1971 Buick Convertible

[Stefano]

[image][/image]

[TN2Lane]

OW is usually a W30 Olds transmission, but in this case you're in luck. Read this page and I think you'll find what you're looking for:
http://www.stage1registry.com/stage1info.html

[Mr70]

Those are kickass cars!
I've encountered that OW tag on a few other 71 GS's.
A very stout trans. that was build better then the std.
TH400 and assembled in the same vein as the CW/CY 1970 Trans.
That 233 stamping is the day the starting assembling it,i.e August 21,1971.
1516 is the serial number of the trans. itself.

[Chris KH2PM]

Stefano, is your Buick a big-block or small-block equipped car? M38 is typically the code for TH350; M40 is for the TH400 (am I wrong..? Could be..) Maybe during some snafu on the assembly line your car received an OW trans. If it's a small-block with the TH400, it must be a stout high-perf SB, not one of the regular ones. I dunno..interesting though.

[TN2Lane]

In this case, the Julian date indicates a 1970 build for the 1971 model year. For those of you who don't know, there was a strike at GM just before the car was built; they were out of BB TH400s but had some OW ones available when production restarted, thus what's usually an Olds transmission in a Buick.

I'll let Stefano comment on the car when he's ready, but it's not a small block (or at least wasn't originally if the VIN on the trans matches).

[Mr70]

Yep you're right.I was incorrect in my previous reply.
It should say Friday,August 21st 1970,not 1971.

[BUIZILLA]

not unusual for a 71 Stage 1 car to have an OW tranny

I think the 1516 is the last 4 digits of the VIN #

in any case, the back 6 or 8 digits of the VIN would be stamped on the pan rail boss anyways