We all love decoding Cowl tags. So here's another one.

'68 Olds Cutlas S Holiday Coupe. Made in Canada. With vinyl top.

C08M31T-27
ST 68 33687 0S343831 BODY
TR 957 1-6-26 CRR PAINT

ST 68 33687 - 1968 Olds Cutlass S 2 door hardtop

Can we verify some of the other stuff? I have the info from GM Historical and It does not seem, yet at least , to match how I read this. Some of my issuse is the the US and Canadain biult tags aree different.

Also, does any one have a list or know where to find a list decribes the RPO Codes for 1968. I have the fisher manual and Assembly manual but they don't seem to include all the codes.

Thanks everyone.

Adam

 

"GM Historical"????
Since your car was built in Canada, you can get the info on exactly how your car came here:
http://vintagevehicleservices.com/

 

I do have that package from them. I got it back in 1999. I am finding several oddities in things as I do the tear down and rebuilding. I want to figure out how "frankenstiened" it is. I am thinking that the cowl tag is from a different car than the serial. That's why I wanted to know any info from this tag. As purchsed it is a '68 with a '72 console and shifter, '76 350 with a '69 oil tube. It had 72 Dodge front buckets. Taking the paint down to metal, the body has different colour paint than then doors and fenders. Both quarters had already been replaced. The doors/fenders have the colour from the VIN and the body does not. I hope this explains why I am curious. I don't car if it has been frankenstiened, she's a plain jane Cutlass S that will never be with a ton of money to anyone but me :-)

Adam

 

CO8- vinyl top M31--two speed auto trans T27--?? Trim 957 Parchment bench seat; Paint C- Provincial white; R red..(Possibly a white car with red GT stripe) need a code number for colour of top eg; 2=BK 4=BL 6= parchment 8=Gold--ST 68=1968--33687=Olds Cutlass S two door hard top---OS343831= Oshawa body number

 

Everything else makes sense to me thanks, my GM Vintage Vehical Services info lists

Paint - R - Scarlet
Top - 27 - Black

So maybe the T-27 means the vinyl top in black. My info says nothing about white.

The paint code one is one that threw me. I am not used to a 3 letter paint code. My books all seem to say there should be a number.
What about the Production date? 1-6-26. Could I be right and assume it means June 26 on the AM or Line 1? The GM info shows a shipping/production date of June 28 1968 with a ship date of July 3 1968. I could see it taking a few days from start to finish on assembly.

Does any know what paint stripe options where availablr on a '68 Cutlass S with vinyl top?

Thanks agian.

Adam

 

my gm documents show my paint code w as glacier grey metalic, while american paint code shows as sterling mist. i wonder if its the same color just a different name?

 

I've found numerous problems with those GM Canada documents. Apparently they have codes for the cars that they look up, and they have some trouble there.
Your case in point:
W 1965 Oldsmobile code is Sterling Mist Poly
W 1965 *Chevy* code is Glacier Grey Metallic.

Its not Canadian code vs. US code, its just a matter of looking up the code in the right place!

 

Thanks for your help everyone. Kurt, what do you think of a CRR paint code?

C - Prov White
R - Scarlet Red
R - Scarlet Red

Could it have been white stripe, red upper body and red lower body with a black vinyl top? This is what confuses me. The car did have a vinyl top and I found some scarlet paint underneath other layers. What do you think the 1-6-26 is, is it the date code?


Adam

 

White body
Red top
Red optional Y70 GT stripes. (W36 Rally stripe was only available on the 442)

Don't know about the 1-6-26, but don't think it is a date code.

 

Red top was not available--see above for colours...'67 & '68 used letters for paint codes...'69 used numbers...Just checked wife's car ('68 442) paint code ARR--her car is black vinyl roof with red body and black W36 stripe--T-27 on plate also---black roof should be # 2 she also has 1-5-17, which I belive is the date code- on the inside of her left fender is is a date of 15 May in yellow crayon...

 

Are the letter paint codes on Canadian built cars only?

Here is a '68 with the letter/number combo.



"A" is black stripping and "C" is white in '68. I am now thinking that first letter is stripe colour, mine was "C" for white and yours "A" for black.
If you check the paint chip card attatched that seems right. I also hope we can assume that the T-27 is for Black vinyl top. That would match my GM provided info.
The only quetsion left is why the double "R" for the body colour? Both of ours has it. CRR on mine and ARR on yours. Almost there.


Adam

 

The 'G' is willow gold and the '1' is white, the colour of the convert top...and your chart is 'US' which doesn't always work on the opposing teams cars My car ('68 442) paint ST--Palomino Ivory/ Jade gold metalic with white GT stripe...the Canadian colours have different names and I think Rinshed-Mason was a paint supplier but not necessarily the prime one.. My body number-OS325893; car was built in April date code 2-4-26...no other code for my white GT stripe

 

on 65's i think the multi paint codes refered to painting the rims, RRR target red lower body and upper and wheels

 

That's '64, I believe.

 

found on BRO'S site, all 65

 

Yes, but that is only on (most of) the Fremont cars.