Hi Guys,

The broadcast sheet for my 70 W30 only lists two options...W-30 in block 3 and and rear speaker (U-80) in block 9 (see pic). But the car has other factory installed options, like tilt wheel (N-33), Turbo 400 (M-40), limited slip (G-80), power steering (N-40), reveal molding (B-85), and Rally Pak (N-21).....yet none of those option codes appear on the broadcast sheet.

So I have two questions.....why are only W-30 and U-80 on the broadcast sheet and not the other options....and......what options would be put in blocks 1,2, 4-9, and 10-11?

thanks,
bob

 

I guess the pic would help. Duh.

later,
bob

 

The broadcast card will only list the things fisher body needed to do, if I understand correctly, so all of your options won't be there. It is a bit odd that your reveal moldings aren't on there, unless fisher didn't have to make any holes in the stampings to mount them?

 

Hi Cameo,

I seem to remember hearing the same thing about Broadcast sheets...they were instructions for Fisher Body, but I would think if that were true I'd see the D99 (two-tone paint) code on there somewhere because they'd have to punch the holes in the quarter panel sail panels for the roof trim molding. I think (but am not sure) that the reveal molding mounts with the same screw holes as the regular window fuzzies.

If anyone has any codes in the other boxes in their build sheets can you let us know what they are? Now I'm really curious.

thanks,
bob

 

I've had several Lansing cars with broadcast cards showing the Rallye Pack code, as well as codes for the under-dash 8-track player, tinted glass and the rear window defogger as well.
Terry

 

Now Terry.......THAT's interesting! This should be a good mystery to unravel. Can't wait for the others to chime in.

I'm going to dig up the broadcast sheet from my 72 W30 and see what that says as well.

take care,
bob

 

On the paint, they may not have needed to list the option code as the 2 different paint codes are already listed on line 1...

I have U57 listed on one of mine (in box 13).
On a Cutlass, I have A51 listed in box 5, but it isn't on the 442 ones I have even though I know the cars came with buckets (I presume because it was standard on the 442?).
Another Cutlass one has K11 and (something)67 in boxes 14+15.

A01/A02 (or nothing) option is listed in the PLT OPT 16 box on the first line.

 

Your broadcast is the same as one of my 70 w30's.It has w30 and u80 listed only on the second through 4th line down.But mine has a big red X covering the bottom 3 lines.

My red 70 i am restoring now has only w30 listed on lines 2 through 4.It has ralleye pac.am fm,buckets/console/etc.....

 

My W31 opt. does not does not show up, though it could be obscured by the smudges on the card. I do show U80 for the rear speaker for my eight track, A51 for the bucket seats. In spaces 14 & 15 it shows D49 and 911, though I have no info on what those are.

 

I've heard the Fisher broadcast cards were for only what they needed to know for interior assembly? My card was hog ringed to the rear seat spring so it was Fisher interior guys who put it there, it's hidden so it must not be used on the GM line later? The factory build sheet would have more exterior info if they need it I would think. A lot of those exterior options were installed on the GM line if you look at the assembly manual, they did drill holes using jigs for things like the roof rack and spoiler on mine.
The card for my Vista shows C60-air conditioning , U58 AM-FM stereo radio ( automatically includes the rear speaker), and B39 carpeted load floor.

 

Bob, My card is for a 70 W-30 and only shows W-30, C60 and U57. Car also has buckets, console, rear window de-froster, rear speaker and ralley pack. I often wondered why these were not included too, Dan

 

The broadcast cards for my 69-72 W30 cars have the following codes on them:

69W30 SEQ-224 box1-A01, box4-A51, box7-U80, box14-134, box15-356. NO W30 stamped on broadcast card but have Canadian docs...etc...I have never figured out what the numbers in box 14 and 15 mean? Anybody?

70W30 SEQ-148 box3-W30, box9-U80.

71W30 SEQ-313 box1-A31, box3-A46, box5-C60, box9-W30, box10-U57. The A46 code in box3 has a big red circle around it on one of the broadcast cards.

72W30 SEQ-288 box1-A51, box2-A31, box6-AU3, box8-C49, box11-U80, box12-W29, box13-Y60. Again NO W30 stamping on the broadcast card but have Canadian docs.....etc..and the X in vin. Also, on one of the cards the word BUCKET is stamped in red ink.

All 4 cars do have other options but these are the only options listed on the broadcast cards.

I included the SEQ numbers on my cards because I have always wondered what these decode too. Does anyone have any ideas?

Cheers,

Sam

 

Not exactly. The Broadcast Cards were used by Fisher Body to list items that affected what the Fisher team was doing only. Fisher only assembled the body from the firewall back; hood and front end sheet metal was installed on the Olds assembly line. The For example, the steering column was installed by Olds personnel on the Olds assembly line, not by Fisher, so there was no need to call out the tilt wheel on the broadcast card. Same thing with the drivetrain, axle, or power steering. The W30 option was presumably called out because of the reduced sound deadening material - I can't think of anything else that would have affected Fisher, but there might be. The dash was installed on the Olds line, so again, the Rally Pac did not need to be called out - I'm surprised by Terry's broadcast cards. Of course, the Rally Pac was not part of the W-30 package, so it may have been dealer installed. C60 DID affect Fisher since the holes in the firewall were different for A/C. U58 affects Fisher because of the rear speaker. I would have expected the defroster to be on there also for the same reason.

 

Interesting stuff. Funny how in all these years no one who worked at Fisher Body or on the Olds assembly line was ever contacted to debunk stuff like this.

I've compiled what everyone has said hoping to try to make sense of why certain things were put in certain boxes. The most logical thought would be the numbered boxes were stations along the Fisher Body line in the order the car was assembled. But with the codes everyone gave me I'm not sure that makes sense. Here's what I have so far:

Box 1: A01 (Tinted Glass), A31 (Elec.Windows)
Box 2:
Box 3: W30 (Best Damn Option in the World)
Box 4: A51 (Bucket Seats)
Box 5: A51 (Bucket Seats), C60 (Air Cond)
Box 6: AU3 (Elec Locks)
Box 7: U80 (Rear Speaker)
Box 8: C60 (Air Cond), C49 (Rear Defroster)
Box 9: U80 (Rear Speaker)
Box 10: U58 (AM/FM Stereo)
Box 11: U80 (Rear Speaker)
Box 12: B39 (Carpeted Load Floor), W29 (442 Pkg)
Box 13: U57 (Tape Player), Y60 (Accessory Group)
Box 14: K11 (?), D49(?), 134(?)
Box 15: ?67 (Possibly Y67-Interior Option), 911 (?), 356(?)

So that's where we stand......keep the info coming and maybe we'll figure this out.

Thanks,
bob

 

Bob,

Box2 on my 72 has A31- window electric control and Box1 has option A51-bucket seats.

On my 71 box10 has U57- stereo tape player and box3 has A46- electric 4 way power LH bucket and box9 has the W30.

I am starting to think that the box# that these option codes are stamped in has something to do with what other options are ordered on the car and what year the car is.


Sam

 

Thanks Sam,

So now we got:

Box 1: A01 (Tinted Glass), A31 (Elec.Windows)
Box 2: A31 (Elec.Windows)
Box 3: W30 (Best Damn Option in the World)
Box 4: A51 (Bucket Seats)
Box 5: A51 (Bucket Seats), C60 (Air Cond)
Box 6: AU3 (Elec Locks)
Box 7: U80 (Rear Speaker)
Box 8: C60 (Air Cond), C49 (Rear Defroster)
Box 9: U80 (Rear Speaker)
Box 10: U58 (AM/FM Stereo)
Box 11: U80 (Rear Speaker)
Box 12: B39 (Carpeted Load Floor), W29 (442 Pkg)
Box 13: U57 (Tape Player), Y60 (Accessory Group)
Box 14: K11 (?), D49(?), 134(?)
Box 15: ?67 (Possibly Y67-Interior Option), 911 (?), 356(?)

regards,
bob

 

Bob
Box1-A51, bucket seats, box9- W30, box10- U57, tape player, box3- A46, power 4 way bucket.

Any ideas about the SEQ number?

Thanks

Sam

 

Sorry about that Sam...I got excited and didn't include all you told me. Ok....the latest:

Box 1: A01 (Tinted Glass), A31 (Elec.Windows), A51 (Bucket Seats)
Box 2: A31 (Elec.Windows)
Box 3: W30 (Best Damn Option in the World)
Box 4: A51 (Bucket Seats), A46 (Elec.Seat)
Box 5: A51 (Bucket Seats), C60 (Air Cond)
Box 6: AU3 (Elec Locks)
Box 7: U80 (Rear Speaker)
Box 8: C60 (Air Cond), C49 (Rear Defroster)
Box 9: U80 (Rear Speaker), W30
Box 10: U58 (AM/FM Stereo), U57 (Tape Player)
Box 11: U80 (Rear Speaker)
Box 12: B39 (Carpeted Load Floor), W29 (442 Pkg)
Box 13: U57 (Tape Player), Y60 (Accessory Group)
Box 14: K11 (?), D49(?), 134(?)
Box 15: ?67 (Possibly Y67-Interior Option), 911 (?), 356(?)

Let me go back and look at the SEQ #

take care,
bob

 

Bob, A46 option is box 3, not 4............

Found some pictures of broadcast cards I have and I found the following additions for you:
Box1-AK1
Box2-A46,W39
Box3-W31
Box7-AU3,A65
Box9-U58
Box11-U58
Box13-B90
Box14-A31,K31,D74
Box15-268,344

Over the years, the one pattern that I have noticed is that on the broadcast cards for 70W30's the option is always stamped in Box3 and on the broadcast cards for 71W30's it is always stamped in Box 9.

Still nothing on the SEQ # !!!

Cheers,

Sam

 

Sam,

I've got a theory on the SEQ #......but tell me the month and day (the following two boxes) for the SEQ #s you listed.

thanks,
bob

 

Bob,

Let's test the theory.

Take a guess to what you think the approx. month/day is on the vehicles.

Sam

 

Hi Sam,

Well....I can't guess the build date by the SEQ# because I think the SEQ # is the sequential number of bodies built in that month for the specific body type. What I can guess at is where in the month your car body was made....just not the month. So why I think this: I haven't seen a SEQ # higher than low 300's. And it looks like the higher SEQ #s are toward the end of the month as indicated by the day. So my guess is that the SEQ #s between say 0 to 170 occur within the first half of the month and SEQ #s between 170 to 350 occur in the second half of the month. Have to be careful though because there was a strike at GM in 1970 and 1972, which probably throws that idea a bit of a curve.

So in your case I'd say your 69W30 was built around the third week of the month, your 70W30 was built around the second week of the month, your 71W30 was built toward the end of the month, and your 72W30 was build around the middle of the month.

How'd I do?

thanks,
bob

 

hi guys
Just pulled my sheet. 1970 442.
box 1 - ak1 deluxe sest belts.
box 2 - a46 electric 4 way seat
box 8 - c60 air
box 14 -a31 electric windows


gerry

 

Bob,

69 (SEQ224) - 10th of month,
70 (SEQ148) - 04th of month,
71 (SEQ313) - 10th of month,
72 (SEQ288) - 04th of month...

Wow look at the pattern with the day of the month my cars were built, never have noticed that!

Any other ideas with the SEQ #?

Sam

 

Ok, latest and greatest including Jerry's and Sam's latest.

Box 1: A01 (Tinted Glass), A31 (Elec.Windows), A51 (Bucket Seats), AK1 (Seat Belts)
Box 2: A31 (Elec.Windows), A46 (Elec Seat), W39 (Hurst Shifter)
Box 3: A46 (Elec.Seat), W31, W30 (Best Damn Option in the World)
Box 4: A51 (Bucket Seats), Box 5: A51 (Bucket Seats), C60 (Air Cond)
Box 6: AU3 (Elec Locks)
Box 7: U80 (Rear Speaker), AU3 (Door Locks), A65 (Notch Back Bench)
Box 8: C60 (Air Cond), C49 (Rear Defroster)
Box 9: U80 (Rear Speaker), , U58 (AM/FM Stereo), W30
Box 10: U58 (AM/FM Stereo), U57 (Tape Player)
Box 11: U80 (Rear Speaker), U58 (AM/FM Stereo)
Box 12: B39 (Carpeted Load Floor), W29 (442 Pkg)
Box 13: U57 (Tape Player), Y60 (Accessory Group), B90 (Chrome Window Frame)
Box 14: K11 (?), D49(?), 134(?), A31 (Elec.Windows)), K31 (?), D74(?)
Box 15: ?67 (Possibly Y67-Interior Option), 911 (?), 356(?), 268(?), 344(?)

Anybody have a clue what the numbers only mean in Boxes 14 and 15?

later,
bob

 

Sam,

Ya killed me. No, that was all I had on the SEQ #s. But that is interesting with your car build dates. You might want to go play the lottery tomorrow and play combos of 4 and 10. )

later,
bob

 

Bob,

That was a great theory on the SEQ#.....like you state the codes in Box14 and 15 is what gets me too! No clue whatsoever.



Cheers,
Sam

 

My theory on the sequence number is that it was a rolling 3-digit number which incremented with each body on the line. It's easier for line workers to quick look at three digits in the corner of the card than to look at a 6-digit body number. I don't know why they would roll over the sequence number near 300 (I've see a 314 on a 1970) instead of letting it go to 999, but 300 would certainly be enough, as they were probably producing about 100 cars an hour, so that's three hours separating sequence 001 from the previous 001.

 

In revisiting this thread, I'm pleading temporary stupidity on the Rallye Pack comment. The cards I mentioned had U57 in box 10, which is the 8-track player, not U21s for the Rallye Pack. Sorry for adding unnecessary mystery to the thread!
Terry

 

Brian,

I like your theory. Until someone can prove it wrong it works. Terry, don't sweat it....you didn't add any confusion. Besides....I'm confused most of the time anyway. )

Does anyone know how many Cutlass/442 were made each month by Olds back in 1970?

take care,
bob

 

Well, you could come pretty close by taking the year's total production and dividing by 11. I believe that the model year changeover (when the line was shut down) was about one month. Total production for all F85 models in 1970 was around 300,000, so maybe 28,000 per month (on average) for all assembly plants?

Now, if you want to talk about the Lansing plant all by itself, a former Olds engineer once posted a story saying the line was cranking out right about 100 cars per hour. (Sorry, I don't remember the exact number, but it was within +/- 4 of 100). Remember, that includes ALL Olds models except Toronados, which were built on a different line. The plant generally ran two shifts. I don't know if 5, 6, or 7 days per week was the norm -- probably depended on their backlog.

Based on VIN and Body numbers versus build dates I've logged, the Lansing total was in the neighborhood of 10,000 cars per week. Again, that's all models except Toros.

 

So in 1972, if the Broadcast Sheet doesn't show a "W29" in Box # 12, it is not a real 442?

 

If it was Factory installed,Yes
If not on the Card some say it could have been Dealer installed
The Card is proof of Originality
But now even the blank Broadcast card can be found online

 

I know this is an old thread, but re-reading it got me to thinking about the SEQ number on the broadcast sheets. Maybe that number represents the "day of manufacture in the given model-year," not calendar year. Can anyone check this theory against the build date code on the body tag?

 

My '70 W30 has sequence 248 on the Broadcast Card with date of March 15th. Your theory would make the first day of body production being about August 13th (that's if there were no days off - such as Christmas day etc). Question now is when did production of '70 models commence. I'm sure that info is out there somewhere.

 

So what would be STYLE "34267" ?
TRIM COMB "979" with an EXTERIOR PAINT LWR "63" ?
BODY NUMBER "368527"?

 

STYLE 34267 = Oldsmobile Division (3) Cutlass Supreme model line (42) convertible (67)
TRIM 979 = Saddle Supreme interior with notched bench seat with arm rest.
PAINT LWR 63 = Saddle Bronze lower body color (the upper color is the convertible top)
BODY NUMBER 368527 = Fisher Body sequential build number

This is exactly the same info that is on the cowl tag.

 

Thanks!

If one got the stainless lower exterior trim molding, would that show up in the broadcast sheet? If so, where?

 

The stainless rocker moldings were standard on every 1972 Supreme convertible except they were deleted as part of the W29 option.

 

[QUOTE=joe_padavano;218835]Not exactly. The Broadcast Cards were used by Fisher Body to list items that affected what the Fisher team was doing only. Fisher only assembled the body from the firewall back The W30 option was presumably called out because of the reduced sound deadening material - I can't think of anything else that would have affected Fisher, but there might be.

Did the W30 actually have reduced sound deadening? In what respect? As stated, I'm glad the option is on the broadcast card but as far as Fisher was concerned was it necessary?