picked up a 442 parts car today...

[69hurstolds]

Yes, it came with a 307, hence the 9 engine code in the VIN.

Too bad you don't have a cowl tag to see which week it was built in 1985. There's a spot for it, but Arlington didn't use body tags on 85 442s. Probably not for any 85 Cutlass. I'm guesstimating your build date of Feburary by your last 6 of the VIN.

 

[jadigen]

ok was wondering why i couldn't find the cowl tag. just figured someone pulled it pff.

 

[TURNA]

You have an ‘81-88 body style? Project Spare Parts is different in the quarter windows. Or are ya gonna replace the entire rear roof??

He's just hoarding sh@t!!!!

 

[TURNA]

ok was wondering why i couldn't find the cowl tag. just figured someone pulled it pff.

VIN job.............

 

[69hurstolds]

VIN job.............

I highly doubt it. Everything else about that car besides the engine change to something not even available in '85, based on the pictures we've seen, shows it to be a 442. To make sure, I'd check to see if it still had the trunk spid and match the VIN to the spid and check for RPO W42 on the spid. If the transmission is still original to the car, it should show OZ on the trans tag and the VIN derivative on the casing.

85 Arlington-built Cutlasses without body tags seems to be the norm. When I bought the gray 87 442 brand new, it had a tag. WTF? So I called a number my dad had for the production supervisor's office in Arlington. When we discussed it, he said that there was no requirement for the tag and if they had them, they put them on, but if they weren't supplied, they didn't put them on. (That's also when I found out they just trashed the records after the model year, so they had no information on my 85 there at the plant, and I'd have to go through GM/Oldsmobile Corporate. My dad said Corvette plant did that, too.). They figured with the introduction of the SPID stickers, the tag was not a big deal anymore. And that went for all the G-bodies built in Arlington, including the Monte SS as well. The holes are pierced for the screws, but nothing was ever put there. If the screw holes appear to never have had been used, it's absolutely normal. Pontiac plant used them and Lansing did, but in 1985, Arlington did not. And I have heard of some late 84 cars not having the tags, but I haven't actually seen an 84 without a tag. I don't know when that "tagless" situation started.

If you can get the gunk/dirt off, check the block casting numbers on top of the block behind the timing cover next to the oil fill tube. If it has casting 557752, it's a late 70s 350. It's not necessarily out of a 79 H/O, but they used the same engine with 3A heads. Everything about the 79 350 will pretty much match up and fit where the 307 stuff was, so swapping to the 307 HEI and carb and CCC stuff is a natural fit.

If it's a 556607, it's a 307. But I doubt that with the 3A heads.

 

[TURNA]

I highly doubt it. Everything else about that car besides the engine change to something not even available in '85, based on the pictures we've seen, shows it to be a 442. To make sure, I'd check to see if it still had the trunk spid and match the VIN to the spid and check for RPO W42 on the spid. If the transmission is still original to the car, it should show OZ on the trans tag and the VIN derivative on the casing.

85 Arlington-built Cutlasses without body tags seems to be the norm. When I bought the gray 87 442 brand new, it had a tag. WTF? So I called a number my dad had for the production supervisor's office in Arlington. When we discussed it, he said that there was no requirement for the tag and if they had them, they put them on, but if they weren't supplied, they didn't put them on. (That's also when I found out they just trashed the records after the model year, so they had no information on my 85 there at the plant, and I'd have to go through GM/Oldsmobile Corporate. My dad said Corvette plant did that, too.). They figured with the introduction of the SPID stickers, the tag was not a big deal anymore. And that went for all the G-bodies built in Arlington, including the Monte SS as well. The holes are pierced for the screws, but nothing was ever put there. If the screw holes appear to never have had been used, it's absolutely normal. Pontiac plant used them and Lansing did, but in 1985, Arlington did not. And I have heard of some late 84 cars not having the tags, but I haven't actually seen an 84 without a tag. I don't know when that "tagless" situation started.

If you can get the gunk/dirt off, check the block casting numbers on top of the block behind the timing cover next to the oil fill tube. If it has casting 557752, it's a late 70s 350. It's not necessarily out of a 79 H/O, but they used the same engine with 3A heads. Everything about the 79 350 will pretty much match up and fit where the 307 stuff was, so swapping to the 307 HEI and carb and CCC stuff is a natural fit.

If it's a 556607, it's a 307. But I doubt that with the 3A heads.

Vin from hit or wrecked into stolen car 442

Maybe its the pic angle, that vin doesnt look like it is sitting correctly in the dash.


Are there screw holes where the body tag belongs?
is it rusted differently in that spot or cleaner/dirtier?

 

[PBGBodyFan]

I highly doubt it. Everything else about that car besides the engine change to something not even available in '85, based on the pictures we've seen, shows it to be a 442. To make sure, I'd check to see if it still had the trunk spid and match the VIN to the spid and check for RPO W42 on the spid. If the transmission is still original to the car, it should show OZ on the trans tag and the VIN derivative on the casing.

85 Arlington-built Cutlasses without body tags seems to be the norm. When I bought the gray 87 442 brand new, it had a tag. WTF? So I called a number my dad had for the production supervisor's office in Arlington. When we discussed it, he said that there was no requirement for the tag and if they had them, they put them on, but if they weren't supplied, they didn't put them on. (That's also when I found out they just trashed the records after the model year, so they had no information on my 85 there at the plant, and I'd have to go through GM/Oldsmobile Corporate. My dad said Corvette plant did that, too.). They figured with the introduction of the SPID stickers, the tag was not a big deal anymore. And that went for all the G-bodies built in Arlington, including the Monte SS as well. The holes are pierced for the screws, but nothing was ever put there. If the screw holes appear to never have had been used, it's absolutely normal. Pontiac plant used them and Lansing did, but in 1985, Arlington did not. And I have heard of some late 84 cars not having the tags, but I haven't actually seen an 84 without a tag. I don't know when that "tagless" situation started.

If you can get the gunk/dirt off, check the block casting numbers on top of the block behind the timing cover next to the oil fill tube. If it has casting 557752, it's a late 70s 350. It's not necessarily out of a 79 H/O, but they used the same engine with 3A heads. Everything about the 79 350 will pretty much match up and fit where the 307 stuff was, so swapping to the 307 HEI and carb and CCC stuff is a natural fit.

If it's a 556607, it's a 307. But I doubt that with the 3A heads.

I know that is the case with 86' Montes, no cowl tags, forget but sounds about right for 85' as well. I didn't recall if there was a reason or rhyme to why those year(s) didn't have one but good info! Kind of odd they started using them again by 87' or if it was based on which plant.

 

[GroceryGetter83]

15" front wheels?

 

[69hurstolds]

I know that is the case with 86' Montes, no cowl tags, forget but sounds about right for 85' as well. I didn't recall if there was a reason or rhyme to why those year(s) didn't have one but good info! Kind of odd they started using them again by 87' or if it was based on which plant.

Another way to check that it's a greater chance of being original is to see if the windshield is original. Replacements usually didn't come with the gasket the factory used, and hardly anyone ordered one from the dealer when they did replace it. 85's normally came with Libbey Owens Ford (LOF) glass. Side note, I believe they sold out to someone else a year or two later.

There's even a cut out area around the VIN on the factory gasket. If there's remnants of it in there, I'd bet 100 bucks the VIN is original to the car. There's no way to know for sure until you remove the windshield because the black area of the glass surround covers the rivet area up. There's also a chance there's still numbers on the frame, but with that much rust on top, just wondering what the frame may look like. If the SPID checks out the same though, I'd say it's gennie. Hardly anyone who knows anything about these cars would bother re-vinning the car to that detail.

86 and 87 Cutlass was moved to Pontiac and they continued to use body tags there, so I'm thinking it varied from plant to plant. I just wonder if there is a few trash barrels somewhere with all the tags they didn't use laying in them or they actually shut down the stamping area only in Arlington during that time. GM always seemed to do weird crap in the 80s. And other times.

 

[jadigen]

I doubt it was stolen. Here is the trunk decal and the wheels that came off it. They are 15". I can take pics of just about anything that would help.