Mike A

I have a 70 442 W30 4spd conv. w/ W27 rear axle. It has power steering and AC. My question is since I have heard that the W30 4Sd cars could not be ordered with power Steer or AC what is this about. Is this true? Does anyone know for sure that these cars were not available with these options please let me know.

Mr Shifty Sidney

In 1970 Air Cond was not available on the 4 speed W-30s. Power steering was an option on the 4 speed cars. Also, Power disc brakes were not availabe on the 4 speed cars and optional on automatics.


Don W

RandyS

Not doubting you, I know nothing about those cars, it just seem strange that a W30 with a 4 speed could not have PDB's............

oldsmobiledave

Correct. 4 speeds could not get power assisted disc brakes.

jensenracing77

X2

The 4 speed engine did not have enough vacuum to work the power brakes

jensenracing77

Like Don said, you could not get A/C with a 4 speed W-30. Either someone added A/C to your car or converted an automatic W-30 to a 4 speed or it is not a W-30.

Mike A

Thanks to everyone who replied! This car has AC and power disc brakes so it appears that it was ordered with an automatic and converted to a 4 spd after delivery. Oh well I think I'll keep it anyway! It is a stunner.

davebw31

Or it is your typical 442 cloned in to a W30, which is often done.

joe_padavano

The four speed W-30 motors used the 328/328 degree cam. The AT W-30 motors used the same 285/287 degree cam as the Toro W-34. How this cam made the same HP as the one in the manual trans motor remains a mystery of the marketing department. The cam difference is why you could not get power brakes or A/C (which required the vacuum to operate the flapper doors in the HVAC box) with the manual trans. This is well documented in the factory literature.

Note that this watered-down cam in the W-30 started with the 1970 model year. For 1969-earlier, Olds used the same cam in the MT and AT W-30 cars. You couldn't get power brakes or A/C on any W-30s prior to 1970.

Mike A

In the year since I first posted my question I have dug deep into the subject. The car has all of the items offered on the W30 including a matching number engine with the correct carburetor for an automatic. I have determined it is an auto W30 converted to 4 spd probably upon delivery. It has the electric solonoid that will not release the key unless the car is in reverse. No shadetree mechanic would go to that trouble. 4 spd console is correct also. I suppose I could convert it back to auto and double its value! Not likely. May sell it though.

joe_padavano

Just to be clear, the "matching number" is on the block and the block is the same for any 1970 442. That's not intended to negate your point, just an FYI for complete correctness. Everything else (heads, intake, carb) are all bolt-ons. Of course, if the date codes on all these parts are consistent with the build date of the car, there's a very high likelyhood that they are all original, as it is a time consuming and expensive task to try to locate correct parts with the correct date code.

As for the interlock, it's not a solenoid, it's a mechanical backdrive linkage, and it would have been necessary to install during a manual trans conversion so that the backup light switch worked correctly. Not only does this linkage lock the shifter, but it also rotates the tube in the steering column that moves the switch at the base of the column. Most of that hardware would have already been there there for an AT installation. The only part that would have needed to be added during a manual trans swap would have been the rod from the reverse lever on the trans to the crossover rod that runs from the trans to the frame rail.

Stefano

The difference between a 1970 W-30 and a 1970 442 are generally just bolt on items. The original engine block would match, date code and VIN derivative in either case, if it was original to the car.

If your car had the original TH400 transmission with an original corresponding OW tag and matching VIN or some paperwork, your level of certainty could increase.

Is there an echo in here?

joe_padavano

Until you see an ad for one of these on ebay...

70-442-W30

Can you post a picture of your cowl tag? Just wondering how early of a W-30 it is. Thanks.