1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass W31
The W-30, W-31, W-32
and the Hurst/Olds represent the most powerful production
Cutlass available for the model year. They are also the most
sought after Cutlass models. Here is a great opportunity to
slide into some very popular muscle. Rare, beautiful and
dependable, you will not be disappointed with this car.
Out here in California there are so many great vehicles, you
just don’t know what is going to become available next. This is
a good example of what just might appear out of nowhere. The
W-31 was a Cutlass with a 350 CID Performance Option, not a 442
Option and was only built for 2 seasons, in 1969 and 1970. Only
1029 of these made, how many left???
64,494 MILES Showing on the Odometer.
1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass “S” 2 DR Hardtop Coupe with the W-31
Performance Option Package. They could have called it the Power
and Paint Package. This is a turnkey car and could be show
worthy very easily. And with a production number of 1029 Units,
a real opportunity to pick up a very rare piece. While it is not
perfect, it is in excellent condition. Needs almost nothing
mechanically or cosmetically, the needs stem more from the fact
that it is not completely stock.
It starts right up and as soon as you hear it, you know that low
rumble is just waiting to be opened up, All Muscle.
Motor is the same special 350 High Performance V8 Engine as in
1968-69. The engine is mated to a Muncie M21 4 Speed Trans w/
Hurst Shifter. Dual Exhaust, Rochester Quadra-Jet 4BBL
Performance Carb w/correct Aluminum Intake. Correct FE2
Suspension, Limited Slip Rear-End. Manual Brakes, HD 4 core
Radiator. A 10 bolt limited slip rear end as well as The Rare
Adjustable Suspension Option. Located next to the gas fill
behind the rear license plate is an Air pressure valve for
adjusting the shocks.
Engine compartment is untouched. The adjustable Suspension needs
new lines. The car has five virtually new red line 235/60R15
tires mounted on chrome Oldsmobile Rally wheels.
Much of the interior is New and Correct from Year One. Newly
Upholstered Bench Seats w/Headrests have Shoulder Harnesses and
Lap Belts. The Door Panels and Armrests are New. The Original
Factory 4 Spoke Rallye Steering Wheel. The dash is near perfect,
with all the Original Gauges working (except the tach),
including The Original Oldsmobile Factory Push Button AM Radio
w/Optional Rear Seat Speaker. Notice the face of the instrument
cluster with the three-pod dash, the Rally Pac was a combination
of Tach/clock (the Tic-Toc-Tach) in the right hand gauge pod and
a set of fuel/oil/temp gauges in the left gauge pod. The Speedo
was the same as on other cars. All of the lights and signals,
wipers etc. work. The New Headliner and Carpet are consistent
with the rest of the interior, nice and clean.
Look at the close ups of the exterior on this Cutlass; there are
no dents or paint dings anywhere, the body is virtually
flawless. The paint work is excellent, the black stripes
trimming the wheels have been done correctly, the points follow
along the bottoms of the quarters perfectly. Look at the way the
doors line up in the long side views. The Factory (RAMAIR) Cowl
Induction Hood (W25 option), the Dual Scoops with the Black
Sport Striping highlighted against the Rallye Red (Flame
Orange). Under the hood the Lightweight Inner Fender Wells are
the correct black, not red. The Grill and Front Bumper are New.
So is the Correct Rear Bumper – A Cutlass “S” would not have
cutouts for the exhaust or chrome exhaust tips. Dual Sport
Mirrors and Factory Hood Pins. The Chrome and Die cast W31
Emblems are all in good condition as well. The body looks great.
Factory Tinted Glass is all there and in good condition. The
undercarriage, the frame, the floors and the trunk are solid,
even the usual places like the underside of the rear window show
no signs of bubbling or rust. The undercarriage could use a good
buffing tho; there is some surface rust visible when you take a
look. The rest of this car is rust free. The trunk has been
powder coated and detailed. No sign of any accidents, but there
has been some rust repair done on some small areas on the rear
quarters and the lower doors.
Summing it up, this car is great inside and out. It’s a future
show car, an investment piece, and it purrs like a kitten. You
can just drive and enjoy it as is. It drives, shifts, handles
and rides with no issues. I do think that it is too nice to make
a daily driver, could be a great highway driver. If you don’t
want to attract attention, you had better look for a different
car. This car literally draws a crowd wherever it goes. Be
prepared to answer a lot of questions from onlookers! A
collectors or investors dream.
Last Word: After tons of research, I’ve found that this vehicle
has more items that are W-31 options, than are not. I do believe
it is an actual W-31. Having said that, it seems that without
the original broadcast sheet (similar to the "build sheet" for
other GM cars) or a VIN-matching dealer invoice, there is no way
to be 100% sure that this is in fact a True W-31. The VIN and
Cowl Tag Information are here, along with tons of other stuff so
you can do the research and come to your own conclusions.
Fisher body Data Plate reads:
ST70 33687LAN213836 BDY
TR 940 - - PNT
12A B85 B80
B85 is code for side window sill moldings.
B80 is Roof Drip Moldings.
The paint code for a Rallye is two dashes that look like this:
--.
Build date code 12A, 1st Week of December.
VIN 336870M******.
Must be Lansing built car with "M" in the VIN tag.
All Rallyes & W-31’s were built in Lansing, Michigan.
Authentication: Is it really a W-31???
Same special 350 as 1968-69,325 HP Oldsmobile "W-31" 350CI
Engine. Engine block casting #395558. The engine appears correct
for car.
OLDSMOBILE W350 raised letters on Aluminum Intake Manifold
casting #406115. Block ID# under #1 plug is unreadable.
The trans is believed to be a correct Muncie close ratio M-21
4-speed. The Transmission Code (looks like) #9755587.
INCORRECT Number 8 on the front of the heads by the #1 cylinder.
Correct Rochester Q-jet 4BBL Performance Carb for Manual Trans.
Exhaust Manifold #GM380001LH.
Centered on Valve Cover Bolts #411 828.
Oil filler tube code #332428L identified the engine.
Standard 350 exhaust manifolds with the block off plate.
442 Dual Exhaust Bumper not standard on W-31.
Correct FE2 Rallye Sport Suspension.
Adjustable Rear Suspension Package.
Manual brakes only.
Front AND Rear Sway Bars.
Boxed Lower Rear Control Arms.
OAI Force Air Induction System Hood, Standard on 1970 442, W-30
and W-31 (W25 option).
Dual Ram Air Scoops on the hood.
W-trunk lid w/ no sound insulation material.
Dual Sport mirrors.
Diecast W31 Emblems.
Same body pin striping as W-30.
No, this is NOT a Numbers Matching car.
Does not have Number 6 or "F" on cylinder head.
Do not have Distributor ID; should be #1111979.
Not sure about W and Z exhaust manifolds.
Does not have the huge harmonic balancer.
Does not have optional rear spoiler.
There is no build sheet.
1970 W31 Production Numbers
3277 F85 Club Coupe 207
3677 Cutlass Sport Coupe 116
3687 Cutlass Hardtop 1,029
Total 1,352
A Little Muscle Car History Lesson:
The Hurst/Oldsmobiles were supposed to be a specially prepared
"upgrade" for the 442, not designed to take the place of the
W-30. For whatever reason, Hurst and Olds seemed to have a
love/hate relationship through the years, and the 70 H/O was not
to be. A real Hurst/Olds never happened due to Oldsmobile trying
to do it all by themselves. Olds wanted a 70 H/O and the Rallye
350 was the modified end result of the original 70 H/O design.
What they did put together was the Rallye 350, which was
originally conceptualized as the 1970 Hurst/Olds. Olds figured
they could do this themselves in-house (note: the spoiler/ram
air, wild graphics), but also try to rub snake-oil on the
insurance carrier's backs at the same time by offering a
performance car, but with a "smaller" and still potent engine. A
New option was offered on the F-85 and Cutlass S called the
Rallye 350. So they built the Rallye 350, and used the 350cu in.
310 hp engine and painted them Sebring Yellow with orange and
black decal hood patches and side trim. A rear deck spoiler was
available on the Rallye 350, 442 and W models. The 70-72 442
wings were fiberglass, not aluminum. The W-25 OAI fiberglass
hood was optional for all Cutlass variations. The Rallye 350
would be only a one year option and less than 12 were actually
built to original W-31 select-fit specifications. The W-31 was
continued in the F-85 and Cutlass S; these cars were easily
identified by W-31 identification on the front fender striping.
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