One that got away JEA, You missed the 68 Hurst, that my friend Tom Drew sold on ebay last week. Went for $32k. That was one of the nicest 68 Hursts I've ever seen. I used it as the pattern for the stripes on my 68 W30, but it got away before I got the hood done. Anyone on here got a 68 Hurst with correct stripes on the hood? Need the dims. Thanks.
Dave I bid on the car. Not interested in paying what it brought although a nice car. Another one showed up on ebay or 442.com in last few days. Seem to me it was rough . Come to think of it Dave it may be a 69. There is a 68 ramrod on ebay now. Right down your alley.
It's not just a ramrod, It's a 442 with the ramrod option and 4.10 gears!!!!! Just when you think you seen em all.
But I thought that all the *Canadian* built 442-RamRod's used a Chevy axle with available 4.10 gears ?? :moonu:
I think it's a real one My guess is this is a real one that has fallen into the hands of a bullshit artist salesman/company. That's based more on the pics of the car than any of the B.S. written there. I doubt this is the owner of the car and I see no mention of documentation to prove it. All the parts look correct on the car from the pics. Especially the damper and no fan shroud. Without documentation, though, it's impossible to discern. The condition of the car is remarkably similar to my car which also sat for many, many years. I also wouldn't be surprised if that mileage is 42k instead of 142k. Especially if the engine is correct and not rebuilt (with that gear). Obviously the valve covers have been off it. Love the plug wires, battery cables, and duct tape on the hoses. Very typical of an original car that hasn't been restored. Car could bring $12k but that's about it from a knowledgable collector. I doubt it's worth the extra $10-$15k it would take to bring it up to snuff. I didn't know Canadian built Chevy 12 bolts has 4.11 ratios. 4.10 maybe? Moot point since no W cars were ever built in Canada and that's the only place they put Chevy 12 bolts in Cutlasses or 442's.
Re: I think it's a real one Yep, you're right. I was kiddin' with Rubrich. I know that no '68 "W" cars came with 12-bolt Chevy's ....... :TU:
Kinda figured that I ran the original Olds 3.91 posi the first year when we lost the driveshaft and bellhousing. Decided to put the 4.10 from the 66 in there before we destroyed it, too. I wouldn't run an Olds 12 bolt with a stick shift. The Polyglas hook a lot harder than I thought they would, especially at Norwalk. I bogged the car with a 5000 sidestep after the event last year. Without bing able to preload the suspension and geartrain, that's a lot of shock loading on everything and I don't think the Olds axle will take that as long as the Chevy. As you know, parts are a lot cheaper and plentiful for the Chevy also. Hey Miller, you listening? :Brow: :Brow:
Had a GTO........... Just went through the feedback on RM online, the company that's listing that Ramrod. I guess they're a more reputable company than I first thought when I read the description of that car and all the errors and misstatements. Apparently they're a broker for many different companies and individuals. Saw a truck there from Auburn, Indiana as well as a 70 Cuda from California. He just doesn't know anything about W31's or Ramrods. No crime there, few people do.
After 30 years of your abuse........I think the O axle had proven itself. The poly glass don't hook THAT hard. If the aluminum W-27 axle could take limited abuse then your O axle would be fine. Especially with a 3.3 stroke small block. I bought a Pontiac with a trans planted O axle that had a 455 with NOS and slicks before the 455 ingested too much funny gas. Axle......just fine.....and a popular item to sell.
Personally ..... I think the idea that the "O"axle is weak, is a myth. Bolt-in axles .... caps are decent .... Anti-Spin carriers are now available ..... What exactly is the weak-link ? Just my thoughts .......
Really? The aluminum W27 didn't take the abuse and that's why it only lasted one year. Biggest problem was at the housing to tube area. Just was unique, pretty, and a lot less unsprung weight than the cast iron Olds 12 bolt it replaced. I watched John Pirochta design the cover when I worked with him. That is gorgeous. He patterned it after an old quick change from the flathead days. He and his brother, Fred, (OCA senior judge) ran a D altered flathead Model A coupe at Onondaga back then. It was named "Li'l Whine-o". Ran in the 14's with a full body. He also was on the Armco Steel projects with the aluminum engines. I think it was impact loading that contributed to a lot of the failures. Automatics are a lot less severe there since the convertor can preload the system. (except a transbrake?) Everybody I know that ran a 4 speed had rear end trouble with the Olds axle. Rob ran his for many years with his automatic. Redid it a coupla years ago and I guess it's ready for another 20 years or so. We sure dragged a lot of cars back from Norwalk and Stanton with busted Olds rears with the big block automatics, too. One year there were 3 of our 8 cars at an NSCA meet. Old Olds racer(can't remember the name) at Casey's shindig was telling me that they used to launch the Ramrods at close to 7000 back when he raced them. Tire technology was a lot different then, but it's nice to pick up the phone and have Dale Smith send out another axle or two whenever you need it. Those 5.00's we built in the axle plant went somewhere. You should see the one that came out of Brady's garage. The 68 used a one year only axle shafts with unique spline axles. They are unobtainable other than custom made aftermarket. 69 and newer ones don't fit the 68's. Racing with one is not wise. I heard somewhere that you can get repo posi units (Eaton maybe?) and maybe even gear sets now (Supercars Unlimited in Oregon), but for years if you broke it, you park it. They also broke a lot of spider gears. Easier to run the corporate Chevy 12 bolt and be done with it. Put the Olds axle in the corner.
Key word.....easier I said the W-27 took "limited" abuse. It had to take "some" or Olds would have stopped it before release. O axles are fine......heck it out lived your driveshaft..... 30 years of Dave abuse.........I've heard the stories :laugh:
Stories are all lies. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Stories are all gross exagertations, loosely based on facts not in evidence, and urban legends. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Funny, that driveshaft was the only component that had been rebuilt at the time it let go. I had it straightened, rebalanced, and reassembled with new spicer U joints at Joint, Clutch, and Gear on Telegraph just before that race. I had noticed a vibration after some serious tire frying at Woodward a couple of weeks before.
