Enthusiasts seeking a spotless and desirable classic acknowledge that they will almost inevitably have to pay a premium to park the car of their dreams in their garage. Such is the case with this 1969 Oldsmobile Cutlass S W31. Its rarity is beyond question, while countless thousands of dollars have been spent in the pursuit of perfection. The results justify the effort because this is as close to a showroom fresh ’69 Cutlass as you are likely to find. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder T.J. for spotting the Olds listed here on Craigslist in Beekman, New York. How much will it cost someone to slip behind the wheel? The seller has set their price at $90,000.
The history of this Cutlass S is quite fascinating. It rolled off the Lansing, Michigan, line in 1969, and remained in that geographic location until being purchased by the seller approximately eighteen years ago. Time hadn’t been kind to this classic, with rust impacting almost every surface. The seller commenced a meticulous restoration which saw the rust banished in favor of fresh steel. The panels were massaged to perfection before a fresh coat of Ebony Black paint was applied. It looks deep enough to walk into, while the tight and consistent gaps indicate that the build was completed with a careful eye for detail. The sparkling trim and crystal clear glass offer a wonderful contrast to the paint, and the original Super Stock II wheels were also returned to their factory best. However, the subtle scoops below the front bumper confirm that this Cutlass is anything but ordinary.
Lifting the hood reveals what separates this Cutlass from mere mortals. The first owner ticked the box beside the W31 option on their Order Form. That means that the 350ci V8 inhales deeply through those under-bumper scoops to churn out 325hp and 360 ft/lbs of torque. Shifting duties fall to a four-speed M20 transmission that feeds the power to a 3.42 “Anti-Spin” rear end. Rounding out the package is power assistance for the steering. Is this car fast? I think that the ¼-mile ET of 14.6 seconds demonstrates that this Cutlass can hold its own against all but the most hardened muscle or sports cars. The restoration work didn’t end with the body, because every aspect of this classic’s numbers-matching drivetrain was rebuilt. That means that it is in perfect mechanical health, and can be considered a turnkey proposition with no issues or shortcomings.
I have scrutinized the seller’s photos intently, and I struggle to find anything justifying criticism. The interior is no exception, having received a retrim in its original Black vinyl during the restoration. There is no evidence of wear or aftermarket additions, suggesting that the car has been used sparingly since the tools were packed away. It isn’t highly optioned by modern standards, but the Strato bucket seats, Hurst shifter, U21 Rally Pac option, Custom Sport wheel, and AM/FM radio add to its appeal.
Some readers may question the rarity of this Oldsmobile, but the seller has confirmed that only 569 examples of the Cutlass S Holiday Coupe with the W31 option rolled off the line during the 1969 model year. Combine that factor with the meticulous eye for detail in this restoration, and the seller’s price is understandable. Will they find a buyer? The price will limit the opportunities because this classic is far from cheap. However, I believe that patience will reward them. Of course, you might find the Olds irresistible and will be willing to hand over your cash for a slice of what appears to be motoring perfection. I will understand if you do.
Amazing car. Rare model from Dr Olds laboratory. All the goodies on board from handling to engine and drivetrain.
I didn’t see a disk brake entry on the option list. Drum brakes all around?
Sweet! I had a 69 W30 4 speed convertible, another that got away… I would love to have a 70 W31 though!
I remember these and my local dealer had a new 1970 W31 on the floor which gave you the look and handling of a 442 but for less money and less insurance cost. Who would have ever imagined that a small block Olds would sell in the ballpark of a rarer 68 or 69 hurst Olds which came with typically more comforts and performance. Astounding.
If I had the budget, it would be in the garage next to my 68 442 convertible and the 4speed 64 cutlass flat top wagon on this site and perhaps the GMC motorhome with the 455 tornado drive train also on this site.
I had a 69 F85 W31 white, it had the Rally 1 wheels. Loved that car!
Always have wanted to own a W31 but at the current market value, doubtful I’ll ever be able to afford one. This one does look very nice but I think the seller is confused about the Muncie, “M20, wide ratio – 4 speed, close ratio…” It’s one or the other, and the former would be correct if rebuilt to original specs. Hey, I gotta nitpick something! Need to win the lottery too…
The ’69 Cutlass hardtop was one of the handsomest cars ever to roll out of GM. There’s not a wasted line on the whole car.
The W31 was almost certainly an underrated 325 HP. The much more docile 350 super rocket was already 315, so no way this was only 10 HP higher. The W31 was known to rev like an LT-1 or 302 DZ. It was wild and these were known to smoke the big block cars outside of maybe a 455 W-30.
The air pressure in the right rear tire is not factory spec.
Scrap it.
sweet car. very rare as well. been for sale for a while on c/l. wrong place for this car in my opinion. this needs to go to high end auction to get exposure and real close to asking #.
I’m in the area if anybody would like me to personally inspect this beauty. I love these cars as my highschool daily was a 70 cutlas supreme. This one is way beyond my price range.
Worth every penny. The cost of the restoration would exceed the asking price, easily. Add to that, a very rough, numbers-matching example, would be at least $20-25K. The 255 carburetor is worth $5-6K and the W-31 balancer is worth another $4-5K. Price of the documentation is, well, priceless.
I have heard that the W31 engine produced close to 375 HP. They were hand assembled.
Select-fit tolerances!
So once again, another overpriced, but nice muscle car. Sorry, I know it’s rare, but not $90k rare even in it’s present condition.
You are absolutely correct. Nice car but not worth anything close to 90K. I owned a 70 W31. It was solid at the low end but if you punched it at 60, it just didn’t have the torque to do much.
Having owned a W31 that was lightly modified with headers and a 3 angle valve job and polished. With a 3:91 gear it surprised many BB cars. I street raced my car and guys with Mustangs and Z28’s could not believe a 350 olds could run like it did. The engine was 100% stock internally, even the cam and valve train. The speed shop that I took the heads to raced Oldsmobiles for years and knew them. The distributor advance was changed and the Qjet worked on by them. Had short header extensions off the collectors. Lots of GTO and Chevelles were surprised too.
Hmm, claims to have factory paperwork, but shows none of it. Build sheet highly unlikely from a Lansing built car, though not impossible. The broadcast card, if he has it , will not show W31 on it. Tires listed are option PL5, not PK5. Nice car, but 90k for a possibly undocumented car? The 350 4bbl L74 was 310 hp.
If you’d like to see all the 400+ photos, the videos, and the Steve Minore Rocket Report, please contact me directly.
Steve Minore is to Oldsmobile what Jerry MacNeish is to Camaros. All the documentation is included in Steve’s report.
I am representing the owner of this car in getting her sold.
If anyone has any questions on her, please feel free to ask.
The cost of the restoration FAR exceeded the asking price, which is negotiable.
A beautiful Nugget Gold ’70 W-31 recently sold on BaT for $63K. Bench seat auto and not perfect like this one seems to be, but I can’t see this being worth 50% more.
No bigger Cutless fans than me. But for 90k there’s still a lot of W29’s- 31’s available. For 90k just give me a nice W31 442.
Good luck finding a W-31 442 :-)
Mention of equipment content always seems to come with these classics. If memory serves me well, Olds didn’t offer the W31 with power brakes because the cam didn’t allow it to produce enough vacuum. Maybe that was only the Ram Rod Cutlass.
@Nelson C: Correct on the brakes. The ram Rod 350 and the W31 were one and the same, just a name change going into the ’69 model year. To get a Ram Rod 350 in ’68, you had to check off option code W31 on the order form.
That might be the wrong dash. My 69 W31 F85 never had the A/C vent slot
If your F-85 had vent windows it would not have had astro ventilation, thus the different dash pad. Astro ventilation was new for 1969 but only on hardtops.
That’s true, I did have vent windows
@Bruce: As this is a Holiday coupe, it would have the center vent block off plate. Mine has it (documented).
The problem is that many people spend a great deal of money on a restoration with the belief that when they try to sell the car, potential buyers will be impressed by the amount of money spent, but there is often little correlation between how much was spent on a restoration and what a car is actually worth in the open market.