[mccorry]

Anyone else out there have an (October '68 - December '68) built Los Angeles camaro? My car is VIN L502985, but some time in the past, the trim tag was swapped. I am trying to find other cars to see what the cowl tags show for internal plant codes and body numbers. Thanks for any help...

Steve

[This message has been edited by mccorry (edited 11-10-99).]

[Silver69]

I have an early 69 Los Angeles car built the 2nd week of September 1968. It has the early style trim tag. The tag reads:

ST 69 12437 LOS124900
TR 712 69 B
9B X290

(712) Custom Deluxe Black interior, (69 B)Cortez Silver with black vinyl roof, (9B) Sept.-2nd week

The VIN sequence # is under the 2,000th built.

It is an RS/SS, 396/325 hp car. The X290 code can not be definitively determined due to the LA plant doing its own thing with regard to the X codes. Believe me, I've tried to find out what LA's X290 meant.


[This message has been edited by Silver69 (edited 11-10-99).]

[mccorry]

Thanks, Silver69. Your car is first Los Angeles car I have heard of before mine....

The reason I asked is that I am thinking of getting a replacement trim tag and am just looking for what the "correct" values should be (ballpark).

X290 - I have heard that it means the 290th car built during the "X" period...but who knows?

[Kurt S]

I believe I've posted LA w/o info here before, but here it is again.

The letters increment thru the alphabet and have to do with scheduling. I think it may have had to do with building multiple models at LA. The numbers increment thru the day.

Silver69, there is really no risk in posting your VIN #. Anyone can walk up in a parking lot and write it down. But what could you do with it then?
I have a good question for you: Since it sounds like your engine is original, what's the engine code on the engine pad and is the VIN also stamped there?

Re: X290, a car 450 units before your car was a U and 50 units after your car was an A.

McCorry, I don't have data that close to your car. Probably U or V. But that's a guess on my part.

------------------
Kurt S.
www.camaros.org




[This message has been edited by Kurt S (edited 11-11-99).]

[Silver69]

Guys,
My 396 block was a "3935440" casting from the 1968 produciton year. It was cast July 15, 1968. There were to many made for the 1968 production year and they put them in early 1969 cars. The code on the head deck is T0904JB. The Tonawanda, NY plant built it on Sept 4, 1968. JB = 396/325 hp with manual trans.

[Kurt S]

That block sat for a little bit before it was assembled. But the date is close to your car.
Is the VIN on the engine pad?

Do you have either the trans code or the rearend code? I ask cause you have the earliest 69 BB car that we have documented.

Thanks!

------------------
Kurt S.
www.camaros.org

[Silver69]

Regretfully, the partial VIN is not stamped on the engine pad. I have used The Definitive 1969 Camaro Z28-SS 396 Fact Book for some of my research. Other stuff:
Distributor Build Date Code - 8H8=Aug 8, 1968
Intake manifold cast date = Aug 27, 1968
Rear end code - BS = 3.31, Built Aug. 22

Trans has VIN stamped in it, so I know it's mine. The trans is a Munice 4 speed, but the stamping is B9P05. I read in Chevrolet By The Numbers that Munice had some "oddball" stampings. This may be one of them. The castings for the side cover and extension are dated for the 3rd week in August. The main case is 4th week August. This makes sense with the engine assembly of Sept. 4th and the Trim Tag showing 2nd week in Sept. for assembly.

This is probably much more than you wanted. The VIN is L501947

[Kurt S]

Too much data? Nah..... I still have questions!

The trans code looks OK except for a B instead of P for the first digit. How clear is the B? There is no suffix at the end of the code (A,B, or C)?

Is the alternator original?

Also, I had seen your car at the Joliet SC show, (nice car!), but the LOS # was noted as LOS124905. Was that a mistake in my notes?

Could you drop me a line at ksonen@visteon.com or post your email so CRG can contact you if we have any questions in the future?
Thanks again for the info!

Back to the w/o #'s, you can see that they went the whole way thru the alphabet by the time they made McCorry's car, a thousand units later.

------------------
Kurt S.
www.camaros.org

[mccorry]

Wow...they really spun through the letters on the plant code. I had no idea....thought it was more like every 250 cars or so...

Kurt...as you know, I am trying to find other cars around my VIN. Currently here are the closest I have....

VIN Trim Body No. Date Plant Code
L501947 LOS 124900 9B X290
L502985 My car
L503102 LOS 123116 10A C500
L503xxx LOS 118739 10A C588

Do you have any others that I am missing?

Steve


[This message has been edited by mccorry (edited 11-12-99).]

[Silver69]

Sorry Guys,

I had a typo error on the trim tag LOS#. It is 905. Please update your info.

Kurt, The rear end code is:
BS 0822G1
E
This should be a 12 bolt with 3.31 gears, made Aug 22nd from (G) Detroit Gear & Axle, 1st shift. E is for Eaton positraction unit.

The trans code: The B is stamped very deep and away from the 9P05. I think the B separated from the 9P05 is for an M-21. Again, my VIN is stamped on the trans case, so the 9PO5 leaves me stumped. This is why I thought it was one of the Muncie "oddball" trans stamping written about in Chevrolet By The Numbers.

Good Luck with your car Steve.

[Jonesy]

Here you go, I just went out to the garage and looked at all my numbers on my Van Nuys 69 RS/SS 350. It is on a rotisserie right now and in the middle of a total nut and bolt resto. I purchased the car in Oct 79 and believe it to be an original drivetrain car. It even had the original paint on it when I bought it with 77,000 orig miles. here's the numbers:

ST 69 12437 LOS 131674 BDY
TR 727 55 55 PNT
11B H744

124379L508474 - VIN
BM 1016 G2 - rearend - cast date J 8 8
J 18 8 - block casting date(could be J 10 8)
3932386 Block
19L508474 V1023HA on front pad
J 10 8 Intake casting 3927184
distributor 8H29
Carb - 7029203 - J8 DY
Muncie 4spd - P9R17A with no VIN on it



[This message has been edited by Jonesy (edited 11-12-99).]

[mccorry]

Hey Jonesy...I've never seen an Azure turquoise car. You got any photos of what it looked like before you started? Just curious...

Steve

[Jonesy]

Steve

Yes I do have some pics. I will try to scan
them at work and post them for you.

[68SS396]

I'm parting a 69 X11 that was originally azure turquoise and its a very nice color. Don't see too many that color. I like it and don't know why there isn't more of them

[Kurt S]

I've only seen that color a couple of times, though I've seen many cars that were supposed to be that color.
I've also see a car that was a 2-tone: Azure bottom and white top. Neat looking.

68SS396: I'd be interested in the #'s off of that car. ksonen@visteon.com or post them here. Thanks!

------------------
Kurt S.
www.camaros.org