Is it a 1969 Z/28?

[jdv69z]

I think Jimmy V said his car is a pre X code, and has it behind the seat.

Here's my crayon mark behind the seat; Oct 68 build 10B; VIN 516355. For a long time I too was under the impression that only cars with the X code on the trim tag had the mark behind the seat. Now I believe it was done from the start of production. The mark supposedly identified the build to line workers even before the trim tag was attached to the body.

[KurtS]

My Z has it written in the center of the rear bulkhead.
I looked for a long time, but not in the right place!

[jstanley]

Well gentlemen here is the latest update, as I stated earlier I sanded down an area by the trunk to look for original stripes and found grey primer over zinc chromate and then paint. I surmised that there were no original stripes however it appears someone repainted the car when they removed the vinyl top....inconclusive ID from the paint. I looked at the rear seat bulkhead a little closer and found what appears to be a yellow 7 (photo attached) I cant make out anything else.

[jdv69z]

That looks like the crayon mark; it's the correct location.

[jstanley]

I thought I would post a few more photos

[jstanley]

Here are the Pics

[jstanley]

more pics

[jstanley]

more pics

[jdv69z]

 Is there a tach in the dash? Wouldn't a tach have come with the gauges in the console if factory?

[X33RS]

From what I've seen, you can have a tach without a console, and the fuel gauge would then be front and center (where you usually see a clock)
 Very unusual setup.

If you ordered gauges/console, you got the clock front and center, and the dash tach.  Or it could be like mine, no tach, no console, no clock.  Just a speedo and a fuel gauge.  I don't see alot like this either, but I suspect not because it's rare, but because most people convert them.

[69Z28-RS]

The options, and the cars themselves, seem 'cheap' nowadays, but back then.. most of the buyers for muscle cars and performance cars were young men, and $3000 was a lot of money!   When you're struggling just to get a down payment for the car, then a few hundred $$ for what today seems like 'have to have options'... were considered 'unnecessary!      Heavily options Z28's and the like were in the minority and pretty rare when the cars were new..    stripped down models were the mean!

[BULLITT65]

I agree the only "frills" my car had, (that weren't performance minded)  was the AM radio, and some cars didn't even have that!

[william]

From what I've seen, you can have a tach without a console, and the fuel gauge would then be front and center (where you usually see a clock)
 Very unusual setup.

If you ordered gauges/console, you got the clock front and center, and the dash tach.  Or it could be like mine, no tach, no console, no clock.  Just a speedo and a fuel gauge.  I don't see alot like this either, but I suspect not because it's rare, but because most people convert them.

The U16 Tachometer option became available later in the model year; earliest cars appeared around May '69. Chevrolet mandated U16 or U17 [gauges] around January '69 but for some reason it didn't take effect until May. U16 is rare; only 1,410 cars built with it. Many Z/28s built without either.

[X33RS]

That is excellent information William.  That explains perfectly why mine would be optioned the way it is.  I always thought it was odd to have an RS with deluxe houndstooth, and then have no console, no tach, no gauges.  I had no idea the tach and gauges weren't available until late (May 69) in the production run.  You'd sure never guess that looking at all the 69Z's today, lol.

So if I'm understanding your comment correctly, any 69Z built before May 69 couldn't possibly have a console/gauges and/or tach??  I think I understand the U16 tach only option as being implimented in May 69, before that it was only paired up with the console gauge option?

I bet that just confused everyone, I confused myself  

Edit: re-reading and thinking, I think I understand your post as console/gauges being mandated in May 69 as meaning "standard equipment" and before that it was optional equipment.  The U16 tach only option became available in May at that time.  So before all this, a console/gauge package which included a tach was available as an option?   Correct me if I'm wrong on this...

[jdv69z]

Mine's no tach. no gauges. Does have console.