Author Topic: cowl trim tag  (Read 7347 times)

hotrod68

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cowl trim tag
« on: September 06, 2006, 03:49:45 AM »
 ??? My '68's trim tag was missing when I got the car--is there any way to trace back to GM records by the VIN and find out how it was optioned? It appears to be a base 327/210 manual transmission car with few options, but some of the things I found upon disassembly don't make sense going by the RPO codes. Would appreciate any help finding this out.  ;)
HotRod'68  1968 SS350 coupe undergoing frame-off resto/rod. 386/350/4.11s
Butternut Yellow    black standard interior

RamAirDave

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Re: cowl trim tag
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2006, 04:29:03 AM »
Sorry, but the answer is no.  If there is one good thing, its that 68 trim tags tell only the date, interior, and color.  No options or trim packages were given on the tag.



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lakeholme

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Re: cowl trim tag
« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2006, 08:35:53 PM »
Hotrod,

Sadly, Dave is right.  68 trim tags don't tell you about options.
But then, everyone has that issue and without the papers no one has absolute proof.
So, you going to have to look at numbers and "likelihood".
Is the car matching numbers?
What about the RPOs doesn't make sense?
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Spring Southeastern Nationals chair, AACA National Director

hotrod68

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Re: cowl trim tag
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2006, 04:17:34 AM »
Not matching #s--not even close. The car had a small-journal 327 with a 4GC Rochester out of an Impala, what appear to be weak 6-cylinder front springs, but V-8 rod throttle linkage. It had a single-leg 3:08 10-bolt with mono-leafs. One of the curious things is it had an M-21 with the factory backup light harness, the blind nuts for a console under the carpet, and finned brake drums.  From all indications it was a factory Plain Jane stripper (exactly what I was looking for), probably a 327/210 2bbl with a 3-speed, but it had a vinyl top and perhaps a console and Muncie transmission. A console and 4-speed don't jibe with a 2bbl 327, do they? The front springs were so weak with the 327 that the previous owner had installed spacers to keep the ride height tolerable, and it STILL had a forward rake. The car is a definite bastard--no doubt about it--but a fellow wonders how it was when showroom fresh. Phil, you should be pleased to know it will be painted Butternut Yellow!
HotRod'68  1968 SS350 coupe undergoing frame-off resto/rod. 386/350/4.11s
Butternut Yellow    black standard interior

lakeholme

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Re: cowl trim tag
« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2006, 02:16:53 PM »
Great on the Yellow!  I know everybody paints red nowadays, but in 68 yellow was cool!  ;D

OK, the Impala Rochester is an obvious sign of a shade tree rebuild.  But the hobby has coined a sutable name for such a car: "a driver".  For now, that's what mine is...

The D66 console was certainly a popular option and lots of Plain Janes were ordered with it.  Don't have my RPO codes with me, but the M-21 is a a shade tree stretch for a 327.  I think that was for Zs and BBs.  Do any numbers confirm your 3-speed guess?  (I know you know all this... In the end we driver owners still research through the numbers to unravel the mystery of what was done to the car over the years; and yes, get an idea of what it looked like originally.  Somewhere in Florida near where my car got rebuilt (by an unknow person --that much I know from the previous owner) there was a wrecked Chevy II and my Camaro got its motor and drive train.)

The front end was a common problem.  Coke bottle bodies were bad for that.  The Mustang was the worst.  I had a 65 Mustang in the 70s that drove like a battleship until I reworked the whole front end.  Frankly, any car over 20 years old, you ought to check the suspension and electrical first.  (I know we all look at the motor first!) I've got a restorer friend who rips out the wiring harness first thing --no matter how good it looks.

You say it had a vinyl top.  Needless to say, I think Butternut Yellow needs a black vinyl top.  ;D  ;D  ;D
« Last Edit: September 07, 2006, 02:18:57 PM by lakeholme »
Phillip, HNR & NCR-AACA, Senior Master, Team Captain, Admin.,
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RJ_RS_SS_350

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Re: cowl trim tag
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2006, 03:17:40 PM »
Hotrod,
   You probably already know this, but the 3rd number of the VIN will tell you if it was a six or eight cylinder engine originally. A 3 for six-cyl. or a 4 for eight-cyl. Hard to imagine someone putting the weaker six-cylinder springs into a V-8 car. But not outside the realm of possibilities, maybe someone wanted that raked look. Phil's right about the M21 being available with the Z28 or BB's.  I've read on some of these threads that you can somehow check your VIN with GM Canada. If by chance it was sold new in Canada, they can give you the info on what options it came with. Longshot, but worth a try.

hotrod68

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Re: cowl trim tag
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2006, 03:55:18 AM »
Thanks, guys! The VIN shows it was a V-8 for sure--Phil's explanation of the springs sagging gets rid of any 6-cyl doubts either way. As for the M-21, in retrospect it was probably retrofitted, too. The car had a Mr. Gasket Vertical Gate shifter and some idiot had mangled the transmission tunnel to get it to fit, i.e. gaping damn hole patched closed with some light tin and rivets. As for my 327/210 3-speed guess, I've never seen a 2bbl car with any manual transmission but a 3-speed and all had single-leg 10-bolts and mono-leafs. I think a 4-speed L30 car would have had multileafs and a 12-bolt, but you guys are the experts (chuckle). It's a Norwood car, RJ, but thanks for the tip. It was originally turquoise--I know because I've stripped every inch of the car to bare metal--and I found the vinyl top holes then, Phil. Surprisingly, my wring harnesses were in remarkably good shape and could be saved with some new sockets where the splices could be hidden in the tape. I had to replace or replate some of the fuse clips and terminals in the fusebox because of surface rust, but that was no big deal. The car has been a hotrod from Day One and will still be, but I've become almost fascinated with the original aspect of it. Thanks, guys!
HotRod'68  1968 SS350 coupe undergoing frame-off resto/rod. 386/350/4.11s
Butternut Yellow    black standard interior

RJ_RS_SS_350

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Re: cowl trim tag
« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2006, 03:16:34 PM »