455 questions

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Gesell23

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Jul 7, 2013
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I have an opportunity to buy an 85 cutlass with a 455. Owner claims it's a 72 from a wagon and it's a w-30.
He also says he has dumped in 4000 into the motor and it's running 425hp.


Is this possible?

What are some specs this could really have? Are there any tell tail signs it could be a w-30?
 

Gesell23

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Jul 7, 2013
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This is what I was sent by owner

Came out of an 72 olds station wagon. W30 block. It is bored 30 over with a new crank. 3/4 cam. Does still have the olds distributer flattop Keith black pistons. Edelbrock intake/carb. The transmission wa just redone less than 100 miles on it. Th400.
 

FE3X CLONE

Comic Book Super Hero
Dec 2, 2009
2,714
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48
Ohio
W-30 block out of a '72 wagon? Doesn't sound right to me unless it was swapped before he got it. To be sure it's even a 455 you need the number off the water pump shelf between the oil filler tube and oil pressure gauge sender.

What heads are on it?

I'm also always leery of someone claiming "425HP" but they state it has a "3/4 cam".
 
Oct 14, 2008
8,806
7,746
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Melville,Saskatchewan
The W30 block is nothing special, the heads have the value. Keith Black pistons would be dished and a 3/4 cam could be anything. See if he has any bills for it.
 

69hurstolds

Geezer
Supporting Member
Jan 2, 2006
8,087
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A 3/4 cam is old technology reference. All the way back to the flathead ford days.

Basically, a semi race or 1/2 race, 3/4 race, and full race cam was used in the flatheads as far as performance "grinds" as it were in the day. In a nutshell, a 3/4 cam is simply the same as a hot street cam. That's about it. It's kinda generic term actually. But the OLD OLD OLD guys still use that term.
 

L92 OLDS

Comic Book Super Hero
Mar 30, 2012
2,872
3,050
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West Michigan
Gesell23 said:
I have an opportunity to buy an 85 cutlass with a 455. Owner claims it's a 72 from a wagon and it's a w-30.
He also says he has dumped in 4000 into the motor and it's running 425hp.


Is this possible?

What are some specs this could really have? Are there any tell tail signs it could be a w-30?

If that WAS a real W30 engine I would be very surprised. I say was because the block on a W30 isn't that special other than the select fit process at GM. It's the special factory intake, heads, carb, cam, exhaust manifolds, etc that make a W30 what it is. Anyone that knows the value of a real, unmolested W30 wouldnt have put the mickey mouse aftermarket Edelbrock intake on it. A real W30 intake manifold alone will bring $1000 or more for someone restoring a real W30 car. Based on your description, all the W30 goodies are gone....too bad.

I ran across a guy in my areas selling a ragged out 84' Hurst Olds that suppossedly had a W30 in it. It turned out being a run of the mill smog motor with J heads. The guy had no clue what a W30 motor was.

Here is some info that helped me a couple of years ago when I scored 455 with real W30 parts on it.

Heads on a 70 or 71 W30 motor are rare and very valuable if they are not cracked. A 72' motor will have Ga heads which are common(used on almost every 1972 455.

Nothing on the block will identify it as a W30 block. The VIN derivitive should have an M in it, indicating it was installed in a car at the Lansing M plant. The block should have stampings indicating select fit building process unless its been rebuilt.

I hope this helps....
 

jae

Master Mechanic
Oct 11, 2006
460
2
16
Anubis has it dead on, if it was really a W-30 motor it would have the described items on it. Many people describe having a W-30 simply because they have a 455 and it came out a Cutlass. It's more than that. Do the research before paying the money for a supposed W-3-0 motor. Good luck :mrgreen:
 

rccktmn2

Greasemonkey
Mar 11, 2008
196
1
18
Paulding Ohio
Just my opinion but I would bet that there are probably more w-30s on the road now than were ever built and they are all 1970s! :rofl:

When it comes down to it, I believe nothing the owner says. This person says that that person says its this.......who cares. Run the numbers yourself and find out for yourself is always the best way to go. I looked at an 84 hurst olds with the lightning rod shifter, interior was nice (not mint, had some fading and wear), owner swore it had 27000 original miles and was all original and untouched. I drove it home and put it on the lift, someone hacked up the exhaust, by the time I got it home it was leaving a trail of blue smoke, aftermarket trans pan, some cut wires and hoses to who knows what and a paint job with aftermarket stripes. Like I said believe no one, look at it for what it is and don't be afraid to walk away.
 

Gesell23

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Jul 7, 2013
11
0
0
Thanks for the info guys. I was able to locate a number on w-30 wagons made in 72. It was 3 all Indy pace cars and only 2 are still know to exist. I was spectacle of his numbers before I found this. The car looks "ok" from the pictures and he is only asking 2000. But it's about 4 hrs away. He is getting me head and block numbers tomorrow.
 
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