I have a 68 chevelle concours I would like the vin and cowl tag decoded if possible the vin is 136378k183787 and the cowl reads as O3D 2241
ST 68-13637 kan37038 BODY
TR765-168- R-R PAINT

Here's most of it:

68-13637 - 68 Malibu 2 door hardtop V8.
KAN - Kansas City Assembly Plant.
TR765 - Black bench seat interior.
PNT R-R - Matador Red, no vinyl top.
03D - Build date of March, 1968, fourth week.
183787 - Sequential serial number.

I assume "Concours" was an upgraded Trim option on the Malibu. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the info i didnt know if the tag would have the concours trim package in it, the concours basically is a chevelle malibu with buick interior, bench seat with fold down arm rest, and the rear seat is narrower then the standard malibu because the arm rests go all the way to the floor like the later chevelles.

Just trying to learn something here, but I know in the March/April time frame, Chevrolet was short on interiors and used Buick and Olds interiors at least at Baltimore and KC with various designations on the body plate.

Examples:
Baltimore ~
(1) 766-178 B is black buckets (766) and Buick substitute (178)
(2) 765-980 B is black bench (765) with Olds substitute (980)

My car had concours emblems on the fenders and also on the dash right above the glove box

Just trying to learn here, but I thought the Buick and Olds interiors were substitutes when Chevrolet interiors were in short supply, particularly in the March/April time frame and especially at Baltimore and KC.

I have several examples and none are "Concours" models, in fact most are SS cars.

KC:
766-178 ~ 766 is Chevrolet's code for black buckets and 178 is (suppose to be) the Buick code. I have two; one has date of 04D, one 04E, and both cars are 13837 SS models.

Baltimore:
Two examples, both are 04A and both are 13837 SS models.
1. 766-178 B
2. 765-980 B ~ 766 is Chevrolet's code for black bench and 980 is (suppose to be) the Olds code.

I don't have any tag examples of 136xx cars with these "substitute" interior codes nor any documented Concours optioned Malibu. Maybe someone really into the 68 model year has some dealer brochures or other literature that shows the Concours options better. According to the GM Restoration Kit I have for 68s, it lists a model option for the CONCOURS SPORT SEDAN as RPO ZJ6 and lists as such:
Available for Malibu Sport Sedan. Include special interior trim, instrument panel trim plate, black-accented body side and wheel opening mouldings, Concours fender and deck lid nameplates, color-accented rear deck panel and special sound insulation. What consitutes the 'special interior trim'? Dunno. It also describes a 'color-accented rear deck panel' where the photo to the TC link shows what appears to be bright trim of aluminum or stainless.

According to 68 Concours page here on TC (http://www.chevelles.com/years/68/concours.html) the Concours also came with a better interior, carpeted lower lower door panels, wood trim on the dash, blacked out wheel opening mouldings, lower body moulding and what appears to be special rear cove treatment as well as a Concours trim emblem on the trunk.

Not saying your car isn't Concours optioned but since your's is a Kansas car and falls in the timeframe, it may be a 'standard' (I hate that word, sounds degrading) Malibu with the interior substitution. Check for any indication of the other Concours trim items.

my car does have the blacked out wheel trim and the carpet on the door bottom the wood grain they are talking about is the emblem on the dash that says concours is wood grained the rear cove area does look like the picture you have of the concours i'm puzzled why the trim doesn't show up on the cowl tag

That's cool. Sounds like you have a real Concours. Hang on to it if you can, not too many seen around. After 67, they quit putting options on the body plate (except in Canada) and only included the base interior trim and paint color. The resto kit I have didn't go into any more detail on the Concours option except what I listed...no nice pictures of different models with pictures of options like some other resto kit I have. The Concours may very well have used the same interior trim codes used for 'substitute' Buick and Olds interiors found on the four SS car's tags I referenced and maybe that's why you see that code on the tag. I've seen or heard about very few Concours optioned cars to know what's what.

If it was outside the March/April time frame, I'd say the interior code was a go for Concours optioned Malibus. Being in that time frame, it either (1) is or (2) a coincidence. Not enough information available to make a good assumption.

But, hey, enjoy the car knowing it's a bit unique from other 68s and probably fewer Concours optioned Malibus made that SS models. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

The 168 is the 68 Buick code for black notch bench seat.
here is a link to the Buick list
http://www.atlantabuick.com/images/Restoration/68Trim.jpg

Rene
66_Malibu

Originally posted by Dale McIntosh:
That's cool. Sounds like you have a real Concours. Hang on to it if you can, not too many seen around. I know of one in a junkyard near me alot like yours Sem, it looks to have it's original Matador red paint with a black vinyl top tough. Alot of the trim is gone, only the unique steering wheel emblem and the "Concours" fender emblems remain. It has the black Buick interior with the fold down armrest and the backseat is nearly flawless. To bad it's in a junkyard and has the shell of a 69 Chevelle SS siting on top of it. graemlins/sad.gif It looks beyond restoring anyways, I seem to remember reading on here that there were 7,000 68 Concours coupes made, I don't know that to be fact but the one in the junkyard is the only one I have ever seen.

I can try and get the vin number and trim tag info for you guys if you would be curious in wanting to know it.