70 W-30 rag/ac

Discussion in 'The "Other" Bench' started by seatstwo, Mar 28, 2006.

  1. seatstwo

    seatstwo Member

    I'm asking around to get info on these cars. I'm curious how common ac is in 70 W-30s. My car is a documented W-30 rag with ac and I haven't seen another. I know some of the members here like and own Olds as well as Buicks. Does anyone have any info.

    Thanks

    Phil
     
  2. flynbuick

    flynbuick Guest

    Buicklawyer on this Board just sold his 71 w30 ragtop with original dealer docs and it had AC. You would have to ask him as he judges that class at the Olds Nationals. I undestand from him that beginning in 71 W30 converts only came with AC if they had automatic trans.
     
  3. lhbarrett

    lhbarrett Active Member

    I believe ther were 1,304 442's convertibles and 110 were equiped with the W-30 option in 1971. This is according to production numbers from 2 sources I have. Try talking to some of the members at Realoldspower.com or 442.com as they are a great source of info.

    Regards,
    Lance

    1971 442 (W-30 clone), resto-mod, & 87 T-type & a whole lot of fun.
    http://community.webshots.com/user/lhbarrett
     
  4. seatstwo

    seatstwo Member

    Thanks for the replies. John has helped me frequently. I might try those Olds sights too. What I'm really looking for is info specific to the 70s. It seems that I can get more info on 71s even though there were fewer built. I'm not sure why.
     
  5. BlackGold

    BlackGold Well-Known Member

    For 1970 W-30s, A/C was only available on automatic cars. Body style is irrelevant.

    I can post some more info and numbers tomorrow. I don't have my stuff in front of me just now.
     
  6. buicklawyer

    buicklawyer Well-Known Member

    Phil --BlackGold is correct according to the Original sales and order brochure for 1970. "C 60 option ( air) available on W-30 with 3.23-to-1 rear axle ratio. M 40 and JL2 required." ( This is " Special W " turbo hydramatic and Power Brakes ) 264 W-30 conv with MT 96 and AT 168 according to information from Olds. I don't know if any is correct . John
     
  7. Dave H

    Dave H Well-Known Member

    That's the way I remember them, too. Don't think the cam was the same with A/C to get more vacuum. Much less aggressive.

    Always hated to drive W30 automatics in the winter when they were on the fleet as pool cars. You had to kick them out of gear to hold them at a stop or they'd slide the front wheels and keep going. Then when you did want to go, just spun. We'd always try to get Toros in the winter for the longer trips to topless bars in Detroit or Chicago...(after work, of course. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: ) More than once, left Lansing after bowling league and made last call in Chicago just in time to turn around and drive back in time for work. Much easier to go to Detroit. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
     
  8. pglade

    pglade Well-Known Member

    AC is fairly common on these cars (especially down here!)...you could also get 3.42 rear gears and get AC. Remember--the typical Olds buyer was spending some pretty good $$$. Something like 3100 W30s made in '70. Don't have breakdown of 4 spd/auto handy. Of these 70 W30s--262 were post coupes (split approx 1/2 and 1/2 between 4 speed and auto ----with a few less autos I think), somewhere in the low-to-mid 200's were converts I think, and the balance being the regular hardtops.

    For example--within the last few months I have seen two 70 W30 hardtop autos change hands down here that had factory AC on them.

    Cams were definitely different on 4 speeds and autos--4 speeds got the "328" cam I think and autos I am not sure.
     
  9. Brian Stefina

    Brian Stefina Well-Known Member

    :laugh: :laugh:

    My '68 Toro was borrowed by Dad to get to work on more than one occasion...when his F100 couldn't make it up the hill in front of our house during winter.

    The Toro......no sweat
     
  10. SmallHurst

    SmallHurst The Polyglas Pimp!

    Patton,
    I know with a Buick you could get 3.42's and a/c but I believe that Olds topped out a/c gearing at 3.23. Know all about the a/c thing! My H/O was originally purchased in Ft. Worth and has a/c and not much else! Copo Pete thinks I don't look at a vehicle that does not have a/c! :grin:
     
  11. SmallHurst

    SmallHurst The Polyglas Pimp!

    Your dad was just getting his dose of Olds torque! When I saw you respond, I thought this was going to be a Merc Hijack! :moonu:
     
  12. pglade

    pglade Well-Known Member

    Well--I will have a look at one in a garage near me :laugh: --original 70 W30 factory AC car---I'm pretty sure it's an original 3.42 car (could have been an option--that is what I meant---3.23s were probably the "standard equipment" on AC cars is what I was thinking).

    Frankly, I wish I had a time machine and could have influence on how this thing was ordered.....if it were up to me it would never have had that AC stuff on it!!
     
  13. Dave H

    Dave H Well-Known Member

    Think you're right, Patton. 3.23 std and 3.42 optional. Only pussies and girlie boys bought HO's with A/C, they didn't even offer 4 speeds. They wouldn't know what a rear end is...oh!....scratch that.......That may take on a whole new meaning with those guys! :moonu: :moonu: :moonu: :moonu: :moonu: :moonu:
     
  14. SmallHurst

    SmallHurst The Polyglas Pimp!

    I hear you Dave, and I will be stalking you in the staging lanes at Martin! If you get your '66 done in time for Stanton, I am calling you out now! :spank:

    Patton,

    Don't listen to me, I don't really know anything! Ask Dave, he will tell you! :Dou:
     
  15. Donny Brass

    Donny Brass 12 Second Club Member

    Geez Rusty, is there anyone you DON'T want to call out ??
     
  16. Sportwagon400

    Sportwagon400 Well-Known Member

    I sold my 71 W30 convert auto in the late 70's and it had no air .. it was one of 118 w30 converts built that year never should have sold her :Dou: would make a nice addtion to my fleet

    ken
     
  17. SmallHurst

    SmallHurst The Polyglas Pimp!

    Sorry guys, I have a little pent up aggression and need a place to vent! Come on spring! :3gears:
     
  18. Donny Brass

    Donny Brass 12 Second Club Member

    No need to be sorry..........

    I was actually hoping to fire you up more, I wanna see you call JJ out.....
     
  19. pglade

    pglade Well-Known Member

    I hate ac on musclecars----if us Sunbelt occupants can complain about one thing (hey we do get at least one thing to complain about, even though it was 85 degrees down here a few days ago!) it is the fact that all our predecessors ordered damn AC on these cars down here.

    Nothing a cutout from a NonAC 70 442 firewall can't take care of!
     
  20. BlackGold

    BlackGold Well-Known Member

    The facts, Jack, and some silly wild-a$$ guesses.

    Facts about the 1970 W-30s, based on mucho factory literature:

    1/ If you wanted A/C, you had to order an automatic, you had to order power brakes, and you had to order a 3.23 rear. These requirements had the effect of making this a fairly common package, if you can consider any W-30 common.

    2/ If you wanted power brakes but no A/C, you could do that, as long as you ordered an automatic.

    3/ Disc brakes, whether power or manual, were standard. Drums were available for at least a short time at the beginning of the model year as a disc-brake delete option.

    4/ W-30s with A/C used the same cam as any automatic W-30 -- which, believe it or not, was the same cam used by all automatic 442s, not just W-30s. This was the same cam used in many of the '68 - 70 performance cars with automatics.

    How many?
    I've seen numbers published in several sources which, for the most part, agree. I have no idea where the authors originally got their numbers. For all I know, they're all just quoting each other.
    1970 442s:
    Holiday Coupe (hardtop): 14709 total; 2574 were W-30s
    Sports Coupe: 1688 total; 262 were W-30s
    Convertibles: 2933 total; 264 were W-30s
    Total: 19330; 3100 W-30s

    BuickLawyer says that 168 of the 264 W-30 Convertibles were automatics. I never jotted down that number before, but I believe it, because it is consistent with the fact that about 60% (1542) of the W-30 Holiday Coupes were automatics.

    Now for the silly, wild-a$$ guesses:
    Maybe someone older than me :moonu: will remember better. But I'm guessing that only about 10% of the cars in 1970 were ordered with A/C -- obviously dependant on where the car was being shipped. Buuuuuut, as noted above, anyone who wanted A/C had to order an automatic. I'm guessing this means that a higher-than-average number of the automatic W-30s had A/C. Let's guess 20%. So 20% of 168 gives us
    about 34 1970 W-30 Convertibles with AT and A/C. :Smarty:

    Comments?
     
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2006

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