this a two-tone car?

bobb

No Diego.....the car was a solid color (silver). The reveal molding is on top of the door by the window sweeps....it doesn't seperate body colors.

later,
bob

Diego

Then what's the 14 19 codes?

Jamesbo

When you reply make sure you are in “Advanced” If it says post a “Quick reply” hit “Advanced”

Scroll down below the box you type in and hit “Manage Attachments” A new box will pop up.

Hit “Browse”

The hit “Upload” and wait a few secs for the pics to up load. Then close this box.
Next you can hit “Preview Post” and your pictures should be there.

There is a size limit on pics

joe_padavano

As Diego correctly points out, this WAS a two-tone car - or at least the data plate is from a two tone car.

14 = Platinum Poly lower body color
19 = Ebony Black upper body color (roof)

Check inside the trunk, just outboard of the lower corners of the back window. You're going to find filled holes from the trim that separated the two colors. The two tone cars used the same chrome trim as the vinyl top cars.

Diego

Two-tone cars are VERY rare . . . I wouldn't be surprised for it to be 1 of 100 or so.

I've only seen one, and it wasn't a W-30.

stevengerard

I've only seen one as well - saw a base 72 two tone car at Lansing this year, was one of the coolest cars there and one of my favorites, medium blue with white top - Texas car

joe_padavano

My 68 W-30 is a factory two-tone car. White lower, black upper, and red W-36 stripes.

At least the stripes are in the right place.

bil

Just so I have it straight,these trim pieces are sort of a protector for the paint edge,where you would rub if the window was down? I think I had them on a 68 years ago.Thanks. ---bil

bobb

Wow....this is very interesting. If someone tells me how to post pics I'll get some up........but my car does have a black painted roof and a silver (platinum) body. I always thought the 19 was black....meaning black vinyl, not black paint! I was just telling a friend a week or so ago that whatever paint they used on the roof is really holding up good. I just assumed someone took off the black vinyl top and painted to roof black just to keep it from rusting.

But I just checked the Olds Restoration Guide and you're right.....14 19 is Platinum with Ebony top. I've never (until now) seen a 442 or Cutlass with a painted roof (and the vinyl roof trim). I was planning on filling in the holes and painting the roof body color....but now I have to rethink that.

Ok.....this site was worth the price of membership!!!!

regards,
bob

bobb

Hi Bill,

Yeah, you can think of it that way. If you look closely at a door or skin, at the top of the door where the sheet metal meets the window is a flat ledge...maybe an inch or so. This trim just sits on that edge and also at the base of the rear quarter window.

regards,
bob

bobb

Thanks for the info on how to upload pics. I'll put up two of the two tone and get some better pics later today or tomorrow.

bob

stevengerard

wow, I would definitely keep it two tone, silver and black is an awesome color combination that car is nice!!

bobb

Hi Steven,

I think you're right. Knowing what I now know I think I'm locked into silver with a black roof when I restore it. Now I want to know how many 70 W-30 were made with two tone. It's funny because before you guys discussed what the 14 19 paint code meant I was going to ask for opinions on whether people thought it was ok to change the car from vinyl top to hardtop and if it really hurt the car's value when restored. Now I don't need.. )

I'm learning a lot from this site....I guess the subscription price was worth it. (SMILE)

bob

Diego

If any numbers exist, it's for all 4-4-2s and not divided by any option. That being said, I have seen some numbers from the GM Heritage Center and it says, through June 1970, only 331 were built - Kurt can vouch for me. Of course, there's July 1970 production too, so the number above is not total production. It also doesn't include the two-tone cars built in one of the 4 extra cost colors, which had their own code.

bobb

Diego.....Thanks for the info. Great stuff.

bob