The Supercar Registry - Barn Find 442 W30

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- - Barn Find 442 W30 (https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=122692)

Barn Find 442 W30

I first heard about this 71 W30 Convertible in 1988, when I got a call from Merlin Cumming. Merlin had recently acquired the car from a fellow who bought it out of an Alberta Wrecking yard to take the engine for his boat. Merlin described the car as a red 70. He had called be about sourcing some parts. Although I never met Merlin we stayed in contact over the years and discussed the car. In a conversation in 1999 he said the car was a 71 and he had run the vin through GM Canada and had gotten a response.
The car was in fact a 71, special ordered and sold new through Corner Brook Garage Ltd in Corner Brook Newfoundland. The car is a special order paint code finished in the 1970 Rally Red or closer to Hugger Orange. I had worked in Corner Brook in the fall of 71 and again in 72 and recalled seeing an Orange 442 several times, I was more taken by the stunning brunette driving it.
The car must have made its way to Alberta in the late 70’s and by 1984 was put out to pasture. Merlin acquired the car in 1987 or 88 without engine and stored it away in Sicamous BC with the intention of restoring it someday. We spoke every year or so right up to 2008 but never met.
In October 2009 I got a call from Merlin’s wife Charlene who told me he passed away the previous July from injuries sustained from a freak bike accident. She had found my name among his car notes and called me to see what she could do with the car. I told her I had never seen the car but would be willing to see the car, now in Revelstoke BC, to give he an opinion on its value.
The car had been stored outside for many years and under a tarp. The floors were badly rotted and the top had long vaporized. A Pontiac engine was in the engine bay and hadn’t been run in years. Everything else on the car was intact. Merlin had once asked me what the car would be worth in Restored condition and I had told him $50,000 (about 1999). He had written this down in his notes along with my name and phone number. Charlene thought the car was worth $50,000 in 2009.
From 2009 to 2012 Charlene and I exchanged emails about obtaining a title, what it would take to restore it and other subjects about the car. In the fall of 2012 she said she was taking offers and would I like to make one. I could not at the time as I was up to my ears in business and not ready to take on a project of this magnitude.
I heard from her again in early April and she said “make me an offer”. I made an offer close to the number I gave her four years before as an opinion of value (low 5 figures) and we settled with another $1500.
I went to get the car on Friday May 10, the next day I started a deconstruction to locate a build card and found one in the driver’s side bucket seat. I am now on a hunt for the original motor which may still be in the central BC area.

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Re: Barn Find 442 W30

Big congrats!

[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]
~ Pete

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

<span style="font-size: 14pt">Very cool Paul. <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic"> <span style="text-decoration: underline">CONGRATS!!</span> </span> </span>Love the story. Keep us posted on further exploits!!!!! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/laugh.gif[/img]</span>

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

Cool car especially being a convertible.Congrats.

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

Sometimes the world has a plan for you and you don't even realize it!

Good luck in finding the original power plant!

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

Worth the wait, and worth the work when finished.

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

Funny how when you own a certain make and model of car, other ones seem to find you. I had no idea this car was in Revelstoke. My sister lives in Sicamous, so I've scouted Revelstoke occasionally for cars.
You'll probably find the engine too! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif[/img] In a ski boat in the Okanagan.

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

I will be visiting a lot of marinas this summer!
Honey I bought a boat!

Paul

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

I'll keep an eye out for Olds power!

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Canuck</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I will be visiting a lot of marinas this summer!
Honey I bought a boat!

Paul </div></div>

LOL! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/haha.gif[/img]

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Canuck</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

I am now on a hunt for the original motor which may still be in the central BC area.

</div></div>

Why don't go for the brunette at the same time, I would.

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

http://imageshack.us/a/img51/8097/imagewrxa.jpg

I arrived just a little late to Paul's garage sale...

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

Wow! You guys are ambitious! I have served my apprenticeship restoring cars and with my back the way it is (and probably forever will be) I have to buy cars that either ARE done or don't need to be. That looks like a fun project, and with it really being a "W" car, is worth the time, money, and sweat you will invest. Good Luck!

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

Another awesome find and story!

Congrats;

Bashton
MCACN Managing Member

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

Fellow SYC Members, its been 3 and 1/2 years since ai acquired this car. About two Years ago I brought it to my restoration guy Mark Nicol at Mark Of Excellence on Vancouver Island. I told mark that this was going to be a long term project as I had a lot of parts to source and there was a lot of work to be done by him. There had been progress, but its slow.
So I am reviving this tread with progress reports on the restoration.

Ready for Body Lift:
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...psy5uu4fgo.jpg

No need to unbolt!

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...psurppvsal.jpg

Up she comes!

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...psmrelrkuc.jpg

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Tucked away while frame work gets done.
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...psolgzde8l.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...pszdwftvjc.jpg

All these photos are from the spring of 2015. There has been a lot of work done since the but I want to feed a continuous story with out delays. I had asked Mark not to leave the car outside as I was concerned about rust.

More to come every few days.

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

With the body off frame Mark started to do a frame alignment. He removed the springs and replaced with steel tube cut to length to achieve the loaded ride height,along with using correct size tires. A number of adjustments had to be made using laser alignment equipment and a pulldozer.

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Mark used original frame charts and modern allignment methods to pull and straighten the frame to specs. There was no evidence of major damage and a lot of the mis alignment may have come from sagging and un even storage over the years.

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

Paul,

Thanks for updating this thread, <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-size: 14pt">WE live for this stuff!</span> </span> </span> [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img] Yr frame is in surprisingly decent shape (corrosion wise) as compared to the floor panels. Good luck!

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

We are all watching closely:-)

Is this the car that you had 317 NOS parts for the restoration?

OCD will force you to correct the exact amount:-)

Ryan

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

Ryan
Currently sitting at 517 NOS parts.
Paul

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

My OCD is killing me right now, off by 2 numbers.

Ryan

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

Paul are you going to need the OW trans ID tag decal?

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

I've got popcorn, beer, and I'm strapped in Paul!

Cant wait to see where this goes!

Tim

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

Paul S, PM me with what you have or can do.

Tim, there will be lots of reading through 2017.

Paul

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

Paul I will email you examples.

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

With the frame straightened Mark went on to repair the doors and fenders so they could be installed on the body for fit and alignment.

The car came with an original right fender and a left fender from a 72. As this was an early build (FEB 1971) 442 it had the flat fenders with the crumble bumps.

I located a nice pair of fenders of a 1970 442 in the Seattle area and picked them up. Like all original sheet metal, they needed a little work.

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...pswjglz25z.jpg

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Re: Barn Find 442 W30

Are you going to spoon feed us:-)

Bite by bite:-)

Dr Olds is in the house!

Ryan

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

Ryan
Aiming to build a tread longer than Ken Tibor or yourself.
Paul

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

If that is the goal, you better round up some drivel :-)

Ryan

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

The Trans tag decal is in the works.

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

Let me know when your ready for rubber. Of course, you probably have date coded original tires.

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

Rusty
I have 28 NOS G70-14 Goodyears, 5 NOS Uniroyal and some NOS Firestones.

But Nothing to drive On.

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Canuck</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Rusty
I have 28 NOS G70-14 Goodyears, 5 NOS Uniroyal and some NOS Firestones.

But Nothing to drive On. </div></div>

No wonder your guys need another building! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

So that's where are the original tires are at!

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

Stefano
I have been a hound for original G70-14 tires for over 25 years. Have amassed and sold more than I still have.

Paul

Re: Barn Find 442 W30

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Canuck</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Stefano
I have been a hound for original G70-14 tires for over 25 years. Have amassed and sold more than I still have.

Paul </div></div>

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...18-vansnow.jpg
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...uff7_16001.jpg