jrblanke

Hey guys, I was just wondering if someone could tell me how to decode my vin number.

824M202161

Thanks!

88 coupe

http://www.v8cars.hu/oldsvin/vin.php

Norm

rocketraider

From 1964 shop manual.

8= 8 cylinder (6 indicates a V6 equipped car)
2= F85 Cutlass (0= F85 standard, 1= F85 Deluxe)
4= 1964
M= Lansing MI assembly plant (B= Baltimore, F= Fremont CA, D= Kansas City MO)
202161= sequential car VIN

Back then, Olds VINs were in sequential order at each plant, regardless of the carline. Each plant's car VINs started at 001001, so your car was the 201,160th car built in Lansing in 1964. That includes F85's, 88/Starfire, and Ninety Eights (98 were built only in Lansing).

Give us the info on the body data plate underhood and we can tell you even more about your car.

You're in Charlotte, contact Julian Hilton olds4evr@aol.com for info on Mid Atlantic Chapter OCA. Group isn't that active now, but we still manage to get together once in a while and do something.

jrblanke

Thanks for the info guys! I got the car home last night and I am very excited about it! Where is the vin number stamped on the engine? I am trying to see if the engine is original to the car.

Here is the trim plate info. I will type it as it appears on the plate.

Style 64 3127 Body LA11174
Trim 945 Paint RR
ACC 3D


Thanks again for the info!

rocketraider

Look at the front of the right head. There will be a machined pad with the engine # stamped on it. It will probably not match the car VIN as Olds didn't start that till 1968.

All 330 engine #s start with T , then a six-digit sequential engine number, then a suffix letter indicates whether engine is a 2 or 4 barrel carb, high or low compression.

No suffix is a 2-barrel 8.75 CR engine
E is 2-barrel export low compression 8.3:1
G is 4-barrel high compression 10.25:1 (standard series 3200 Cutlass engine)
H is 4-barrel export low compression 8.3:1


If it's not on the right head, use a mirror and look at the back of the left head. If heads have been off, they may have been switched.

You'll have to get into date codes to see if engine is original to car. Generally an engine casting date of 3-7 weeks before car build date is acceptable as #s matching. Look at the back of the engine near the distributor for the Julian date code.

Style indicates 1964 31 Deluxe F85 27 Sports Coupe (post car). My 74 parts book trim chart indicates the 3200 Cutlass was considered a trim level on 3100 Deluxe F85.

Body LA11174- 11174th F85 body made at Lansing Fisher Body plant.

Trim 945- Holiday Red vinyl bucket seats. All Sports Coupes had buckets, but console/floorshift was optional.

Paint RR- Cashmere Beige body and roof which is a recommended color with the red interior.

ACC 3D- is a Fisher body accessory code, but I think the 3D is actually the time built code, in this case D 4th week of 3 March 1964.

jrblanke

Thanks for the information! I am very excited about this car. I can actualy fit in it! ( compared to the vette and my 84 toyota).

Would I need to find the build sheet in order to find out what options came on the car? Where could I find it?

Which wheels came standard on an F85 Cutlass?

rocketraider

Boy- build sheets. Up front, most Lansing-built cars don't have them, but you may find it:

Under the carpet
Under a front or back seat
Wedged in the seat springs
On top of the glovebox
On top of the gas tank

All cars back then had stamped steel wheels with dogbowl caps standard. Options were Cutlass standard and deluxe full wheel covers, and wire wheel covers with spinners. Wheel sizes 14x5-1/2 standard, or 14x6 HD, police/442, on a 4-3/4 inch bolt circle.

kevinkpk

I spent $70 on a chassis service manual reproduction for my 70. If you are going to keep the car, I'd suggest you do the same as it will have options, vin, everything about that years production. I bought mine off of ebay. I have a friend whos dad work for GM in 60-70's, and he gave me a real Fisher GM 1970 body manual, those I have seen on Ebay for about $25. I do most of the work on my Olds, and needed a manual for it, good investment.