[Patrick Schamun]

Only recieved one answer on other site so I will try here.
Please Id:

ST 69-13680 BF 12448 BDY
TR 755 B80 B90 5252 PNT
07D 627121 400395

Will appreicate any help. Thanks, Patrick

 

[Guest]

Hope this helps

ST 69 = Model year
13680 = Custom El Camino 8 cyl 2 door sedan pickup
BF = this is puzzling, but this is the plant where this El was made B = Baltimore F = Flint, but did not make A bodies there in '69. Double check which letter it is.
12448 BDY = The unit number built at that plant for that model year
TR755 = interior trim code, black bench seat interior
B80 = I'm not sure, but may be bright drip rail moldings of some sort of bright body trim
B90 = I'm not sure, but may be door edge guards of some sort of bright body trim
5252 PNT = the paint code, this unit would be Garnet Red
07D = the time built code, in this case, the 4th (D) week of July (07)
627121 400395 = a "plant specific" code for major options to be installed on this vehicle. As of now, I am unaware of any translations for these! Most of the "Chevelle World" is waiting for these!

 

[faldrich]

I've been told that Alan Colvin, author of the "Chevrolet by the Numbers" series claims he knowns how to decode cowl tags but he's keeping it a secret to thwart counter-feiters.
For what it's worth.

 

[Shrub]

The BF mentioned above is the assembly plant code. BF coresponds to Fremont CA, everything else looks correct to me.
Hope I helped a little.

Jon

------------------
Jon Bush
66 Malibu Sport Coupe
Fremont CA, birthplace of many a chevelle

 

[Patrick Schamun]

My Chevelle is a 69 El Camino SS/396, power disc brakes, PS, 400 trans, 3/8 fuel lines, has SS emblems on glove box, both doors, both front fenders, tailgate, steering wheel center cap, and center of grill. But none of these cowl tag numbers well tell me that it is a real SS. I wonder why.

 

[von]

Patrick; as you probably know, starting in '69 the SS was an option (RPO Z25) instead of a model. The lower number line of your cowl tag, as I understand, are body preparation codes. If we knew how to decode those, maybe that would tell (no one does or will tell) if it's an SS. My '69 SS was built in Baltimore and it's cowl tag body prep code is L 206469. I don't have a build sheet either. I'm fairly sure my car was originally equipped with a manual trans, no posi, power steering, and front antenna, besides SS equipment. Maybe if we can get enough "69 owners to provide their numbers and equipment (especially those with build sheets), we can develop a pattern. How about it, '69 owners? von

 

[Guest]

My '69 SS was made at the Kansas City plant and has 02233 L on the botton line of the Cowl Tag.

These codes were plant specific, meaning Baltimore may have used different codes that Kansas. But they are codes for body mods required to build that unit. For instance, a 4 speed transmission required a body mod, a hole in the floor for the shifter. A/C required a body mod, different holes in the fire wall. Unlike some Camaros, there are no decernable codes on the Cowl Tag to verify if you have a real SS. However, the equipment you listed would be found on a real SS. In addition, a real SS would have an extra frame brace in the rear attached to the sides of the frame and to the upper support. Also, SS models received power front disc brakes.

Rick

[This message has been edited by RatMotor69 (edited 12-01-98).]

 

[Fred Aldrich]

My 69 SS Elky cowl tag:

ST69 13680 BAL167346 BDY
TR 755 59 BPNT
2A BFL080720

VIN: 136809B328610, engine and transmission numbers match

I have history going back to original owner and I believe that this is a correct car.

Original Body Options (as best I can determine)were:
AS1, Shoulder Harness Standard - Yes
A01, Tinted Glasss - Yes
A31, Electric Windows - No
A93, Vacuum Door Locks - No
BX4, Body side moulding - No
B37, Floor Mats - Unknown
B90, Door/window Frame Mouldings - Yes
B93, Door edge guards - Unknown
C08, Vinyl Roof Covering - Yes
C50, Rear Window Defogger - NA on Elky
C60, Air Conditioning - Yes
D33, Outside Mirror - Remote Control - No
D34, Visor Vanity Mirror - Unknown
D55, Console - No
D96, Wide Paint Stripe - Unknown
U46, Lamp Monitor - No
U79, Stereo Equipment - No
U80, Auxiliary Speaker - No
V79, Traction Dispenser - No
ZJ9, Aux. Lighting Group - Yes
ZK3, Deluxe Seat Belts - Yes
Z25, SS Package - Yes
Z57, Two Tone Vinyl - No

I decode the cowl tag as follows:

ST69 - 1969 model
1 - Chevrolet
3680 - Custom ElCamino
BAL - Baltimore Body Plant
167346 - ElCamino body sequence number (This doesn't square with VIN, too big)
TR 755 - Black Vinyl Bench Seat
59 B PNT - Frost Green with black vinyl roof
2A - First week of February build

VIN Decoded:
1 - Chevrolet
3680 - Custom ElCamino V8
9 - 1969
B - Baltimore Assembly
328610 - Chassis assembly sequence number (beginning with 300001)
Chassis sequence number doesn't square with body build date. Chassis number should be in the range of 380000 - 390000 for a Feb. 69 body build date (unless ElCamino's were counted separately)

I'd appreciate any feedback.
I'd like to participate in decoding the "Mystery Codes" on the cowl tag. As a retired GM engineer, I bring a unique perspective and I have an excellent 1969 Chevelle library.
One posibility I'd like to investigate is whether the "Codes" relate to options where Chevrolet designed and sourced the parts but Fisher installed them. Example - Rear speakers.

I don't have a Build Sheet for my Elky. If you have your '69 Build Sheet and access to a scanner, send it along to [email protected]. Scan at 1 bit black and white to keep the file size down, please.

Fred Aldrich



[This message has been edited by Fred Aldrich (edited 12-02-98).]

 

[elcamino]

As for the numbers on the lower line of the cowl tag on 1969 and up cars, they are not option codes! They show up in box #24 and another box (I can't remember now) on the build sheet. This is how Fisher coded the body to the orders from Chevy, Olds, etc. So somewhere on the paper work from Chevy to Fisher Body were the I.D. numbers 627121 400395 and Fisher stamped this on the cowl tag to keep track of the body so it got in the right place in production. Remember the VIN numbers come later in the assembly so that was of no use. If you could ever find the original paperwork from Chevy to Fisher it would have all the details but this is impossible 30 years later. Now sometimes only one set of these numbers ends up on the cowl tag and other times both are present. For more info on this look in the trim tags forum under MSA-1 a week or so back.

These are my opinons and based on over 28 years of owning and working on these cars. Also my neighbor is a retired GM assembly line worker who told me he once built 70 Chevelles and El Caminos in Flint.

 

[Fred Aldrich]

Let me add a little bit of knowledge here. The number used to track a car before the VIN was known is called the Wholesale Order Number, the number from the upper right corner of the paperwork that the dealer sent to GM. Anyone have a copy of their Wholesale Order that could check this out?????

ElCamino - Thanks for your explanationm

 

[Gary S]

Check out the "cowl tag" section of the Second Generation Camaro web page at www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Downs/1980. We have been able to partially decode some of those numbers on the last line of the cowl tags of Camaros produced at the LA plant. This information should apply to Chevelles produced at LA, too.
As was mentioned above, these number codes were plant specific, so it will not decode the Baltimore or Fremont cars, or those from any other plant. More research is needed to decode information from them.

 

[anthandwom]

Re: Cowl Tag ID>

The BF mentioned above is the assembly plant code. BF coresponds to Fremont CA, everything else looks correct to me.
Hope I helped a little.

Jon

------------------
Jon Bush
66 Malibu Sport Coupe
Fremont CA, birthplace of many a chevelle

Jon Bush,

Can you tell me why the Assembly Plant Code is Z in the VIN Number and BF on the Cowl Tag for Fremont, CA?

Thank you,
Anthony Ulmer
67 Chevelle SS