c10apache

Hi all, new to the forum... Just picked up a 1971 442 and the cowl tag is really confusing me, it reads as below.

ST 71 34487 R 00325 BDY
TR 937 26 A PNT
09A395

So the first line and trim are easy 1971, 442 Holiday coupe, Arlington, TX body 00325, White bucket seats viking blue exterior.

My confusion starts at the top code of A, I didn't think a vinyl tops were even an option on a 442. It is a 34487 cowl tag so not like someone put a convert tag on it. Then the date code is also confusing 09A should be 1st week september, but what is the 395 about there is no space it is 09A395?

Any help especially on my odd top code would be much appreciated.

Tony72Cutlass'S'

My Boom-mobile is a '72, hope this helps,

Cheers,

Tony

(this from the chassis service manual)

c10apache

Thanks I was able to find that and used that to decode the rest of the tag.

My question really is do I really have a 442 holiday coupe that came with a vinyl top? I didn't think that was an option (it does not have one now). What are the possible explanations why I have a A top paint code and not a number? The car is currently Viking blue with White stripes (not that that means anything).

GAOldsman

Welcome to the site. The 937 A could stand for Viking Blue with White Stripe as far as 395 I am not sure. Sometimes they would list options here, but they usually start with a letter then number (A51 = Strato Buckets) Are you sure it is 395 and not B85?
Scot

Rocketbrian

"A" indicates a white vinyl top. Both my 71 SX and my 71 442 have an A on the data plate. A vinyl top was indeed a factory option on a 442. As to the 395, I can't help you. My Arlington (R) built 71 SX also has a 3 digit number after the date code, while my Lansing (M) 442 doesn't. I thought it might be the day of the year but that doesn't work for your first week of Sept, nor for my first week of Dec. My SX reads 12A152. Anyone know about the Arlington 3 digit codes?

Tony72Cutlass'S'

No idea, mine was build in lansing and it's a hardtop, but i'm sure there's someone out here does?? I'm attaching the rest of the page from the manual from '72

Cheers,

Tony

mmurphy77

If I had to guess, I think I've seen more Cutlass/442s WITH vinyl tops than without. Vinyl tops usually led to rust underneath so it's even more common to see them without once they've been repainted. Sounds like a great car, any pics?

MoGas

My '71 Trim Tag info and the way I understand it:

ST 71-34487 (71 442 Hardtop) R 00339 BDY (Arlington plant 339th car built)
TR 949 (Sienna interior bench seat) 61E PNT (Sandalwood paint w/ Parchment vinyl top)
09A (first week,Sept 1970 build date) 155 (automatic trans)

I can't remember who or where it was decoded, but that is what I was told.

On mine, the "09A" and "155" are not separated by a space.


Hope that helps,
Dave

Diego

Why did you think it wasn't an option?

InfoJunkie

Many many years ago I saw on the highway a 1970 W30 red with black and white checkered vinyl top. It just looked odd.

orange442

Vinyl tops were an option on 442's. Since yours no longer has a vinyl top, it was either taken off when it was repainted at some time in the past or it was and order change after the cowl tag was made but before the car left the factory or was changed at the dealer. I bought a 70 442 last year that is Platinum with what looks to be an original vinyl top with all the original trim but the cowl tag shows no vinyl top. Since my car has not been driven since 1975, mine was either added at the factory by an order change or was installed by the dealer because an individual would probably not have installed it to factory specs with all factory parts.