Author Topic: Cowl tag decode on my new mistress  (Read 10440 times)

helidude

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Cowl tag decode on my new mistress
« on: August 26, 2007, 05:20:48 AM »
Any help here. appears to be an RS.
please add to the registry.

Vin 124379N578059

« Last Edit: August 26, 2007, 05:42:28 AM by helidude »

rich69rs

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Re: Cowl tag decode on my new mistress
« Reply #1 on: August 26, 2007, 11:22:47 AM »
It is interesting in that my '69 RS went through assembly at Norwood within a week of yours, actually 3,708 units after yours based on our two VIN Numbers.  The 4th digit in your VIN number (4) indicates a V8 motor.  You didn't say, so I'll ask, what motor, tranny, and rear end are currently in your car?

See the following link for a complete discussion on cowl tag decode:  http://www.camaros.org/numbers.shtml#CowlTag

The following are quotes from that link - your tag decodes as follows:

ST69 12437:  Body Style Code:  (See also this explanation of why the Fisher style and VIN prefix differed.)  The two digit year ("69") was followed by a five-digit "ST" body style code. The first two digits of the style code are the model code ("12" [Chevrolet Camaro]) and the last two digits are body code ("37" for coupe and "67" convertible). In 1968-69 the third digit was fixed at "4" for all models and had no meaning. While the Fisher style code is often confused with the first five digits of the VIN, the two sets of codes are different because of the different meaning of the third digit.

NOR231468 BDY:  Assembly Plant Code:  The next three letters represent the assembly plant ("NOR" for the Norwood, Ohio factory and "LOS" for the Los Angeles (Van Nuys), California factory. In mid-December 1968, the "LOS" was changed to "VN."  The digits that follow, up to six, represent the Fisher body number sequence. The body number sequence is not the same as the VIN sequence. In 69, the body number was assigned when the order was accepted, not when the body was built. Body numbers from cars that were built at the same time can vary significantly, depending on how quickly the order was fulfilled. 

                   The Cowl Tags and VIN #'s of our two cars are very interesting to me.  I am going to start a new topic to discuss them further in the General Discussion section.

TR 729:  Interior Trim Code:  The first three digits of the trim ("TR") code are a unique (for each year) interior color and type code that indicate the color and standard or custom interior.   Your decodes as custom interior, ivory houndstooth

- - PNT  Panit Color, upper and lower.  The - -  designates as special paint or striping option other than the standard Camaro offering.  Special paint cars were identified with a unique paint code on the firewall cowl tag. Special paint was any non-standard Camaro color; it could be a GM color or any other color. (The Cadillac Firemist colors were the only colors not available. Since they had such a coarse metallic, the Firemist colors needed to be sprayed through a special paint gun.) In 68, if any of the four colors that were deleted mid-year (see footnote 3 in the Exterior Color table) were ordered in the latter part of the year, the cowl tag was normally coded as special paint. In 1968-69, either deletion of a stripe or use of a non-standard stripe color was also considered to be special paint. On the window sticker and on broadcast copy sheets, "1001AA" and "1001HA" have been observed as designating special paint cars. Note that all cars were painted, no cars were shipped from the assembly plant in primer.

01B  Body Build Date:  This is composed of two digits (01 thru 12 corresponding to each month of the model year) and a letter (A thru E corresponding to the week of the month) and indicates when the assembly of the body was started. Your body started assembly by fisher Body during the 2nd week of January 1969.

X11  Body related options, in particular in your case, Style Trim Group which was a part of the RS package and in 1969 included:  The Bright vertical bars in taillamp lenses
Bright driprail moldings (except convertible)
Black body sill (except certain colors)
Bright wheel opening moldings
Wheel opening paint pinstripes
Bright rear quarter simulated louver moldings
Bright headlamp bezel face moldings



« Last Edit: August 26, 2007, 01:11:16 PM by rich69rs »
Richard Thomas
1969 RS

cjm465

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Re: Cowl tag decode on my new mistress
« Reply #2 on: August 26, 2007, 03:26:56 PM »
Question: Looking at his body number and vin number, how could it be that my 01C car is about 800 fisher body units BEFORE this one but about 8500 vins AFTER this one? Or am I missing something?  I know the numbers could have variances due to the process but seems a bit far off.

rich69rs

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Re: Cowl tag decode on my new mistress
« Reply #3 on: August 26, 2007, 03:33:49 PM »
Look at the discussion topic I just started under General Discuusion:  http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=2609.0

The Body # on my '69RS, also a 01C build, is 10,637 ahead of this car while the VIN # on my ride is 3,708 units behind it.  As I explain in the discussion topic in General Discussion, it is important to me to understand what is going on as it has a very dramatic impact on the history of my car.
« Last Edit: August 26, 2007, 03:39:17 PM by rich69rs »
Richard Thomas
1969 RS

helidude

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Re: Cowl tag decode on my new mistress
« Reply #4 on: August 26, 2007, 06:55:15 PM »
Sadly, this car did not have a motor or trans. the console shifter denotes a three speed trans. but with the 10 bolt rear, I am assuming that it was nothing special in the drivetrain. This car was owned for many years in a small town just a few miles away from where I grew up. I was told that it was once owned by a GM exec, but I don't know how true it is.
I guess the 3500 I paid for it was a good deal.

rich69rs

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Re: Cowl tag decode on my new mistress
« Reply #5 on: August 26, 2007, 07:06:41 PM »
Sounds like a great deal.  My RS has a mono leaf 10 bolt rear (2.73 open ratio) with Powerglide trans and a base 2 Bbl 327 engine which originally was installed in VIN #124379N551248, a Nov 68 built Norwood Camaro that went to the salvage yard many years ago - but I got the engine.  Won't win any races, but cruises at 70-75 just fine.
« Last Edit: August 26, 2007, 07:14:03 PM by rich69rs »
Richard Thomas
1969 RS

helidude

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Re: Cowl tag decode on my new mistress
« Reply #6 on: August 26, 2007, 10:42:06 PM »
The last reachable owner of the car knows and is going to try to find the car's 2nd owner, hopefully he or she can shed some light.

dougrmac

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Re: Cowl tag decode on my new mistress
« Reply #7 on: August 31, 2007, 07:14:34 PM »
The VIN on my 69 is about 600 before yours. It also has a 01b build week.  My trim tag body # is 229042 ...... not too far off! By the way, my car is a ragtop.

KurtS

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Re: Cowl tag decode on my new mistress
« Reply #8 on: September 04, 2007, 04:49:26 AM »
Nice find for $3500!
What does the original color look to be?
If you get the axle code, it will tell us what engine it originally had. :)
http://www.camaros.org/drivetrain.shtml#RearAxleNumbers

Thanks!
Kurt S
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ace 69

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Re: Cowl tag decode on my new mistress
« Reply #9 on: September 14, 2007, 01:38:51 PM »
Hi guys.Need a decode for this car in sydney.ST69 12437 LOS1888 17 TR711 79 79 11D VO44.Trying to work out if its an ss.It came from the states with a 12 bolt ,front discs, green w/ black hockey stripe, column shift and fold down rear seat.There was no motor but has all ss 350 badges.It was not sold as ss but we cant work out the vo44. This is my first post, i have alot of reading to do , this is amazing.

ace 69

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Re: Cowl tag decode on my new mistress
« Reply #10 on: September 14, 2007, 01:58:17 PM »
oh sorry wrong post

tom

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Re: Cowl tag decode on my new mistress
« Reply #11 on: September 14, 2007, 08:43:51 PM »
69 X11 Z21 L14 glide
looking for a 69 export model (KPH) speed
o

 

anything