Can a 1969 Chevelle have a 13537 vin, and also have code 72 paint stamped on the cowl tag, along with the Kansas L stamp? My rookie brain seems to think it would have to be a 13637 vin car to have those cowl codes.
For what it’s worth, the owner has 10-15 car collection and I doubt he did any funny business. If anyone is close to there, the car is still for sale and I’m sure he would be happy to let someone go take a look at it.
A run-of-the-mill COPO Tribute based on a L6 Chevelle Malibu. IF the VIN was 136379K there'd be a real post storm due to the paint code and "L" code. No docs equals clone.
The seller assumes the engine is a 427 (after all, the stickers say so).
Aluminum heads.
It'd be fun to crawl all over it and get numbers, fuel line size, check the color under the carpet, etc.
According to seller, car was originally Monaco orange, it had been painted some other color and was in pieces when he found it. He found the Monaco orange paint on the car and decided to paint it the color it had originally been.
He had the motor built by a reputable and well known engine builder in the area the car is . According to owner, fully documented motor build and can be verified by the engine builder. Owner makes no claims motor is original... in fact told me he is 100 percent certain it is not.
I will state again that if it is in fact a 13537 (6 cylinder) Chevelle Malibu and was special ordered with Hugger Orange/Monaco Orange, the paint code shown on the "Body By Fisher" Cowl Data Tag would be 2 dashes, NOT "72 72."
If it was a 13637 and had come from the factory with either the Z25 (SS396) Option or was a factory COPO Chevelle it would get the "72 72" for the paint code.
What about the Title Card? What is the VIN shown on the Title Card?
Hey buddy, with all respect, if you like it so much why don't you buy it? > To paraphrase William Shakespeare in the play Hamlet: "Thou doth protest too much, methinks."
The known Kansas City-built COPO Chevelles carry the "L" Code on their Trim Tags, but that doesn't make them Z25 Optioned Chevelles (see RogerD's COPO's Trim Tag and associated documentation). The actual meaning of the "L" Code remains unknown, but it is associated by some with Chevelles that have the lower chrome trim and "Malibu" emblems "deleted (such as Z-25s and COPOs)" -- at least for those COPOs built in Kansas City. Baltimore-built COPOs (which make up the vast majority of COPO 9536 et. al. Chevelles) use the "standard "M" Code on the Trim Tag. I understand that there is one LA-Built COPO, but I believe there are no codes on its Trim Tag. Oh if only the COPOs had been built in Canada!
There IS a surviving example from a batch of 4 door COPO Chevelle Malibus built for the Arizona Highway Patrol (sufficient changes were made to the Chevelles that the B04 Police Package was not used!). Does anyone know the current whereabouts of this Malibu (last I heard the Chevelle was in Indiana or Ohio)? I'd love to see a picture of this Malibu's Trim Tag.
Unfortunately, we will likely never know what the "L" Code actually represents.
Nikey .. it was brought up as a topic of conversation.
I could care less who buys the car. I am not an Chevelle expert ... lord knows. I am an expert in interviewing criminals... my only point is, the owner seemed to be telling the truth in my humble opinion.
I could be totally wrong, maybe he’s full of Sh$t. Seems like a lotttt of money to do a full frame off restoration... only to list the car for maybe a few grand what it’s actually worth.
In my opinion we have a factory 6 cylinder malibu that someone tailored a cowl tag to indicate a possible SS car by adding the 72 72 SS only color without knowing the vin sequence was an important factor. If this cowl tag was a legit factory mistake the tag would be stamped 1363 v8 designated NOT 1353 with 7272 which was unavailable as a color option on the 6 cylinder malibu
I recently saw this car for sale and was interested in it so I came here to ask questions about the vin and the paint code on the tag when I did a search first and came across this thread.
After reading through all the responses I'm just wondering what you think it is worth? Strictly as a Malibu that started life as a 6 cyl and now has been very nicely restored and upgraded. We've talked with the guy and he is firm on $29k. I haven't seen it in person yet, might go this weekend to check it out if you guys think it is even worth my time. The car is about a 7 hour round trip for me. I really like the car and the detailed pictures look like quality work. How much does the 135 vin affect the value? If it was a 136 vin I would be less hesitant but I also worry about resale value down the road. I'm not buying to flip or anything like that but my husband usually only keeps cars for a couple years before he's ready for something new and this one is for him. Any opinions would be appreciated.
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