I just picked up a 69 Chevelle. It has a big block in it, but it also came with what appears to be the original engine. The assembly stamp is ?0120JK (can't read the first char designating the plant). The block is a 272 block cast A 13, the intake is a QJet manifold (I didn't write down the number) dated A 10, the heads are 063 both dated in January 69 and the crank is dated december of 68. The partial VIN is stamped on the front pad and does match the VIN on the dash.

The car has a 12 bolt, TH400, power disc brakes and SS emblems. Is this an SS?

Also, forgive my ignorance, but if I post the cowl tag info is there any pertinent info on there besides body and interior color?

I am going to repaint the car. Where can I find the dimensions of the stripes that go over the top of the car? Is there a book or stencil? Actually a better question would be....If this car is an SS should it have those stripes?

good pick love them 69 velle's there has been alot of discussion concerning hood/trunk stripes on the 69 some say they were a option some say they were added on by the selling dealer. I have a 69 and i put the single stripe down the side of the car as most if not all SS came with. but I have seen a few with the twin hood stripes. I t is all up to you. as far as if the car is a true SS hard to tell, need to find or look for the build sheet under seats.

good luck and enjoy the car

tom 69ss396 work in progress

So, build sheets are typically found under the seats? Funny on camaros when I rarely do find a build sheet it is on top of the gas tank.

Also, I know that restamping has become common practice but....

If the engine is indeed original to the car (based on the partial VIN stamp), would the presence of a 396/325 indicate an SS? Or was there a way to get a 396/325 without adding the SS option?

If the engine is correct and original to the car it would verify an SS

Thanks guys!

What about the cowl tag? What info will that give?

The assembly stamp on the engine, first letter should be "T".

Build sheet could be anywhere, under the carpet, in the seats, top of gas tank, in fender, under dash........

Cowl tag will give assembly plant, some options (vinyl top, interior group, etc.), paint color, and body style. COuld be other things, post the info and someone here will decode it.

Thanks for the build sheet location tips!!! I will look for it.

I will post the cowl tag info too.

The tag looks like:

69-13637 BF13848
790 D80 61 61
01C 770576 15-534

I'm sorry if there are any mistakes as I had someone read it to me over the phone. All I get out of it is dark brown metallic, ivory bench seat interior and built third week of January.

My nickname for this car is Grandma's SS!! :D

On my 69ss it had the build sheet under the front driver seet it the springs,I found part of it, I got lucky and the mice left the part that told the engine size,year and a few options like A/C were listed.I didnt see it the first time I looked because it had turned the same color as the brown stuff the use for the bottom of the seat padding. Also mine is azure turqoise with whit racing stripes on hood and trunk lid and also was white between the tail lights where most are black with parchment interior and you can tell it is the original paint butr from what Ive read the dealer added the white stripes.

Tomorrow I'll be searching for the build sheet!

Thanks for all of you input on the stripes! I think that I will just go with the side stripes.

Originally posted by paulm67:
The tag looks like:

69-13637 BF13848
790 D80 61 61
01C 770576 15-534

Here's some of it:
69 ~ (d'oh) smile.gif
13637 ~ Malibu 2-dr sport coupe trim
BF ~ Fremont, CA
13848 ~ Fisher Body number (not associated with VIN) 13,848th Malibu 2-dr sport coupe body
790 ~ Aff Parchment Coated Fabric bench seat
D80 ~ Probably B80 which is typical on Fremont Chevelles indicating Roof Drip Molding. D80 is Auxiliary Panel and Valance (never seen that before)
61 61 ~ lower and upper body colors - Burnished Brown in this case - don't see too many of them either but it's a pretty color with the parchment (white) interior!
01C ~ Body date of January, 3rd week
Other numbers are internal plant tracking numbers and their format is unique to Fremont. All plants used different themes here to put internal tracking numbers/letters on body tags.

FWIW, a "JK" suffix code is correct for a 69 396/325-L35 w/TH400. Check here (http://www.chevellestuff.com/69velle/images/v8engine_stamp_location.jpg) for locations of the VIN and see if it matches the car. If so, it's a real SS for sure.

Thanks!!

I looked in the paint code section of the site and it called 61 "Dark Brown Metallic", but when I saw the car I thought burnished brown as I am a first gen camaro guy and that was a camaro color too. I'm not a burnished brown fan at all, but the car does not look bad at all with that color and the white interior.

The VIN matches for sure, no doubt whatsoever. The engine components are all dated correctly for a 01C built car, so I am pretty sure that it is the original engine. I won't say I am positive though because who knows for sure.

The guy I bought it from said that he pulled the engine out many years ago when he bought it because it had been sitting for quite a while when he got it and the engine wouldn't turn over. So instead of messing with it he yanked it out and dropped in another BB that he had. I am grateful that he kept the engine!!!

I tore down the 396 and I couldn't see and reason that it wouldn't turn over except for gunk from sitting. The heads, block, crank, pistons and bearings all looked OK just dirty and slightly rusty. So in the end, it is highly unlikely that this is not the original engine for the car and it should be an easy resto. The car is from CA so there is virtually no rust. Oh, the odometer reads 66k and I haven't found anything so far to make me think that it's not the actual mileage.

I've only owned one other chevelle, a 1970 SS LS5 ragtop. I didn't know what it was at the time and sold it cheap. It was just a hotrod to me at the time and as many have said in the past "Boy I wish I had that car back"!!

Originally posted by paulm67:
Thanks!!

I looked in the paint code section of the site and it called 61 "Dark Brown Metallic", but when I saw the car I thought burnished brown Just FYI, the names of the colors on the Canadian charts are different than on the USA charts.
My code 71 "Lemans Blue" is called "Bright Blue Met." on the Canadian chart.

My first Chevelle was a 69 burnished brown Malibu with a dark brown vinyl top and black bench interior.
You don't see very many Chevelles with that color but I've seen a couple with white interiors and white tops that were very pretty.

I didn't find the build sheet but did get the engine and tranny out. The engine is a fresh 1981 454 bored 30 over. It looks to be in very good condition with nice open chamber oval port heads, edelbrock torker manifold and a holley 750 double pumper! A bonus fresh BB is always nice! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

I did get a good look at the tranny. It has the partial VIN stamped on it that matches the cars VIN and the rivited tag says 1969! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

What luck! Not only is the engine original but the tranny is too, both stamped with the cars VIN!! graemlins/thumbsup.gif