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VIN plate finish

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7.4K views 16 replies 9 participants last post by  William  
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#1 ·
When I replaced my dash top, I put the VIN plate in before I painted, and it got so gooped up I had to pull it back out and clean it. Now that I have it stripped, I was wondering what the original finish was. Natural, unprotected steel?

When I stripped and cleaned it, I left it unprotected and it developed a patina. I'm trying to remember all the unmolested 1st gens I've seen, and I seem to recall that same patina, so I am thinking I will just rivet it back in and be done with it.

I am assuming since it was attached at the assembly plant, and not at Fisher Body, the VIN is not supposed to be the same color as the dash.
 
#6 ·
For 1968 and 1969 VIN tags were stamped with the VIN prior to either black e-coat or dip prime. They were then supposed to be painted with the same suede paint used on the top of the dash-the suede was definitely applied prior to installation. Due to the dash repair common to the cars I have seen a number of loose VIN tags.

However the last paint step did not always happen according to plan. A friend has a '69 Z/28 with a dark green interior; VIN tag is dark green. But I know of another with the same interior and the tag is black. This seems to be the case with all non-black interiors; I have seen VIN tags painted both ways.
 
#7 ·
As usual different opinions, both my 69 cars are untouched in this area and the vin plate is no way the same as the dash. William, were VN cars and Norwood done the same way?
 
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#8 ·
Don't know why not. I do not see many VN built cars here in WI but those I have experience with were no different. VN used the same Assembly Manual as Norwood. Again a blue, green or red dash can have a tag finished in black suede.

Are you certain the top of the dash has the OE finish? Very common for them to be incorrectly refinished in semi-gloss. Dash tops rusted quickly and were often refinshed if the windshield was replaced.

I have been collecting VIN/body tag data for 25 years and have examined thousands of them, obviously several after removal. A few observations: original paint does not last forever. As suede deteriorates it becomes smoother and takes on the apperance of semi-gloss. Out of the dash the exposed area of a tag will look different than the covered portion. Again the dash was painted by Fisher long before VIN assignment; there is never paint on the rivets. While the tag technically has the same paint as the dash it was done later using a different process. The VIN tag was stamped, painted and installed by Chevy. It's right there in the 1969 Camaro AIM, section O page B2.

As a side note John Z explained why 68-69 VIN rivets are technically upside down; the 'rosette' head is under the dash. Fisher built bodies complete including the installation of the windshield. When Chevrolet received the body and assigned the VIN it was no longer possible to rivet from the top. Firebirds built at Lordstown have the rivets installed head up because Pontiac installed the glass.
 
#10 ·
William said:
Firebirds built at Lordstown have the rivets installed head up because Pontiac installed the glass.
Click to expand...
Actually, Lordstown was a unique situation - it was a Fisher Body/Chevrolet plant, but the Trim Shop was an "integrated" layout that combined both Fisher Body and Chevrolet trim operations; first conveyor pass was Fisher, second was Chevrolet, third was Fisher, etc. through six passes, with a combined final inspection at the end of the sixth pass before the body went upstairs to the body schedule bank.

As a result, the VIN at Lordstown was assigned at the beginning of the integrated Trim Shop, and was known in time to create and install the VIN plate on the Firebird (and on the Chevrolet Impala/Caprice models it was built with) before the windshield glass was installed by Fisher Body on the third pass.

:beers:
 
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#9 ·
William, I'm walking out to the garage right now to verify your post.;)
You are THE man. :thumbsup: Right on the button.
 
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Z
#11 ·
i had to replace the top of the dash on mine also.....the rivits were not painted however the vin tag was or appeared when looking at it to be green like the dash was. the dash did not appear to have been repainted and the car has 42,000 miles. i blew a couple of coats of the dash paint on the tag before i put it back in.
 
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#12 ·
From an old TC post (9-10-2003), the top of the dash should be DITZLER 9317. This is 9266 with a texturizer, flatener, and blue green so says the quoted post. A friend of mine had some made up, and it looks great. The VIN tag, well the back side of mine has some light rust, and the front (top) seemed to be flat black BTW. Hope this helps-

Rob
 
#13 ·
Looking at mine very close in the sun yesterday I could see how they may been the same finish originally but the vin tag itself has "lost" its color. Much thinner coat on the differnent process you describe for painting these William?
Good info.
 
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#14 ·
Based on examination of tags way back when they were dip-primed or e-coated after stamping then later lightly top coated with dash paint.

How well this held up was subject to a number of variables; the process itself and the environment the car was kept in. At 800/day I doubt the painting process got much attention once set up; in those days paint quality was poor and process controls didn't exist.

But then again the cars weren't intended to last 40 years.
 
#15 ·
Back in the old Fisher/Chevrolet plant days, the steering column (and N34 hub if so equipped), ash tray faceplate, glove box door, and floor console were painted in a small low-temp paint system on the Chevy side of the plant at the Trim Line, and some plants also painted the VIN plate (after stamping it) with those parts for each car - just hung it on the same magnetic hook with the ash tray and glove box door - some did, some didn't. My '69 02D Norwood Z/28 (dark green interior) VIN plate is also dark green, painted separately prior to installation. :thumbsup:
 
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#16 ·
Okay, the process now makes more sense to me. I was trying to picture how and why they would spray just the VIN pates. Seemed like a lot of work for one little piece of metal for each car.

Which brings to mind an interesting question... if it would have been painted with the glove box door, ash tray door, etc., wouldn't it be low gloss color, rather than the O gloss of the dash top? I can't see them changing guns in the middle.

Thanks John, as always!
 
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