camaro vin, cowl tag, and oww2.justanswer.com/uploads/jhoop/2010-04-23_030128_1.pdf · 4/23/2010...

C R G CRG Reports Exterior Engine 1967 Model ID

Numbers Decode General Info Interior Transmission 1968 Model ID

Drivetrain Decode Options Underhood Chassis 1969 Model ID

VIN, Cowl Tag, and other Numbers Decoding

©1998-2010, Camaro Research GroupEdited by Kurt Sonen and Rich FieldsVersion: Wednesday, 21-Apr-2010 12:45:03 EDT

Cowl Tag DecoderA program that decodes the VIN and cowl tag information for 67-69 Camaros.Click (or Shift-Click) to download the first-generation Camaro Cowl Tag Decoder in zip format, version 3.68.

Drivetrain DecodingEngine, transmission, and axle decoding information is in the Drivetrain Decoding section.

VIN Information

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Decode1.Partial VIN Definition and Location2.123x7 VIN vs. 124x7 Cowl Tag Code3.VIN compared to Production Date4.

Cowl Tag Information

Cowl Tag Decode5.Exterior Color Codes6.Interior Trim Codes7.1967 Cowl Tag - Fisher Body Codes8.1969 Cowl Tag - X Codes9.

Other Decoding Information

Protect-o-Plate Decode10.GM Date Code Formats11.Sheetmetal Date Codes12.Julian Calendar Generator13.Numbers Trivia14.

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) DecodeThe Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN, is stamped on a plate that is riveted to the vehicle. Thethirteen-digit VIN used during the first-generation Camaro period has the following format:

Camaro VIN, Cowl Tag, and other Numbers Decoding http://www.camaros.org/numbers.shtml

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1967-1969 Camaro VIN Interpretation

12ebbyaxxxxxx

where 1 = Chevrolet 2 = Camaro e = 3 for 6-cylinder engine, or 4 for 8-cylinder engine bb = 37 for coupe body, or 67 for convertible body y = 7 for 1967 model, 8 for 1968 model, or 9 for 1969 model a = N for Norwood, OH assembly, or L for Los Angeles, CA assembly xxxxxx = vehicle serial number sequence

At each plant, the vehicle serial number started the year at the following number:

100001 for 1967 models 300001 for 1968 models 500001 for 1969 models


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As an example, the first car off the Norwood line in 1968 was an 8-cylinder coupe and the VIN for this car is124378N300001. The next car would have been 12xx78N300002 (the xx would be dependent on whether itwas a L6 or V8 and a coupe or convertible).

In 1967, the VIN plate is located on the driver-side A-pillar (front pillar) and is visible when the driver-sidedoor is open.

Starting in 1968, and continuing to the present time, the VIN plate was relocated to the upper dash panel,on the forward portion of the drivers side, and is viewable through the windshield glass when standing at thefront edge of the driver's door. The location is shown in this photo.

Starting in August 1969, the complete VIN was also stamped on a conformance sticker that was placed onthe driver's door, just above the door striker.

The VIN does not provide any information other than what is listed in the box above. The VIN does not tell ifthe car is a Z28, SS, RS, etc.

Partial VIN Definition and LocationIn addition to the official VIN plate, a partial VIN should be stamped on the body sheet metal in two places:

On the cowl in front of the passenger side (underneath the cowl vent panel). You can see it sometimesif you carefully look with a flashlight through the slots in the vent panel, but the panel comes off with afew screws and the wiper arms pop off pretty easily, so this one is not a big deal to get to. The photobelow (with the cowl vent panel removed) shows the typical location for this stamp.

1.

On the firewall below the fan motor opening (non-AC cars) or below the heater opening (AC cars). Thisrequires the heater or air conditioning box removal, and therefore most car buyers will not have anopportunity to view this stamp. The photo below of the passenger side of the firewall shows the typicallocation on a car without air conditioning.

2.

Cowl Partial VIN Firewall Partial VIN

The format of the partial VIN is:

1967-1969 Camaro Partial VIN Interpretation

yaxxxxxx (1967) 1yaxxxxxx (1968-69)

where 1 = Chevrolet y = 7 for 1967 model, 8 for 1968 model, or 9 for 1969 model a = N for Norwood assembly plant L for Los Angeles assembly plant xxxxxx = serial number sequence

Partial VINs were also stamped on most engines and transmissions from 1967 on. Not all engines andtransmissions in 1967 were stamped with partial VINs. Details and examples are shown in the DrivetrainDecoding section. However, be aware that the partial VINs can be "restamped" on engines and


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1968 LOS Cowl Tag

1969 NOR Cowl Tag

transmissions by machining off the original stamp (or finding one that is unstamped) and then stamping thedesired VIN.

12337 VIN vs 12437 Cowl Tag CodeThough it looks very similar to the first five digits of the VIN, the body style code on the Fisher Body cowl tagdid not have the same meaning. Fisher Body didn't need the type of engine coded on the cowl tag, and sostamped the 3rd digit of the Fisher style code with a different meaning than the 3rd digit of the VIN.

The 3rd digit of the VIN identifies which engine (L6 or V8) the car had from the factory. A VIN engine digit of3 indicates a L6 engine, while a VIN engine digit of 4 indicates a V8 engine.

The cowl tags for 1967 Camaros were stamped with a style code of 12x37 or 12x67, where the x was set to 4for standard interior or 6 for custom interior. All 1968-69 Camaros (L6 or V8) had a style code of 12437 or12467 on the cowl tag - the 3rd digit of the firewall style number for these two years was fixed to 4 andeffectively had no meaning.

For related information, see also the Cowl Tag and Numbers Trivia sections.

Cowl Tag DecodeThe cowl tag is a small aluminum tag riveted to the driver's side of the firewall in the engine compartment.The tag was stamped at the Fisher Body assembly plant (not the Chevrolet vehicle assembly plant, whichwas a separate entity) with characters describing basic characteristics of the body (not the final vehicle)build. Below is a summary of the major cowl tag fields, referred to below as fields a thru g. Despite severalvariations of cowl tag formats and shapes, the bulk of the information remained the same for the 1967-1969model years. 1967 was the last (and only, for Camaro) year for inclusion of option related codes. There werealso a few other changes in field content from year to year, as described below.

(These discussions apply only to U.S.-built regular bodies certified and sold by GM in North America andare not applicable to models built or final-assembled out of the U.S. Note that 1968 Yenkos and 1968non-Canadian export models, not requiring the statement of Chevrolet certification to Federal Motor VehicleSafety Standards, were shipped with 1959-1963 style Fisher Body tags that are absent the 1968 certificationstatement.)

1967-1969 Camaro Fisher Body Cowl TagFields

Field locations (described below) for:______________________________________

1967-68 Cowl Tags

BODY BY FISHER a b ST c d BODY TR e f PAINT g(67 only)

______________________________________

1969 Cowl Tags BODY BY FISHER ST c d BDY TR e f PNT a b(LOS)/g(NOR)

Field a - body build date codeThis is composed of two digits (01 thru 12corresponding to each month of the modelyear) and a letter (A thru E corresponding to the week of the month) and indicates when the assemblyof the body was started. For example 11C means the body assembly was started during the 3rd weekof November of the model year (not the calendar year).


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Field b (LOS vs NOR)LOS - Fisher Body body scheduling code

The LOS (Los Angeles/Van Nuys) body scheduling code is a letter followed by one to threedigits, e.g., F103. Based on data analysis only (there is no GM documentation yet available thatdescribes this code) - but with consistent application to thousands of datapoints - CRG believesthe code was used by LOS Fisher Body (and other plants that built multiple carlines) to aid inscheduling the body build order.

The letter indicates the approximate production day of the month for the start of the assembly ofeach vehicle body. It began with letter "A" on the first day of the month of the Fisher productioncalendar, incremented at the start of each additional production day to the next alphabetic letter,and was reset to letter "A" at the start of the next production month. (Note that the Fisherproduction calendar is known to differ slightly from the calendar month, and we also do not yetknow exactly how the Fisher production calendar related to the Chevrolet monthly productionreporting calendar.)

The one-to-three digit sequence number that follows the letter was reset to 1 at the start of eachproduction day and was incremented serially with each body built by the factory as the dayprogressed. Data analysis indicates that the sequence number at the LOS plant was assignedregardless of model or body type. By this we mean that Camaros and full-size passenger carsboth incremented the same sequence counter. The unit counter was reset to 1 the next day asthe day-of-the-month code letter incremented to the next letter. In the example, F103 wouldindicate the sixth day of production for a given month and the 103rd body started on that sixthday of production.

NOR - (1967 only) NOR interior paint code

The NOR (Norwood) interior paint code, used only during 1967, is a single letter and is the samecharacter as used on the Protect-o-Plate (POP). See the POP decoding section for other detailson the Norwood interior paint code.

Field c - body style code 12xx7 (See also this explanation of why the Fisher style and VIN prefix differed.)The two digit year ("67," "68," or "69") was followed by a five-digit "ST" body style code, e.g. 12437.The first two digits of the style code are the model code ("12") and the last two digits are body code("37" for coupe and "67" convertible).While the Fisher style code is often confused with the first five digits of the VIN, the two codes aredifferent because of the different meaning of the third digit. In 1967, the third digit of the style codewas set to "4" for standard interior or "6" for custom interior (e.g. a style code for a 67 convertible withcustom interior would be 12667). In 1968-69, the third digit was fixed at "4" for all models (L6 and V8)and had no meaning.

Field d - assembly plant codeThe next three letters represent the assembly plant ("NOR" for the Norwood, Ohio factory and "LOS"for the Los Angeles (Van Nuys), California factory. In mid-December 1968, the "LOS" was changed to"VN."The digits that follow, up to six, represent the Fisher body number sequence. The body numbersequence is not the same as the VIN sequence. In 67-68, the body number was approximatelysequential, increasing as more cars were built during the model year. In 69, the body number wasassigned when the order was accepted, not when the body when built. Body numbers from cars thatwere built at the same time can vary significantly, depending on how quickly the order was fulfilled.

Field e - interior trim codeThe first three digits of the trim ("TR") code are a unique (for each year) interior color and type codethat indicate the color and standard or custom interior.1967 tags also have a hyphenated suffix that indicate seat and headrest type: Z - standard A50 Strato Bucket seats (no headrest) Y - RPO AS2 headrest added to the A50 bucket seats H - RPO AL4 Stato Bench seats (no headrest) T - RPO AS2 headrests added to the AL4 bench seats

Field f - exterior paint codeThe "PAINT" or "PNT" fields show the body paint color and the top color, including vinyl or convertibletop, if so equipped. For cars without a vinyl or convertible top, the body paint color was stamped onthe tag twice, e.g. E-E or 69-69.Paint codes were alphabetic in 1967-68, and numeric in 1969. Vinyl and convertible top codes were


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numeric in 1967-68, and alphabetic in 1969. Two-tone paint was offered only with the 1969 models.Special paint cars were marked with special codes, as noted in the special paint section.

Field g - body-related option codes (see also 1967 Fisher Option Codes and 1969 Norwood X codes)In 1967 this was a list of numbered option groups where each character represented a body-relatedoption that required some action on the part of Fisher Body to alter the "baseline" configuration. Thesegroups were eliminated in 1968, but in mid-year 1969 the Norwood Fisher Body plant began usingbody paint/trim codes, including the famous X codes and other codes including D80, Z10, and Z11.Also included as part of this group are 1967 "fleet and special order" (F&SO) codes that were stampedat both factories to indicate special vehicle order(s). For example, one of the groups of 1967Norwood-built Indy Pace Car replicas used the "-061A" F&SO code.

Exterior Color CodesBelow are the CRG tables, with footnotes, for exterior paint and vinyl and convertible top colors, and therelationships between them. Related topics that are also covered below include:

Stripe ColorsSpecial Paint DesignationWindow Sticker Paint Codes

Cowl tags and POP tags in 1967 and 1968 used a letter code for body paint and a numeric code for thevinyl/convertible top. Cowl tags changed in 1969 to use of a numeric code for the body paint (with two-tonepaint now a Camaro option) and a letter code for the vinyl/convertible top color (though neither of thesecodes were included on the 1969 POP). The 1969 colors are presented in the same row as the two-letterRPO suffix that was added to the 1969 "900 code" for that color. For example, 1969 "Dover White", code"50", is shown in the Exterior Paints Table in row "C". This means that the cowl tag would have shown"50-50" and the window sticker, as seen in the "C or 50" row of the Exterior Paint RPO Codes Table, wouldhave had "5911CC DOVER WHITE" printed on it (where the initial "5" is the GM prefix indicating Camaro).

Non-standard body paint and striping could be ordered, and such cars were specially marked. See theSpecial Paint section for more details.


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1967-1969 Camaro Exterior Paint Color Codes

69 Stripe Color vs Top Color ----------------------------Alpha 1967 1968 1969 (8) Body Vinyl ConvCode Body Color/Stripe Body Color/Stripe Code | Body Color Color B E F C S B A----- ------------------ ------------------- -------------------- ------------------------- A Tuxedo Black/W Tuxedo Black(3)/W 10 Tuxedo Black W(4) W W - - W W W B -- -- 69 Cortez Silver B(5) B W - B - B W C Ermine White/B Ermine White/B 50 Dover White B(5) B B - B B B B D Nantucket Blue/W Grotto Blue/W 53 Glacier Blue B B W - B - B W E Deepwater Blue/W Fathom Blue(3)/W 51 Dusk Blue W W W - W - W W F Marina Blue(1)/W Island Teal/W 71 LeMans Blue W(6) B W - - - B W G Granada Gold/B Ash Gold/B 65 Olympic Gold B B W B - - B W H Mountain Green/B Grecian Green(3)/B -- -- J -- Rallye Green(3)/W 79 Rallye Green(9) W B W - - - B W K Emerald Turquoise/B Tripoli Turquoise/B 55 Azure Turquoise B B W - - - B W L Tahoe Turquoise/W Teal Blue/W -- -- M Royal Plum/W -- 63 Champagne B B W B - - B W N Madeira Maroon/W Cordovan Maroon/W 67 Burgundy R(7) R W - - - R W O -- Corvette Bronze(3)/B -- -- P -- Seafrost Green/B 76 Daytona Yellow B B B - - - B B Q -- -- 72 Hugger Orange W B W - - - B W R Bolero Red(1)/W Matador Red(2)/W 52 Garnet Red B B W - - - B W S Sierra Fawn/B -- 61 Burnished Brown W W W W - - W W T Capri Cream/B Palomino Ivory(3)/B -- -- U -- LeMans Blue(3)/W -- -- V -- Sequoia Green/W 57 Fathom Green W W W - - W W W W -- -- 59 Frost Green(10) B B W - - B B W Y Butternut Yellow/B Butternut Yellow/B 40 Butternut Yellow B B B B - - B B Z -- British Green(3)/W -- --

1969 Two-Tone Coupe Colors DC -- -- 53-50 Glacier Blue/Dover White KC -- -- 55-50 Azure Turquoise/Dover White DE -- -- 53-51 Glacier Blue/Dusk Blue ED -- -- 51-53 Dusk Blue/Glacier Blue GC -- -- 65-50 Olympic Gold/Dover White SM -- -- 61-63 Burnished Brown/Champagne

Stripe Color: W=White, B=Black, R=Red


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Table Footnotes:

1967: Marina Blue and Bolero Red have Black stripes with Black vinyl/convertible tops.1.1968: Matador Red have Black stripe with Black vinyl/convertible top.2.1968: As of Jan 68; colors A, E, H, and T were retired, and colors J, O, U, and Z were added.3.1969: Tuxedo Black coupes with Black interior and D90, DX1, or D96 stripe (not Z28) and without* vinyltop received a Red stripe. (* Note: An original paint black car with a black vinyl top has found and ithas a red stripe on it, so GM documentation may be in error on this detail).

4.

1969: Cortez Silver and Dover White coupes with Red interior and D90, DX1, or D96 stripe (not Z28)and without vinyl top received a Red stripe.

5.

1969: While the dealer literature reports that a black stripe is the default color with LeMans Blue, onlywhite stripes have been observed in practice, except for special orders.

6.

1969: The default stripe color for Burgundy was red. However, the "Camaro Striping Color ApplicationChart" dated 4/1/69 documents the Burgundy models that received white stripes: Z/28 or non-Z/28with either Parchment vinyl top or white convertible top.

7.

1969: Colors 10, 67, 40, 61, 51, 53/51, 51/53, and 61/63 were initially special order from LOS/VN. 40,63, 61/63 were initially special order from NOR. The special order restriction was lifted circa January1969. Note that "special order" is different from "special paint."

8.

1969: 79 Rallye Green was added as allowable color for the Midnight Green Vinyl Roof circa January1969.

9.

1969: 59 Frost Green was also called Frost Lime in some references.10.

1967-1969 Camaro Convertible Top Colors *

67-68 1969Code 1967 Color 1968 Color Code 1969 Color----- ---------- ---------- ---- ---------- 1 White White A White 2 Black Black B Black 4 Med. Blue Blue

* The default convertible top was white. Black or blue (67-68) had to be specially designated.

1967-1969 Camaro Vinyl Top Colors

67-68 1969Code 1967 1968 Code 1969 Top 1969 Body Colors *----- ----- ----- ---- ----------- ---------------- 2 Black Black B Black All colors - -- -- C Dark Blue 50, 51, 53, 69 6 Beige / White E Parchment All colors Light Fawn F Dark Brown 40, 61, 63, 65 S Midnight Green 10, 50, 57, 59, 79(Jan)

* Other 1969 body colors could be ordered with the non-Black and non-Parchment top colors, but would require confirmation (aka color override) before the order would be accepted into the system.

STRIPE COLORSStripe colors (white or black, with red added in 1969, and pace cars being a special exception) wereselected based on body color. In 1967-68, there were three color combination exceptions to this where topcolor overrode that selection. In 1969, stripe color selection became more complicated as Chevy decided tomake top color a full participant in the stripe color decision. Note the additional columns at the far right ofthe Exterior Paint Color Codes Table that show the 1969 stripe color (W=White, B=Black, R=Red) as afunction of top color and type, where Body Color="No Vinyl/Conv Top" and the legend for the top colors/typeabbreviations are shown in the Convertible Top Colors and Vinyl Top Colors tables.

SPECIAL PAINT DESIGNATIONSpecial paint cars were identified with a unique paint code on the firewall cowl tag. Special paint was any


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non-standard Camaro color; it could be a GM color or any other color. (The Cadillac Firemist colors were theonly colors not available. Since they had such a coarse metallic, the Firemist colors needed to be sprayedthrough a special paint gun.) In 68, if any of the four colors that were deleted mid-year (see footnote 3 in theExterior Color table) were ordered in the latter part of the year, the cowl tag was normally coded as specialpaint.

In 1968-69, either deletion of a stripe or use of a non-standard stripe color was also considered to be specialpaint.

On the window sticker and on broadcast copy sheets, "1001AA" and "1001HA" have been observed asdesignating special paint cars. Note that all cars were painted, no cars were shipped from the assemblyplant in primer.

Cowl Tag Coding1967 special paint cars used the letter "O" instead of the normal color code. For early model year 1968, thedesignation for special paint cars changed to the letter "Z". However, new mid-year colors needed codesassigned to them, and starting January 1968 the letter "Z" paint code was used to denote the newlyavailable Camaro color called British Green, and simultaneously the notation of special order paint waschanged to a dash "-". The "-" (dash) special paint code continued for the rest of the 1968 model year aswell as for the entire 1969 model year. Due to changes and differences in how the factories marked the paintcodes (especially differences in 1968 factory formats), the special paint formats are easier to illustrate in theexamples in the Special Paint Table below than to describe in words.

Cowl Tag Examples for Special Paint

Paint Vinyl Top/Convertible ----- --------------------- 1967 NOR/LOS O-O O-2 1968 early NOR Z Z Z 2 LOS Z-Z Z-2 1968 late NOR - - - 2 LOS --- --2 1969 NOR/LOS - - - B ------------------------------------------- (1) Note that the Vinyl/Convertible top colors used in the examples above should be replaced with the actual color code for the top. Black tops are shown in all the examples. (2) CRG isn't clear at this time how a 1967 "stripe delete" car was marked. Stripe delete was considered "special paint" in 1968-69. (3) In 1967 only, a dash can follow the standard option codes at the bottom of the cowl tag. This dash may appear by itself or it may precede a Fleet & Special Order (F&SO) code. This dash has been observed on all known special paint cars, and precedes the fleet code when the code is stamped. It is believed that this dash indicated that there were special instructions (the F&SO paperwork) available for the vehicle.

WINDOW STICKER PAINT CODESRelated to the cowl tag and POP paint codes was the production component code for body paint thatappeared on the window sticker was similar for all three years. Even in 1969, when the numeric codes wereused for paint on the cowl tag, the window sticker production code still included an alphabetic productioncomponent code suffix similar to those used in 1967 and 1968. For example, Tuxedo Black (coded as A in67 and 68, and 10 in 1969) appeared this way on window stickers:


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1967: 5900AA TUXEDO BLACK1968: 5900AA TUXEDO BLACK1969: 5910AA TUXEDO BLACK

While the "900 code" in 1969 was 910, and the cowl tag code was also a 10, this appears to have beencoincidence, or at best, an isolated equivalence. As you can see from the table below, no other colors hadthis equivalence in 1969.

We are currently unsure only about the last two digits of the 900 code for three of the five two-tone colors(though we are fairly sure these three are in, or at one end of, the 954-958 sequence). The characters aboutwhich we are unsure are noted with a question-mark "?".

1967-1969 Camaro Exterior ColorWindow Sticker RPO Codes

("900" codes)

Window Sticker RPO Code -----------------------Body Color 1967 1968 1969---------- ------ ------ ------ A or 10 5900AA 5900AA 5910AA B or 69 -- -- 5912BB C or 50 5900CC 5900CC 5911CC D or 53 5900DD 5900DD 5922DD E or 51 5900EE 5900EE 5923EE F or 71 5900FF 5900FF 5924FF G or 65 5900GG 5900GG 5915GG H 5900HH 5900HH -- J or 79 -- 5900JJ 5925JJ K or 55 5900KK 5900KK 5921KK L 5900LL 5900LL -- M or 63 5900MM -- 5917MM N or 67 5900NN 5900NN 5914NN O -- 5900OO -- P or 76 -- 5900PP 5926PP Q or 72 -- -- 5927QQ R or 52 5900RR 5900RR 5913RR S or 61 5900SS -- 5918SS T 5900TT 5900TT -- U -- 5900UU -- V or 57 -- 5900VV 5920VV W or 59 -- -- 5919WW Y or 40 5900YY 5900YY 5916YY Z -- 5900ZZ -- 53/50 -- -- 5954DC 53/51 -- -- 59??DE 51/53 -- -- 59??ED 65/50 -- -- 5957GC 55/50 -- -- 5958KC 61/63 -- -- 5959SM

Interior Trim CodesThe 1967-1969 first-generation Camaro interior trim codes are summarized in the tables below. Note that thefirst column is the interior paint code that was used on the 67-68 Protect-o-Plate and the 1967 Norwood cowltag.


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1967 Camaro Interior Trim Codes

Int. Paint Interior Standard Standard Custom Custom Code Color Bucket Bench(1) Bucket Bench(1) ----- ----------------- -------- -------- ------ -------- B Blue 717 739 D Red 741 742 E Black 760 756 765 767 G Gold 709 796 711 712 K Parchment/Black(2) 797 R Bright Blue 732 716 T Turquoise 779 Y Yellow 707 ------------------- (1) Bench seat not available in convertible. (2) Carpet, instrument panel, and steering wheel are black.


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1967 interior codes also have a hyphenated suffix that indicate seat and headresttype: "Z" indicated standard A50 Strato Bucket seats (no headrest) "Y" indicated RPO AS2 headrest added to the A50 bucket seats "H" indicated RPO AL4 Stato Bench seats (no headrest) "T" indicated RPO AS2 headrests added to the AL4 bench seats.


Int. Paint Interior Standard Standard Custom Custom Code Color Bucket Bench(1) Bucket Bench(1) ----- ----------------- -------- -------- ------ -------- B Blue 717 718 719 720 D Red 724 725 E Black 712 713 714 715 G Gold 722 723 721 K Parchment/Black (3) 730 K Ivory/Black (3) 711 Q Black Houndstooth (2) 749 V Ivory Houndstooth (2,3) 716 T Turquoise 726 727 ------------------- (1) Bench seat not available in convertible. (2) Houndstooth not available in convertible. (3) Carpet, instrument panel, and steering wheel are black. 730 Parchment was early and was a different color from the Ivory. 711/716 were late and used the same Ivory color.


Int. Paint Interior Standard Standard Custom Custom Code Color Bucket Bench Bucket Bench ----- ---------------------- -------- -------- ------ -------- n/a Dark Blue 715 n/a 716 n/a Medium Red 718 719 Black 711 712 Medium Green 721 722 Midnight Green 723 725 Ivory/Black 727 Black Houndstooth (1) 713 Ivory Houndstooth (1) 729 Orange Houndstooth (1,2) 720 Yellow Houndstooth (1,2) 714 ------------------- (1) Houndstooth not available for convertible except for RPO Z11 pace cars/replicas. (2) 720 Orange Houndstooth normally available only with 72 Hugger Orange. 714 Yellow Houndstooth normally available only with 76 Daytona Yellow. Other exterior colors, such as 10 Tuxedo Black and 50 Dover White, have been observed with both interiors, but in much smaller quantities. At this time, it isn't clear if these color combinations required a special order, or were routinely available.

1967 Cowl Tag - Fisher Body Codes(Note: See the Cowl Tag section for other details on the cowl tag.)

A table of the known 1967 Camaro Fisher Body option codes is below. The Fisher factory documentation forthese codes is not in circulation - if it still exists at all. Nevertheless, a large number of the code meaningshave been confirmed via a Fisher production form called the Uniform Option Identification Tag (UOIT) thatwas sometimes (fortunately for us) left in the car during build - often under the carpet or inside theheadliner. Those codes that have been confirmed via available UOITs are so noted - and the exact wordingof the UOIT description is shown in capital letters. The remaining codes have been decoded via statistical


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analysis, and are therefore not known exactly, but by inference. The CRG would appreciate a contactfrom anyone that has found an original UOIT form so that different versions (even of codes wealready know) can be compared, and inferred codes determined exactly.

At the LOS factory, the 2M code was used for either the Powerglide or the TH400 automatic transmission,i.e. the 2Z code was not used at LOS.At the NOR factory, the 2M code only applied to M35 Powerglide transmissions that were in combinationwith the D55 console.

The 4P code was not used at the start of production at either the Van Nuys plant or the Norwood plant. VanNuys started using the 4P code on the SS350 cars in September, but Norwood didn't start using the 4Pcode until October. Early Van Nuys SS350 cars and Norwood SS350 cars built before October will not havethe 4P code to verify that they are SS's.

Usage of the 4P code with the L30/M20 is believed to have started in the late December 1966 / January 1967timeframe. The very first 1967 Z28's and L78's were also coded 4P; the 4L and 4K codes were then used onthe remainder of 1967 Z28 and L78 production.

The lack of a 4P, 4L, 4N, or 4K code indicates the car originally had a 327 (assuming the car had a V8, asindicated by the VIN). The only exception is the early SS350's noted above.

1967 Cowl Tag Fisher Option Codes

Group Number CodeRPO

EquivalentUOIT Description *

InteriorSuffix Codes

H AL4 Strato Back (bench seat) without headrests

T AL4 & AS2 Strato Back (bench seat) with headrests

Z A50 yes

STRATO BUCKETS (without headrests)(The A50 Strato-bucket without headrest was thedefault seat and was not specifically noted on anorder.)

Y A50 & AS2 yesBUCKETS & HEAD RESTStrato-bucket seats with optional headrests.

(1)implied, the"1" is not on

the tag

E A01 yes TINTED ALL GLASS

W A02 yes TINTED W/S ONLY

X A31 Power windows

L A67 yes FOLDING REAR SEAT

D C06 yes POWER TOP CONVERT

2

G D55 yes CONSOLE FRT COMPT

M M35 yesPWR GLIDE AUTOMATIC(NOR - only used in combination with D55)(LOS - Powerglide or TH400)

L M20 (or M21) yes 4-SPEED FLR SHIFT

Z M40 TH400 3-speed automatic transmission(NOR only)

B M11 3-speed floor shifter for M15 or M13

H C48 yes HEATER *DELETE*

E C60 yes AIR COND

U U57 yes TAPE PLAYER

S U73 yes ANTENNA MANUAL-RR

R U80 yes SPEAKER REAR

3 L Z22 yes RALLY SPORT PKG


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D U29 yesLAMP COURTESY(coupe-only underdash lights)

B C50 yes DEFOGGER REAR WDO

S Z23 yes INTERIOR DECOR GRP

K Z21 yes EXT MOLDG GROUP

4

P L48 or L30/M20 SS350 or L30/M20 - Non-SS396/Z28 paint with radiusrod(See note above on early Norwood use.)

N L35 yesENGINE REINF ASYSS396/325hp - Black tailpan with round radius rod

K L78 yesENGINE REINF ASYSS396/375hp - Black tailpan with rectangular radiusrod

L Z28 yesENGINE REINF ASYZ28 - Rally stripes with radius rod

F D33 yes MIRROR REM CONT

5

C AS1 yes SHOULDER HARN-REG

Y A39 yes BELTS ALL DELUXE

B V32 Large rear bumper guards

Z A85 yes SHOULDER HARN-DELX

O A48

Seatbelt deleteUsed on export models for countries for which U.S.belts were not compliant with local requirements(compliant belts were added after importation).

* Fisher option codes that have been confirmed (via UOIT's) are shown with their UOIT descriptions incapital courier font letters.

The "5O" code has been observed a number of times. Thanks to Ove Sjoholm of Camaro Club Sweden, wehave found that this code appears on all Swedish export Camaros (it has since been observed on mostCamaros exported to other countries), suggesting that it is related to the export conversion of a Fisherinstalled component. Ove has noted that Sweden had more restrictive belt/harness requirements and it isknown that Swedish Camaros had Swedish-compliant belts added locally. We have also receivedcorroborating evidence of this code being a seat belt delete on Corvair from the 65-67 Corvair tag coderesearch of Kent Sullivan and crew. As of November 2004, we are upgrading our call on this code to a firmdeclaration that 5O indicates RPO A48, seatbelt delete.

Note: the "2K" code for the N33 tilt wheel has previously been reported in the Camaro press, but it has notbeen observed on any vehicle in the CRG database, including 67's with a documented N33 optioninstallation. A Fisher Body code would not be expected for this option because the tilt wheel was installed inthe vehicle during the Chevrolet portion of the assembly process, not during the Fisher portion.

1969 Cowl Tag - X CodesThe Xnn codes were a mid-1969 model addition to the Fisher Body cowl tags of Norwood-built Camaros,starting with the 12B (second week of December) build week. (CRG has found 12B cars both with andwithout these codes. Our data for all cars in prior weeks is absent this code, and our data for all cars inweeks following contain this code.) These codes were an aid for Fisher body assembly workers to identifybody trim and paint changes required for different Camaro models. The codes are divided into two groups,those with the Z21 style trim option, and those without the Z21 style trim option. (The Z21 Style Trim groupwas included in the Z22 Rally Sport option, so all RS cars are included in the Z21 X-code group.)


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1969 Norwood Camaro Fisher Code Interpretation

with Z21 (or Z22) without Z21 (or Z22) ----------------------- ---------------------- X11* non-SS396, non-Z28, X44* non-SS, non-Z28 includes SS350 X55 SS350 X22 SS396 X66 SS396 X33 Z28 X77 Z28

* COPO Camaros were an exception, as most COPOs were built out of bodies coded with X11 or X44. Some early Yenko COPOs had X66-coded bodies. Additional 1969 Norwood Fisher codes that were used instead of the X-codes include: Z10 - Indy Pace Car replica coupe Z11 - Indy Pace Car replica convertible

Additional 1969 Norwood Fisher codes that could be combined with the X-codes include: D80 - signifies the car was equipped with D80 spoilers, but the code was not always used. A - signifies the car was equipped with power windows, but the code was not always used.


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A few mid-year 69's, mostly convertibles, did not have X-codes stamped on the cowl tag. It is unknown whythe code was not stamped on the tag.

Note that X11 and X44 codes also included L26 230ci/130HP and L22 250ci/155HP 6-cylinder engine cars,as well as models equipped with the LF7 327ci/210HP, L14 307ci/200HP, L65 350ci/250HP, or LM1350ci/255HP engines.

So, how many cars were coded X11?Some quick math yields that 77% of 1969 Camaros were non-SS and non-Z28. After Dec 68, these carswould be coded X11 and X44. Multiplying the that percentage with the percentage of cars that had style trimor RS (58%) yields a little more than 44% of X-coded 69's were non-SS X11's. A similar calculation on theSS350 (9% of 69's) production quantity yield that less than half would be X55, the balance would be X11,about 5%. Adding these totals together shows the total of X11-coded cars to be approximately 50% of all1969 X-codes. The corollary is that only about one in ten of X11-coded cars are actually SS350's.

X-code explanationThe following will help explain why the X-codes were arranged that way and their specific purpose. Theneed for this organization revolves around the elements of the Z21 Style Trim option in 1969, which includedthe following items:

Bright vertical bars in taillamp lensesBright driprail moldings (except convertible)Black body sill (except certain colors)Bright wheel opening moldingsWheel opening paint pinstripes (n/a with D90 stripe)Bright rear quarter simulated louver moldingsBright headlamp bezel face moldings

So what specific features did the X-codes imply; what did the codes mean to the workers on the Fisherassembly line? The X22, X33, X66, and X77 code differences are easily explained by paint differences (Z28stripe and 396 tailpan), so it is the X11, X44, and X55 codes that require greater analysis. To further confusematters, the non-Z21/Z22 1969 SS cars did incorporate a subset of Z21. To understand the differencesbetween the X11, X44, and X55 codes, examine the comparative table below:

X11, X44, and X55 Body Trim and Paint Features

Non-SS SS ----------------- ------------------ Code X44 X11 X11 X11 X11 X55

no Z21 no Z21 Option no Z22 Z21 Z22 Z21 Z22 no Z22 ------ --- --- --- --- ------ Black body sill no yes yes yes yes yes Rear quarter moldings no yes yes yes yes yes Driprail molding no yes yes yes yes no Wheel opening moldings no yes yes yes yes no Wheel opening pinstripes no yes yes no no no Bright taillamp trim no yes no yes no yes Bright headlamp bezel trim no yes no yes no yes

Z21 = Style Trim Z22 = Rally Sport

As can be seen from the table above, the X11 code always includes the first four features: the use of blackbody sill paint and the use of the trim moldings (rear quarter louver, driprail, and wheel opening). Thedifference between X11 and X55 is that X55 does not apply the driprail and wheel opening moldings.

From this table, we can deduce that the wheel opening stripes, headlamp bezels, and taillamp lenses werenot a factor in the X-codes. The table also show that the addition of Z22 (which eliminates the bright taillampand headlamp trim, since the Rally Sport lamps are different) has the same effect on the X-codes as Z21.

Going back to the X22, X33, X66, and X77 codes, their meanings are now clear. X22 and X33 codes havethe same meaning as the related X11 code, but with an added blacked-out tailpan for X22, and with anadded Z28 stripe for X33. The X66 code has the same meaning as X55, but with a blacked-out tailpan. TheX77 code has the same meaning as X44, but with a Z28 stripe. Including these meanings in a table covering


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most of the major trim features for all of the X-codes, and adding in the related Z10 & Z11 codes, we get thefollowing result:

Body Trim and Paint Features of the 1969 X & Z Codes

with Z21 or Z22 without Z21 or Z22 ----------------------------- ------------------------ non-SS396/Z SS396 Z28 non-SS/Z SS350 SS396 Z28 Features X11 X22 X33 Z10 Z11 X44 X55 X66 X77 ------------------- --------- ----- --- --- --- ------- ----- ----- --- black body sill yes yes yes no no no yes yes no rear qtr moldings yes yes yes yes yes no yes yes no driprail molding yes yes yes yes no no no no no wheel open moldings yes yes yes yes yes no no no no blacked-out tailpan no yes no no no no no yes no Z28 rally stripe no no yes yes yes no no no yes

Protect-o-Plate DecodeThe Protect-o-Plate (POP) is a small stamped metal plate that was provided with each vehicle by the factoryas part of the warranty and service package. It was atttached to the vehicle's warranty booklet. When thevehicle was sold, the dealer added the customer's data name and address to the metal plate via Dymo-typestamped plastic adhesive strips.

The POP contains basic ID data about the powertrain components (engine and carburetor, transmission,and rear axle) as well as selected factory installed options, and the month of manufacture. 1967-68 POPsalso showed the exterior colors from the cowl tag as well as the interior paint color (the interior paint color isalso shown on the 1967 Norwood cowl tag, but not on the Van Nuys LOS cowl tag).

POP data were stamped on a 8 row by 30 column grid at predefined coordinates. Instructions for stampingthe POP data were contained in the assembly manual for each year, and decoding instructions wereincluded in parts manuals and service manuals and bulletins. There are nine basic fields - illustrated in thePOP transcription below and summarized field by field in the following list. For each data item, therow/column positions of the starting and ending cells on the plate are noted, with rows being labeled A thruH, and columns as 1 thru 30.

In the simulated POP below each of the bold-faced monospace characters in the field of the plate isselectable and leads to a more detailed description of that field, which, in turn, often has a link to even moredetail. The example describes a 1968 Camaro with a gold interior and British Green body with a white vinyltop. After the VIN is the code for a Carter carburetor. The engine is a L30 327ci/275HP for a manualtransmission, the axle a 3.07:1 ratio 12-bolt, the vehicle was assembled in January, and the transmission isa Saginaw 4-speed. The details of the specific component decodes can be found in the links to theDrivetrain Decoding page in the descriptions that follow, and in Colvin's Chevrolet By The Numbers. TheOption field in the example is decoded as follows. The first option position at C-15, the "3", indicates powersteering and brakes. The second option position at C-16 was unused in 1968. The third position at C-17indicates AM radio with rear speaker. The fourth position at C-18 indicates F41 suspension with disc brakes.The fifth position at C-19 indicates factory air conditioning. And the option code in the sixth position at C-20shows electric windows.

1967-1969 Camaro Protect-o-PlateFormat

Columns 111111111122222222223

123456789012345678901234567890

Rows

A

G Z6 124378L312345 C B T0103EA BL1223G 1

C R8S21 3 4511 D E (this area reserved for use by theF dealer for application of the initialG owner's name and address via DymoH embossed adhesive tape label)

The coordinates and details of each of the nine fields follow:


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A-1Interior Paint (1967-68 only)One-character code that is also used on the 1967 Norwood Cowl Tag, and is described in detail in theInterior Colors section.

1.

A-5 to A-6Exterior Paint (1967-68 only)Two-character code that is also used on the Cowl Tag, and is described in detail in the Exterior Colorssection. The first character describes the lower body color and the second character describes theupper body color. For 1967-68 the upper body color was always the same as the lower body unless avinyl top was installed or the car was a convertible.

2.

A-15 to A-27Vehicle ID NumberThe 13-character code that is the same as is used on the vehicle VIN plate.

3.

A-29Carburetor CodeOne-character code that describes the source for the carburetor.

B = Bay City (1 bbl/2 bbl) C = Carter (2nd source for Rochester) R = Rochester (2bbl/4bbl Quadra-Jet) H = Holley (4bbl)

4.

B-1 to B-7Engine Assembly/Application CodeSeven-character code that begins with the engine factory code letter and is followed by the assemblydate as a 2-digit month and a 2-digit day of month, then ends in a 2-letter application code. This entirecode is the same code stamped on the front of the engine block.

5.

B-15 to B-21Rear Axle Assembly CodeSeven-character code that begins with the 2-letter axle factory application code, is followed by theassembly date as a 2-digit month and a 2-digit day of month, and ends in a 1-letter factory code. Thisentire code is the same code stamped on the axle, except for the absence on the POP of any shiftsuffix or positraction code. Note that when faced with an axle of uncertain vintage, the year ofmanufacture must be derived from the axle center section calendar year casting date.

6.

B-29Vehicle Build MonthOne-character code from the following table.

Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul 1967 V L R K Z S P W N Y T X 1968 8 9 O N D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1969 8 9 O N D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 late 1969 8 9 O N

7.

C-1 to C-5Transmission Assembly CodeThis five-character (typically) code begins with the engine factory/transmission code letter and isfollowed by the model year last digit (not the calendar year) and the assembly date as a 1-charactermonth and a 2-digit day of month. This entire code is the same code stamped on the transmissionpad, flange, pan, and/or tag. The TH400 code format differs - see the tranmission decode page.

8.

C-15 to C-21POP Option CodesThe first digit of this 0 to 7 digit code starts immediately under the first digit of the axle code. The digitsare order significant and interpretation also changes as a function of model year. Some model yearcodes for the next year have been seen applied to vehicles built late in the previous model year. Whilethe service news bulletins for the year documented most of the codes, the prime source for all thecodes was located in the "Data Systems Standards Manual No. 5" with other details located in DSSMNo. 6.

In the table below, the locations are noted as positions a through g. Also, see the further explanatorynotes below the table.

9.


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1967-1969 Camaro POP Option Fields

POP Position and Meaning POP POP Year Value a b c d e f g---- ----- ------ ------- ------- ------ --- ------ ---1967 1 N40 U35/U63* U80 --- C60 A31 --- 2 J50 --- --- F41 --- --- A67 3 N40/J50 --- U63 J52 --- --- --- 4 --- --- U63/U80 --- C48 B93 --- 5 --- --- U69 J52/F41 --- A31/B93 --- 6 --- --- U69/U80 --- --- --- --- 7 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 8 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 9 --- --- --- J52/J56 --- --- ---________________________________________________________________

1968 1 N40 B37/B93# U80 F40 C60 A31 --- 2 J50 --- U79 F41 --- --- A67 3 N40/J50 U35# U63 J52 --- --- --- 4 --- B37/B93/U35# U63/U80 J52/F40 C48 N65 --- 5 --- --- U69 J52/F41 --- A31/N65 --- 6 --- --- U69/U80 ** --- --- --- 7 --- --- U69/U79 ** --- --- --- 8 --- --- --- ** --- --- --- 9 --- --- --- --- --- --- ---________________________________________________________________ 1969 1 N40 J50 --- --- C60 --- --- 2 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 3 --- --- (any radio) J52 C75 A31 --- 4-9 not used________________________________________________________________

* aka Radio/Clock Group** Documented as J56 Camaro codes Camaro in CDSIB 68-1-1, but n/a to Camaro. See comments below.# Limited LOS use, previously undocumented. It is unknown if both B37 and B93 were indicated in this field.

Options were tracked more fully in 1967 and 1968 than in 1969. In 1967-68, codes were generally selectedsuch that option combinations, in keeping with efficient computer coding practices of the day, could beobtained by adding together the codes of each single option. Several options and their permutations couldbe recorded with a single digit. For example, in position d for 1968, J52=3 and F41=2, so the combination ofJ52/F41 was assigned the value of 2+3=5. From this practice we can infer the existence of codes that do notactually appear in the Chevrolet Service News Bulletins. For example, in earlier CRG research, the 1967code for B93 Door Edge Guards was inferred to be 4 in position f, since A31 was known to be 1 and theA31/B93 combination was known to be 5. The inferred value for B93 without A31 was later confirmed byother GM records, which also confirmed the previously inferred A67 code in field "g" for 1967.

There are a few items of note about position d (Brake / Suspension) in the option field:

While the F40 heavy-duty suspension is not listed as a 1968 Camaro RPO in the US, it wassupposedly available to Canadians. While CRG has not yet seen a 68 Camaro with this RPO (F40 wasan available RPO in 1969), it is included in the POP option codes for completeness.

With regard to RPO J56, the "Heavy Duty Brake" option, GM has noted this as a 1968 POP code,despite J56 being a 1967-only option. We list it in the above table as a 1967 code, since it is notapplicable to 68 models.

For position d in 1968, CRG believes that values 6, 7, and 8 refer to the Corvette J56 four-wheel disc(4WD) brake setup that was available to Camaro in modified form as an over-the-counter ServicePackage. The 4WD setup is referred to in the 68 Camaro Assembly Manual initially as J56 but ischanged to JL8 circa Feb/Mar 68. Note that the four-wheel disc brake system was never installed in a68 Camaro by the factory, and we have never seen the 6, 7, and 8 codes used on a POP. These codesappear to have been included for 1968 either in preparation for a proposed option release that neveroccurred, or as part of a subterfuge for convincing racing authorities that the 4WD brakes were afactory option and thus should be homologated for SCCA racing use. The 68 4WD Service Packagewas modified and finally made available in 1969 as a true factory option, RPO JL8.


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GM Date Code FormatsThe internal GM convention for date-coding parts used two formats; both started with the letter "A" forJanuary and progressed through the alphabet ("B" for February, "C" for March, etc.). The two formatsdiffered in the usage of the letter "I"; one format was used for cast-in (casting) dates and one format was fordates that were stamped on parts.

For cast-in date codes on GM-produced iron and aluminum castings (engine blocks, heads, intakes, waterpumps, etc.), the letter "I" was used for September, and the last month of the calendar year (December)was the letter "L". For stamped-in date codes on GM-produced components (alternators, distributors,starters, etc.), the letter "I" was not used - "I" was skipped, and "J" became September, with Decemberbeing "M".

To summarize: For GM-produced parts, the month code for calendar year dates that are cast into parts runsfrom "A" through "L" (including the letter "I"), while the month code for calendar year dates that are stampedonto parts runs from "A" through "M" (skipping the letter "I").

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- Cast Date A B C D E F G H I J K L Stamped Date A B C D E F G H J K L M

"M"-Coded BlocksThere is one exception to this convention that has been observed: some blocks have been seen with "M"cast codes. Research by the Saginaw Metal Casting Operations of GM Powertrain Division has found thatthese "M" codes are not date codes, but actually a foundry code used to indentify parts that were made toevaluate a casting process change. After evaluating the parts, the blocks would either be destroyed orreleased into production. There is no way to determine the date an "M"-coded block was poured.

Sheetmetal Date CodesSheetmetal was stamped with a Fisher Body "run number" by the stamping plant that produced the part.The run numbers were inserts in the draw die to identify the plant and the week of production and alsoserved as proof marks to verify full die travel to closure. Almost every panel on the body will have a runnumber. The first letter (occasionally 2 letters) of the run number identifies the stamping plant and thenumber is the week (e.g. 40th week) of the calendar year when the panel was stamped.Chevrolet-stamped parts (fenders, header panels, etc) only have the production week stamped on them.

Sheetmetal Run Numbers / Chevrolet Date Stamp

Julian Calendar GeneratorGM dated some components using a Julian type of calendar, where the days are counted continuously,starting on January 1st. For example, February 1st would be day 32. The calculator below will generate theJulian calendar for the 1966 through 1969 calendar years.

Select Month and Year, then click GO!

JavaScript Required


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CRG Home Previous/Back

Numbers TriviaSome GM documentation indicates that the first-generation Camaro GM series designation, at some point,had a somewhat different meaning than what were finally executed on the VIN plate and cowl tag. This"original" meaning involved the third digit of the VIN, and the choices were given as:

3 or 4 for standard Camaro 5 or 6 for deluxe Camaro

The actual forms, as executed on the VIN plate and cowl tag, were subvariants of this more completeversion. On the VIN plate, 3 and 4 were used on the VIN to indicate the number of engine cylinders - with noindication of interior. In 1967, the first year, Fisher Body used 4 and 6 on the cowl tag to denote standard ordeluxe interior. The original plan in its entirety was probably the following (though we have only incompletedocumentation of this final version):

3 = L6 standard 4 = V8 standard 5 = L6 deluxe 6 = V8 deluxe

We don't know at this time why this format was not followed in full.


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