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can some one help with my cowl decoding

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Old Sep 15, 2010 | 12:57 PM
  #1  
73 d88's Avatar
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From: punta gorda florida
can some one help with my cowl decoding

body by fisher
st73 3bn67lan218756 bdy
tr 327 29 A pnt
obe a65
its a 73 delta 88 royale any info would be great. had this up for a while no replies yet.hopefully you can help thanks
Old Sep 15, 2010 | 10:28 PM
  #2  
rcorrigan5's Avatar
Randy C.
 
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I'll take a stab, but this is just a start. It appears to me that you may have copied some of the characters incorrectly.

ST 73 = style/model year = 1973

3bn67? = GM division (3), model series (bn), body type (67). Are you sure this correct? I'm thinking that it should be 36467. If it is 36467 it means 3 (Oldsmobile) 64 (Delta 88 Royale) 67 (convertible).

LAN = assembly plant = Lansing, MI

218756 BDY = body number = internal plant number

TR 327 = interior color and front seat type, which I don't have

29 A PNT = lower body color (29) and convertible top color (A). I don't have the lower body color code. I suspect the convertible top color (A) is white.

obe = time build code. Are you sure this is right? The first two characters are supposed to be numbers and the last character is a letter. If it is 06E, that means your car was built in June (06), the fifth week of that month (E) which would interpret to be the last week of June 1973, a fairly late production '73 car.

A65 = option code. I don't have that code in any of my books - my books stop at 1972.

Please re-check your numbers/letters to be sure they are correct. I'm hoping someone else can fill in the missing info.

Randy C.
Old Sep 16, 2010 | 03:57 AM
  #3  
rocketraider's Avatar
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Bodystyle nomenclature changed in 1972. BN= Delta Royale (BL= standard Delta), 67= convertible. I'll have to get home to the books before I can decode the rest.
Old Sep 16, 2010 | 06:35 AM
  #4  
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...rcorrigan... thanks for the start you dont know how much its helping me.i did have some wrong only the obe part.its actually 08e.but the 3bn67lan218756 is what it shows.any additional help would be great.. rocket thanks also i will be lookin forward to the rest when you get a chance imma new member here and finding out fast this site is bad a--.thanks for helpin me out.

Last edited by 73 d88; Sep 16, 2010 at 07:00 AM.
Old Sep 16, 2010 | 07:21 AM
  #5  
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Originally Posted by 73 d88
its actually 08e
That would put its build date as the fifth week of August. The question is, which August? When, exactly, did model switchovers occur? I'm going to guess that this was a very early in the model year car built in August of 1972. I doubt they were still building 1973 models in August 1973, as wouldn't they be producing '74 models by then in time to have them in the showrooms in September?

What's the last six digits of your VIN? If it's a late model year build, it should be very high. If it's very early in the year, it should be very low. I think VIN numbers generally started at 100001, so if your last six digits are something like 100111 or something like that, it would be August '72. If the last six are something like 404432 or something else well into the several hundred thousand range, then it would be a late year build. I really have no idea. I'm just guessing.
Old Sep 16, 2010 | 07:33 AM
  #6  
73 d88's Avatar
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thats exactly what i was thinkin about it being so late in the year.but if it was 72 wouldnt it have said that in the other part of the code where it says st 73. i dont have a clue eighther...last 6 in vin 11922
Old Sep 16, 2010 | 07:53 AM
  #7  
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Originally Posted by 73 d88
thats exactly what i was thinkin about it being so late in the year.but if it was 72 wouldnt it have said that in the other part of the code where it says st 73.
No. The model year doesn't coincide with the calendar year. The 1973 model year ran from roughly September 1972 to August 1973. Starting in September 1973, the '74 models would have been hitting the showrooms. It's perfectly possible for a '73 model year car to have been built in the latter half of 1972.

last 6 in vin 11922
That's only 5 digits. I'm assuming the first one is a zero, so your VIN actually ends in 011922? To me, that would be a very early VIN, so your car was most definitely built in August 1972 and would be one of the first 1973 model year cars built at that assembly plant.
Old Sep 16, 2010 | 08:31 AM
  #8  
73 d88's Avatar
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i forgot a 2 on the end.but what your saying makes sense to me. it would still be an early one with 119222.im assuming
Old Sep 16, 2010 | 08:56 AM
  #9  
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Randy C.
 
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On the date code, 08E is definitely the last week of August 1972, which is the week starting August 28, 1972. That is consistent with the last 6 VIN number of 119222. I do recall reading somewhere that the body type code changed in the '72 model year. Now, if someone could just find the trim code (327), and the lower body color and convertible top codes (29 A PNT) you will be in business!

Randy C.
Old Sep 16, 2010 | 09:18 AM
  #10  
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Originally Posted by rcorrigan5
I do recall reading somewhere that the body type code changed in the '72 model year.
Yup. The formerly two digit code became a single letter to free up a character in the 13-digit VIN to use as the engine code. I'm pretty sure the cowl tags kept the two digit body code for 1972 but went to the letters in 1973. The first letter was the car line (A-body, B-body, etc) while the second letter was the model code and matched the second character of the VIN.
Old Sep 16, 2010 | 07:26 PM
  #11  
rocketraider's Avatar
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TR 327= white vinyl bench front seat, fold down center armrest

29 29= Eclipse Blue- a dark, gorgeous metallic color.

A65= notchback bench seat

A= white convertible top. White was the default color.
Old Sep 17, 2010 | 11:50 AM
  #12  
73 d88's Avatar
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thanks everyone for the help.i guess nothin was changed on my ride.looking forward to talkin to you all later thanks again..
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