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My son just aquired this car from his late grandfather ( was not his originally ), can any one decode the Vin so we know what we have ? Someone started a restoration of sorts and somethings just don't look right. TIA.
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
First off, that's not the VIN, that's the cowl tag. It was attached to the car by Fisher Body Works at Lansing Michigan. They built the body and installed the interior of the car before sending it to Lansing Final Production where the VIN was attached to the drivers side dash.
Your cowl tag decodes as follows:
ST69 - 1969 Model Production
3 - Oldsmobile division of GM
3667 - Style: Cutlass S convertible
LAN - Fisher Body Works Production
BDY 298498 - Body number assigned by FBW Lansing. Not related to VIN
PNT 57 P - Glade Green lower, Topaz upper
TRM 944 Gold interior
02C- Date build code: body and interior assembled during the 3rd week (C) of Feb (02) 1969
Last edited by Allan R; July 28th, 2018 at 12:24 PM.
Reason: correct error
First off, that's not the VIN, that's the cowl tag. It was attached to the car by Fisher Body Works at Lansing Michigan. They built the body and installed the interior of the car before sending it to Lansing Final Production where the VIN was attached to the drivers side dash.
Your cowl tag decodes as follows:
ST69 - 1969 Model Production
3 - Oldsmobile division of GM
3687 - Style: Cutlass Holiday Coupe (pillar less)
LAN - Fisher Body Works Production
BDY 298498 - Body number assigned by FBW Lansing. Not related to VIN
PNT 57 P - Glade Green lower, Topaz upper
TRM 944 Gold interior
02C- Date build code: body and interior assembled during the 3rd week (C) of Feb (02) 1969
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
Originally Posted by JC'S69ragtop
Thanks Allan, the Vin number reads 33667m298122.
Note: I made an ooops. You have a convertible not a Holiday coupe. I've amended my initial post to show that.
Your VIN is missing a number (the model year 9) It should read 336679M298122
There are a lot of duplication here, which is normal
3 - Oldsmobile division of GM
3667 - Model Code: Cutlass S Convertible (V8)
M - Lansing Final Assembly
9 - Model year: 1969
298122 - Sequence on the Final production line at Lansing.
You may find broadcast cards in your car from FBW Lansing, but there won't be any build sheets. Lansing was fastidious about removing them as the car reached the end of the production line.
According to a 1969 SPECS book (Oldsmobile Salesman selling guide) the MSRP on your car was $3092.00
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
Just an info item, the production number of 298122 sounds huge, but remember that the production at each plant started at 100001. So your car was the 198,122nd car produced at Lansing that year.
In better perspective, here is the production numbers for 1969 Oldsmobile Cutlass S (boxed in red). The first column is price, second is production.
Actually, the "P" would have denoted the convertible top color. For the 1969 model year, there were only four colors offered: black, white (parchment), blue, and gold. Black and white were the only two recommended colors with Glade Green. I'm guessing the "P" stands for Parchment. Also, to clarify, TRM 944 is gold bench seat interior. This is interesting because the base interior in the Cutlass convertible was bucket seats; the bench was available as a credit option under RPO A52.
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
Joe, I looked at that page too. I did notice that on the line that says Glade Green the only available colors are White or Black - no other color available. Admittedly I did goof and incorrectly identify the car as a 3687 when it was clearly a 67 I looked in my other resources and couldn't find a P listing for the upper. The colors for vert tops I show are coded by numbers:
White -1
Black - 2
Blue - 3
Gold - 6
But if you scroll down, you'll see Platinum listed as code P. This is confusing since that's listed for 2 tones. Wasn't there a white interior AND a parchment one?
Note: I made an ooops. You have a convertible not a Holiday coupe. I've amended my initial post to show that.
Your VIN is missing a number (the model year 9) It should read 336679M298122
There are a lot of duplication here, which is normal
3 - Oldsmobile division of GM
3667 - Model Code: Cutlass S Convertible (V8)
M - Lansing Final Assembly
9 - Model year: 1969
298122 - Sequence on the Final production line at Lansing.
You may find broadcast cards in your car from FBW Lansing, but there won't be any build sheets. Lansing was fastidious about removing them as the car reached the end of the production line.
According to a 1969 SPECS book (Oldsmobile Salesman selling guide) the MSRP on your car was $3092.00
That is the Vin number off my state registration windshield tag, could be a misprint ? I'll have to get the title from my mother in law. I appreciate all this information to. The car has bucket seats but they just don't seem right to me. I'll post pics later tonight of the car. Thanks again.
Joe, I looked at that page too. I did notice that on the line that says Glade Green the only available colors are White or Black - no other color available. Admittedly I did goof and incorrectly identify the car as a 3687 when it was clearly a 67 I looked in my other resources and couldn't find a P listing for the upper. The colors for vert tops I show are coded by numbers:
White -1
Black - 2
Blue - 3
Gold - 6
But if you scroll down, you'll see Platinum listed as code P. This is confusing since that's listed for 2 tones. Wasn't there a white interior AND a parchment one?
The interior codes don't apply here, and I am also puzzled by the "P". That letter must be the color of the convertible top - there is no other option. In some years, Olds used letters for the convertible top color B = black, G = Green, etc. The 1969 PIM will have the codes, but I don't have one in front of me.
Well, my '69 PIM, section 0 page 183, shows a gold convertible top code of either P or 6 (shown in the PIM as P/6) and recommended for exterior colors of ebony black (10/A), sable (61/B), cameo white (50/C), topaz (65/G), aztec gold (75/J), palomino gold (63/S), or saffron (40/Y) only. The P still throws me, though. I've never seen that letter shown for a convertible top color on a '69 A-body until seeing it in the PIM. I'm kind of surprised it doesn't show glade green as a viable color for a gold convertible top.
Randy C.
Last edited by rcorrigan5; July 28th, 2018 at 04:02 PM.
Reason: make the last sentence say what I wanted it to say
Well, my '69 PIM, section 0 page 183, shows a gold convertible top code of either P or 6 (shown in the PIM as P/6) and recommended for exterior colors of ebony black (10/A), sable (61/B), cameo white (50/C), topaz (65/G), aztec gold (75/J), palomino gold (63/S), or saffron (40/Y) only. The P still throws me, though. I've never seen that letter shown for a convertible top color on a '69 A-body until seeing it in the PIM. I'm kind of surprised it doesn't show glade green as a viable color for a gold convertible top.
Randy C.
Randy,
It was possible to order color combos other than recommended. I too thought the gold top with gold interior would look sharp on that green car. "P" for gold makes more sense here.
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
Sounds like the interior is still correct. The bottom color is no question Glade Green. This may be a special order car (since gold is not paired up with Glade Green anywhere in our documentation so far) , but I can't confirm that. It would however explain the coding for the top. I'd go with what Randy posted:
Well, my '69 PIM, section 0 page 183, shows a gold convertible top code of either P or 6 (shown in the PIM as P/6........ I'm kind of surprised it doesn't show glade green as a viable color for a gold convertible top.)
The bottom color is no question Glade Green. This may be a special order car (since gold is not paired up with Glade Green anywhere in our documentation so far)
Now you're just doing that to pull my chain...
Those are RECOMMENDED color pairings. One could certainly order non-recommended color combinations. RPO Y68 is "Regular Paint Used With Trim Combinations Not Recommended By Paint & Trim Specifications Chart". The page below is from 1970 but these RPO codes were applicable in all years. And yes, I did notice the term "Special Car Order" on this page.
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
Well it appears the interior is not the same color as the car was born with. Upholstery should be gold. Another thing that stands out like a sore thumb are the seat belts. Those aren't even close to what the OEM ones look like.
To answer the question about the top - yes, very likely it was Topaz which is a gold color.
Originally Posted by joe_padavano
Now you're just doing that to pull my chain...
Those are RECOMMENDED color pairings. One could certainly order non-recommended color combinations. RPO Y68 is "Regular Paint Used With Trim Combinations Not Recommended By Paint & Trim Specifications Chart". The page below is from 1970 but these RPO codes were applicable in all years. And yes, I did notice the term "Special Car Order" on this page.
Joe?? Whuuuut? ME pull your chain Nebber.... I don't have that page from the 70 manual, thanks for the look see.
Last edited by Allan R; July 29th, 2018 at 09:28 AM.
You might want to scroll back up and re-read the last ten posts or so.
Sorry for all the questions, and with all do respect to all of you I'm not familiar with the terms, codes and so on as this is new to me. I'm A ford truck guy ( 73-79 specific ) I know nothing about this car which is why I'm here, to help my 18 year old son find out all we can about it. Again all the help is appreciated.
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
No worries, sometimes Joe just gets like that. It's his way of trying to get folks to study the posts that are made. I'm glad to hear you and your son are doing this project together. A blue oval guy eh? Gotta admit that I'm partial to their trucks. I did have a 78 3/4ton Custom that would do everything I needed except pass gas stations. I used it mostly to haul my camper. In the winter the trans tunnel generated so much heat I rarely needed the heater fan on more than low speed. That truck would start every time in any kind of weather, even -40.
No worries, sometimes Joe just gets like that. It's his way of trying to get folks to study the posts that are made. I'm glad to hear you and your son are doing this project together. A blue oval guy eh? Gotta admit that I'm partial to their trucks. I did have a 78 3/4ton Custom that would do everything I needed except pass gas stations. I used it mostly to haul my camper. In the winter the trans tunnel generated so much heat I rarely needed the heater fan on more than low speed. That truck would start every time in any kind of weather, even -40.
Awesome, I'm currently restore my 78 250 Ranger XLT 4x4 and now this 69 olds which is pretty solid car . Just trying o figure it out is all as I know enough to know that somethings just don't jive.
Only "sometimes"? Heck, I'd better step up my game.
To the OP: We're giving up personal time to help people. If those people can't be bothered to read the information we take the time to post, yeah, it gets frustrating.
Only "sometimes"? Heck, I'd better step up my game.
To the OP: We're giving up personal time to help people. If those people can't be bothered to read the information we take the time to post, yeah, it gets frustrating.
Completely understood, but this is all new to me, it's a completely different language your speaking so forgive me if I don't understand or asking repeated questions. and speaking of questions i'm still confused on what the car would originally have for seats ?
i'm still confused on what the car would originally have for seats ?
From Post #8:
Originally Posted by joe_padavano
Also, to clarify, TRM 944 is gold bench seat interior. This is interesting because the base interior in the Cutlass convertible was bucket seats; the bench was available as a credit option under RPO A52.
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
TRM 944 is Gold bench seat car. RPO A52 Looks like this (Although the car shown is a 4 door, the seat color and fabric are correct) The actual design for a 69 Cutlass would look like the next picture showing the split uprights on the seat
Well it appears the interior is not the same color as the car was born with. Upholstery should be gold. Another thing that stands out like a sore thumb are the seat belts. Those aren't even close to what the OEM ones look like.
To answer the question about the top - yes, very likely it was Topaz which is a gold color.
Joe?? Whuuuut? ME pull your chain D: Nebber.... I don't have that page from the 70 manual, thanks for the look see.
Yes those seat belts stand out, even for a guy like me. from what i've scene they should be a retractable unit that mounts to the floor. Are the seats period correct? From reading the posts I do believe that the car originally had a bench seat and not buckets.
TRM 944 is Gold bench seat car. RPO A52 Looks like this (Although the car shown is a 4 door, the seat color and fabric are correct) The actual design for a 69 Cutlass would look like the next picture showing the split uprights on the seat
Thanks Allan, seems someone was taking this car in a completely different direction. best thing about the car that I can see is that body wise it is solid. would be nice to get it looking original once again but that is up to my son as this is how his grandfather bought it and drove it for several years .
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
There's absolutely nothing wrong with just driving it and enjoying it the way it is. If you ever decide to just change the interior cover, there's a company called "Legendary Auto Interiors". They're top notch for interior restorations. They make everything from the door panels, headliners and seat covers. Here's a link to their .pdf catalogue for 69-72 Oldsmobile. The pattern on your car would be 'double diamond'. http://www.legendaryautointeriors.co...ileCatalog.pdf
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
Originally Posted by JC'S69ragtop
Yes those seat belts stand out, even for a guy like me. from what i've scene they should be a retractable unit that mounts to the floor. Are the seats period correct? From reading the posts I do believe that the car originally had a bench seat and not buckets.
Correct, they should have a retractable unit on the side. Here's a picture showing that. BTW, those parts can be bought new as aftermarket units. Just Google 1969 Oldsmobile Cutlass Seat Belts
Correct, they should have a retractable unit on the side. Here's a picture showing that. BTW, those parts can be bought new as aftermarket units. Just Google 1969 Oldsmobile Cutlass Seat Belts
The bucket seats (RPO A51) do look correct.
OK, thanks. I wasn't quite sure to be honest. my father in law had an original 69 ( I believe ) 442 convertible that was red when he and my mother in law first married which is why he purchased this one several years ago.
July 28th, 2018, 10:34 AM
I looked in my other resources and couldn't find a P listing for the upper. The colors for vert tops I show are coded by numbers:
