455Olds

Obviously, there are many variables that contribute to the curb weight of a car. I'm asking because I've heard a few times now that my post car is "lighter" than a comparable fastback, notchback, or convertible with similar features. Is there any truth to this, and was this something that guys knew back in the day when they ordered a car?

I know in the 87-93 FOX chassis Mustang days, the notchback was the lightest of them all, and guys knew it. Hence, the drag racers and street racing guys gravitated (and still do) toward that body style for weight savings alone. Appreciate any insight you guys can shed on the matter. Thanks!

Chris

1970cs

Information from GM heritage center pg 24 or pdf pg 48 442 model
34467= 3844 lbs.
34477= 3771
34487= 3817
http://www.gmheritagecenter.com/docs...2_Info_Kit.pdf

Pat

wmachine

There are various places that the weights we available to the buyer, notably the showroom Product Selling Albums and and the salesmen SPECS booklets:
http://wildaboutcarsonline.com/cgi-b...aldisplayed=50

Whatever "type" of weight you're using would suffice for comparison, as you'd be comparing apples and apples.
Yes, the post cars are lighter and every savy racer knows this and did know this is true. It is part of racing knowledge to know what your car weighs and what components weigh what.


Wild About Cars. http://wildaboutcars.com. An information supersource, especially Oldsmobile. More Olds content than anywhere else on the internet and continuing to grow.
You'll find Chassis Service Manuals, Product Information Manuals (AKA Assembly Manuals), Inspector's Manuals, and other documents that will contain this and much much more.
Dealer Brochures, magazine ads and articles, and the Automotive History Preservation Society library growing daily.
Free to join, free to learn.

455Olds

Thank you guys for the information!! However, I'm just realizing now, my VIN is 344770E------ and it's a sports coupe (post). I'm a little nervous now. The 77 in my VIN decodes to a 2D club coupe, not a sports coupe. According to the VIN decoder, 07 is the code for a post car. Am I missing something??

http://www.oldsmobility.com/old/vin.htm

455Olds

Now I'm more confused... this site:

http://www.v8cars.hu/oldsvin/decode.php

Says that the car codes out to be a sports coupe after all. Which is correct?

Diego

Forget about online decoders and deal with written facts.

455Olds

"The problem with sourcing information on the internet is verifying its authenticity."

-Abraham Lincoln

wmachine

Not a problem if you are using information that is original documents. There is a difference in using "compiled" and second hand information as opposed to original document or primary sources. When you understand the difference, you can know what to believe and what not to believe. VIN decoders are secondary information and thus subject to error. That is why I sent you to Wild About Cars for authentic original documents. It is a source of primary information.
The SPECS booklets are a good example of this that will clear up your misinformation:
http://wildaboutcarsonline.com/cgi-b...aldisplayed=50

Allan R

Don't be confused.
First you do have a 442; that's what the 44 designation is in your VIN. The 77 designates it as a post car. You can call it Sports coupe or club coupe, but they are the same reference to a 2 door pillared car. If it was without the B pillar (non post) it would be referred to as a "Holiday" or "hardtop" coupe. There were a lot of terms used and re-used by many brands to mean the same thing.

Your 1970 442 was built in Linden New Jersey - that's what the E stands for. The last 6 digits are the sequential build number assigned to the car at NJ. You should also check your cowl tag to find out the build date. It will be listed on the bottom left as a sequence of numbers and a letter. The numbers represent the month the car started it's life and the letter represents the week Fisher Body started production of the shell. The last 6 digits of your VIN should correspond to the time build date fairly closely.

If your time build is 08 - 12, it was built in 1969 for the 1970 model year. If the build date is 01-06 it was built in 1970.

455Olds

The amount of information available on this site is staggering sometimes. Thank you Allan and Kurt for the help. It was the terminology discrepancy that threw me off. My car was ordered as a pretty spartan example of a 1970 442. Oldsmobile was always synonymous with creature comforts in my mind, which is why the bare-bones nature of the options my car was ordered with (or without) is so intriguing to me. My guess is that the low option, post car combination was not a coincidence. The original owner knew what he was doing with the lighter body style and decreased weight. Thanks again guys!

Diego

I would venture to suggest that the post coupe was the entry level 4-4-2 and that you're likely to find more more cheapie versions of that than hardtops. It may not be due to an original owner but, rather, a dealer wanting to move stock. As I don't know how your car is equipped, I'm only guessing.

455Olds

I suppose any inference about what motivated someone to order a vehicle a certain way 44 years removed is an exercise in futility, fun as it may be. Your idea about price being the motivating factor makes a lot of sense. As far as options go, my car was ordered as a factory black, white vinyl bench seat, manual transmission, manual drum car. I like to believe that someone wanted a stripped down, spartan street racer with big block Olds power and none of the amenities, although it's just as possible that it was sitting on a showroom floor and was bought as-is. It's fun to spin a story, though.