A guide to body tag decoding resources on the web

Got a Body Tag that needs decoding? Post it here.
notched
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Re: A guide to body tag decoding resources on the web

Post by notched »

That VIN tag has been replaced. On an early they should be spot welded.
1966 Corsa turbo
1969 Monza convertible
1987 Buick Grand National
papabox
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2016 9:13 pm

Re: A guide to body tag decoding resources on the web

Post by papabox »

Yep and I need to double check under the vehicle for the real one. It's on a cross member correct. The good news is that is was registered today without any issues as a 62. I am going to start calling it my 62,63,64,65 Corvair!
1962, 63, 64, 65 110hp Monza 900, June if you will.
Ontario California
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Victorialynn2
Posts: 38
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Re: A guide to body tag decoding resources on the web

Post by Victorialynn2 »

Would anyone care to decode this for me? I have most, but not all of it figured out. At least I think I do. I have a Willow Run 63 Spyder Turbo Convertible so far. Not sure on the rest...paint, interior, top, etc. Any help is appreciated.
File_000 (6).jpg
64powerglide
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Re: A guide to body tag decoding resources on the web

Post by 64powerglide »

Everybody that knows this better than me must be sleeping. I think you have a 2nd week March 1963 built car with white top Tuxedo Black exterior with red interior & a padded dash & you know it is a Turbo option car. Production numbers are over my head.
64Powerglide, Jeff Phillips

Kalamazoo, Mi..
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Victorialynn2
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Re: A guide to body tag decoding resources on the web

Post by Victorialynn2 »

Thank you 64powerglide! I wasn't quite sure on the original colors and appreciate the info. It's currently red/red/white. I also know the seats have been replaced with 64 seats.

Here are some pics. She has been in storage for years. My father had many autos and this was a project he never finished.
IMG_0051 (1).JPG
IMG_0061 (2).JPG
IMG_0056 (1).JPG
SteveH
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Location: San Lorenzo, CA

Re: A guide to body tag decoding resources on the web

Post by SteveH »

how about an exception to the "2 digits and a letter" for the date code?
__TAG.jpg
__TAG.jpg (61.76 KiB) Viewed 4616 times
This is the tag from my very early "Field Find" 65 Corsa.

Note the additional date stamp in the middle of the tag... I guess they were still sorting this stuff out.
CORSA Member #034095
65 Corvair Corsa "Field Find" 140-4, 4 speed, Hardtop, Telescoping wheel. Rear Speaker
65 Corvair Corsa Automatic 140-4, Coupe
64powerglide
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Re: A guide to body tag decoding resources on the web

Post by 64powerglide »

I read that a Los Angles built car had a 3 digit code in the upper left corner meant it was a September 64 built 65 as stamped "' 9 64 after your ACC line. :dontknow:
64Powerglide, Jeff Phillips

Kalamazoo, Mi..
SteveH
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Location: San Lorenzo, CA

Re: A guide to body tag decoding resources on the web

Post by SteveH »

The 915 in the upper left is usually a digit,digit, letter. this one is digit,digit,digit

Yes, this car was "built" on September 15th 1964
CORSA Member #034095
65 Corvair Corsa "Field Find" 140-4, 4 speed, Hardtop, Telescoping wheel. Rear Speaker
65 Corvair Corsa Automatic 140-4, Coupe
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ral1963
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Re: A guide to body tag decoding resources on the web

Post by ral1963 »

Several very early 1965 Van Nuys built Corvairs have been found to have a three digit date code on the Fisher body tag instead of the usual two digits and one letter code that is found on other Corvairs. It appears to be confined to only very early 1965 model Corvairs built in September at the Van Nuys plant. Subsequent Body tags from Van Nuys after September have the usual two digit-one letter date code. This has been verified by examination of several early 65 Vairs built in LA.

There were three late model convertibles and one late model coupe. Two 1965 Corsa conv, a 1965 Monza conv, , and a 1965 500 coupe. All four cars were LA built cars, and had 3 digit numbers instead of the usual 2 digits and a letter for the date code. These are the date codes found. 914 (500 sedan), 921 (Monza vert), 918 and 924 (Corsa vert). I found the Vin # for the Corsa (body tag 918) to be 107675L102045. It is possible that the build date decodes as easily as (918) = Sept 18th. The serial number indicates a late Sept 1964 build date according to the list of production numbers, which coincides with the body tag date. Fisher body will produced the body of the Corvair and then deliver the body to have the drive train etc. installed by the Chevy side. So the date on the body tag indicating when Fisher finished the body will always predate the actual completion of the car when the VIN is assigned. This interval can vary from days to weeks. On some 1969 Corvairs, the body was held back months before arriving on the production line and getting a VIN. From the VINS and body tags I have examined, most seem to indicate body tag to production intervals of no more than a few days to a week. So in other words the date code is usually close (i.e. a week or so) to the actual production date most of the time. The example from above has only a about a week difference.

An August built Corvair, date-coded 08D and Vin # 105675L100268 has been found. This means that the three digit code only occurred on Sept built cars. A full size Chevy was found with the build code of 09B, so this isolates it to Mid Sept. Due to a UAW strike, practically no cars were produced in October 1964. When production resumed in Nov 1964, the date code reverted back to the 2 digit one letter code.
Rick Loving
Corvair historian & chronicler of useless facts
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Chicagoland Corvair Enthusiasts

RAL1963@COMCAST.NET
Just south of Chicago IL
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63 Sprint Vert 140/4sp
SteveH
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Re: A guide to body tag decoding resources on the web

Post by SteveH »

Wow, thanks! I presume that "Field Find" is now on that list?

The more I think about it, the more I think I may want to restore this one instead of making it into a racer. I collect Victorian Sewing machines and it is hard for me to see a build number like 148 and not feel that it needs preservation. the VIN is 107375L101448 (The sequence numbers similarity to the LOS build number threw me for a while when doing my original research...)
CORSA Member #034095
65 Corvair Corsa "Field Find" 140-4, 4 speed, Hardtop, Telescoping wheel. Rear Speaker
65 Corvair Corsa Automatic 140-4, Coupe
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ral1963
Posts: 67
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Location: Illinois

Re: A guide to body tag decoding resources on the web

Post by ral1963 »

Yep,

Model/Body#'s..
139 #52 9/14
737 #148 9/15
767 #64 9/16
767 #76 9/18

Are the 4 documented cars stamped by that operator who didn't "know" the correct process...

I have 375 Fisher Body tags in my collection and have dozens of error stamped tags..."to error is human..."
Rick Loving
Corvair historian & chronicler of useless facts
CORSA
Performance Corvair Group
Chicagoland Corvair Enthusiasts

RAL1963@COMCAST.NET
Just south of Chicago IL
Current Rides
63 Sprint Vert 140/4sp
'stitch'
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat May 31, 2014 1:01 pm

Re: A guide to body tag decoding resources on the web

Post by 'stitch' »

Does anyone on this forum know anything about this Vair?
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'stitch'
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Re: A guide to body tag decoding resources on the web

Post by 'stitch' »

Bump.
Does this work n this forum?
'stitch'
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat May 31, 2014 1:01 pm

Re: A guide to body tag decoding resources on the web

Post by 'stitch' »

Guess not....
'stitch'
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Re: A guide to body tag decoding resources on the web

Post by 'stitch' »

Anybody have ideas?
Only heard crickets on this site...
64powerglide
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Re: A guide to body tag decoding resources on the web

Post by 64powerglide »

See this link. http://corvaircenter.com/phorum/read.ph ... 962,464962

M35 says powerglide But I don't see any C64 or D 33. Haven't a clue on the 110 volt wire unless it had some kind of block heater.
64Powerglide, Jeff Phillips

Kalamazoo, Mi..
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