Any insight would be welcome...

VIN - 124379L502985

Trim Tag -
69 12437 VN 241343
727 55 55
01D A050

Protect-o-Plate -
124379L502985 C
T0920HB B90616G O
Y9P24D 11331

Thanks

Sorry for the double post....

Unfortunately, this is a Van Nuys built Camaro, and there is no way to tell if it's anything special by the cowl tag.
Here's what's known for sure....
It is a V-8 car. By the POP it shows...
Engine- assembled on Sept. 20th, 1968, it is a 350/300 horse engine with a turbo 350 trans. This indicates the car is an SS.
Trans is a turbo 350, and the rearend code off the POP is not right. There should be two letters at the start, like BG or BK. B9 is not valid.
The POP also shows the car being assembled in October.
My guess on the options goes...
1-Power Brakes
1-Power Steering
3-Radio of some sorts.
3-Disc Brakes
1-Air conditioning

Kurt S can probably confirm this, but I don't think it's the right cowl tag.
The car can't be assembled in October and the body built in January.

Sorry to tell you that someone has messed with the car.
The VIN was built the very end of 09D or the beginning of 10A. So it matches the POP and all the drivetrain codes. The rearend is probably B?0916G. POP errors are common. What is the code on the actual rearend?

The trim tag is a late January built. The VIN should be about 9L5207??.

So, was the VIN or the trim tag switched?
What is the VIN under the passenger side cowl vent? It's on the front edge of the hole and should be visible without taking the cowl panel off.
And which drivetrain is in the car?

------------------
Kurt S.
www.camaros.org (http://www.camaros.org)

First of all...thanks for the help...you have backed some of my suspicions...

The VIN stamping on the Cowl is 9L502985...so the VIN is correct. I never knew where to find that stamping...THANKS KURT! I have always suspected that the Trim tag was swapped at some point. The rivets are soldered over and just don't appear correct.

I believe the car was originally Rally Green with a black vinyl top and 711 interior. This is based on things I have found while prying...

1.) Car has original carpets with Rally green on the floorboards under the asphalt pads. I figure it is original due to the heel holes in the carpet and the original material padding.

2.) All over the car, the base paint (under current paint) is Rally green. This is in the cowl area (under vents), inside of A-pillars, inside the doors, and under the decklid extension.
3.) The car has a black vinyl top with old (poss. original) moldings. Don't know why someone would add a vinyl top...
4.) Several people have commented on the interior (seats and door panels) being in excellent shape for originals. All of the fasteners show age and they are just too authentic to be reproductions.

The POP does state B9xxxx. The current rear end is not correct for the car...but is a BLxxxx (3.08 open) 12-bolt.

The car has a 350 (NOM) with all the original accessories (dist., fan clutch, P/S, A/C are all correct). The TH350 is still there. Car still has all the R/S equipment and the original Rally wheels.

I am hoping to find a build sheet on it somewhere....if I am lucky.

Again...thanks for the help.

[This message has been edited by mccorry (edited 09-21-99).]

I have been looking into the different companies that manuf. repro Trim tags.

At some point, I may purchase a replacement trim tag with the correct colors and dates. I understand it comes with the correct rivets. Can these be put on with a standard rivet gun? What size are they and how should I seal them to make it "correct"?

I had to purchase one of these for my 71
ElCamino. It came with the rivets. On the Elky you can get to the backside of the rivets and hold the head of a hammer against the back. You put the rivet in the hole and pound it on the outside to make it sort of mushroom and stay in the hole. It is not like a rivet you use with a rivet gun, the rivets are the same size as the hole in the cowl. The outside of the rivet has a flange to keep it from going thru, basically you are flattening the backside. I dont know how you could do this on a Camaro. Maybe ask the guy would repros them. I used the guy in Chicago. He has the exact plates, the are old stock from the GM plants as is his stamping dies. Evidently he had a relative that worked there and he was able to purchase the stuff before it hit the trash.

I did this because I had my VIN but no cowl plate. Also, there are some people out there that think this is wrong. I felt it wasnt because on a 71 Elky you cant "fake" anything
like an SS or big block etc. None of the codes that year on the tag would suggest anything but an Elcamino. Now on some Camaros you could add codes and make something up. WHICH IS WRONG!!

[This message has been edited by Jonesy (edited 10-18-99).]

Thanks Jonsey...

My car has a protect-o-plate, but is a Los Angeles Built car...so the trim tag only shows color, interior, and build date. Nothing there to really fake. For the life of me, I don't know why anyone would change it...unless it was removed at some point and a previous owner found this replacement...?