I understand that the VIN is assigned to the body shell when it crosses from Fisher to Chevrolet (as per JohnZ's report). But is the following statement correct?
"... Vin #'s have notting [sic] to do with the built [sic] date. The Vin # is assigned to the order sheet when placed by the dealers or GM. The built [sic] date should not be used as a gage [sic] on early cars of any make. I [have] seen many cars with built [sic] dates and even on parts that are way off from the Vin [sic] and are 100% true survivors! If a car was ordered for a special purpose or is awaiting back ordered options or parts then it would be put on hold until availible [sic] and later cars are built before it. If you check most of the early car Vin #'s from Van Nuys they don't run in a consecutive date order. You will always find a low vin [sic] with a later than normal built date."
Were VIN's assigned to the order sheet when placed by dealers as suggested above? That doesn't make sense to me. It seems to me that wouldn't happen until production either when the paperwork hit Fisher (VIN attached to order and then mating up to body when it hit the Chevrolet side).
If the statement above is incorrect, when were the VIN's assigned?
Was it common practice to hold cars back once assigned a VIN? Never? Sometimes?
FWIW, the above statement was made about '70 Camaros but I would think that GM had made few changes to the process of assigning VIN's between '69 and '70 (of course I could be wrong)