DocAS

First of all I am sorry for posting again about vehicle identification, but theres one number I can not decode by using CSM and the Forum Search. It would be very nice if somebody could helpe me with that.

Here are the numbers:

VIN: 336679M265xxx
Number on Water Pump: 395558 2
Engine Identification below Plug #1: 32R108213
Picture of Body Cowl Tag attached.

These are the information I could find by using CSM and the Search:

Cowl Tag:

Model Year 1969, Oldsmobile Cutlass V8 Convertible built in Lansing and the Unit Number

parchment color interior with strato bucket seats

Trophy Blue Outside Color

VIN:

Oldsmobile Cutlass Convertible Model Year 1969 built in Lansing and the Sequential Number

Number on Water Pump:

Olds 350 built between 69 and 72

But I am very curious about the block identification number.
I am sure that this is not the original engine to my car since the VIN derivative is not matching. But what is it?
Maybe an Olds 350 from 1972 or from 1962? Was a 350 available in 1962? What does the number also tell?

Thanks for any help!

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Andi

joe_padavano

First, that "water pump" number is actually on the block and it's the block casting number for all 1968-72ish 350 motors. I'm not sure when the large "2" was incremented to "3".

The 32R108213 VIN derivative stamp shows that the block is from a 1972 Olds built in Arlington, TX (3 = Oldsmobile Division, 2 = 1972 model year, R = Arlington, TX assembly plant). Obviously not the original motor for your 69. If the complete motor was swapped, then it will have 7A heads instead of 5 heads.

DocAS

Thank you very much!

So they did not switch the complete motor since the heads have the 5 on.

Greetings

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Andi

jaunty75

Trophy Blue lower body color (51) with blue convertible top (C).

Built 4th week of January 1969 (/1D). It's interesting that there's a slash (/) there instead of a zero. I've never seen that before. Usually the date would be shown as "01D". I wonder if this was a "misprint" of some kind.

Does the 937 actually indicate Strato Bucket seats? My decoder simply says "antique parchment vinyl" seats. If there were a seat-type other than standard, there would be a letter after the 937, at least if I'm reading the first section of the '69 Chassis Service Manual correctly.

DocAS

Thanks again. I did not find information about decoding the trim code in the csm. I found the info here in another thread. My car has Bucket seats and thus I did nit question that.

Greetings
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Andi

jaunty75

The CSM does not actually have decoding info in it. Rather, it has a sample cowl tag showing a letter following the 3-digit trim code, and there is an arrow pointing to the letter stating that it indicates "seat type." I presumed that if there is no letter after the trim code, that would indicate the "standard" seat, whatever that was, and the presence of a letter would indicate something other than the base seat.

But in looking at the '69 Dealer Specs Book, maybe there wouldn't be a letter. Your car is officially a Cutlass S and not a base Cutlass or Cutlass Supreme as only the Cutlass S was available as a convertible, and all Cutlass S's were two-doors.

According to the Specs Book, the base seat in Cutlass S coupes was a bench seat, while, in a convertible, it was the Strato Bucket Seat. Perhaps that's why there's no letter as the Strato Bucket was the standard seat in your car.

According to the Specs Book, it was possible to order a '69 Cutlass S convertible with a bench seat for a $68.46 reduction in price. Maybe if the car had been ordered with a bench seat, there would have been a letter after the trim code.

Allan R

The slash certainly looks original, and one thing I've learned is that not all plants and shifts did exactly the same thing at all times. I'm good with it being an original tag from Lansing Fisher Body Works.

re: 937? Yes, parchment but also A51 bucket seats.

The dealer SPECS is a source of information in general. The information you want is in the 1969 Cutlass Assembly Manual. See manual section 0, page 182. The 937v indicates bucket seats. Code 947v indicates bench seat in the same parchment color.

Minor point in relation to the verts, but the 69 442 was also available as a convertible and the same issue with seating. I guess it's just in the way the word 'only' was placed in your description of the models that made that stand out a bit.

jaunty75

He originally referred to his car as a "Cutlass," and I was clarifying which Cutlass. My comment was referring to the Cutlass lines, not the 442, which was separate that year.

joe_padavano

Might be time to dump (or fix) that decoder. We've had this discussion previously. The second digit in the trim code DOES indicate bench or bucket seats.

jaunty75

I'm using the one created by Chris Neumann that he posted about on here recently.

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...oder-beta.html

I give him lots of credit for creating such a thing and making it available. Certainly it will have errors and missing information in the early stages, but instead of "dumping" it, maybe I'll suggest how he can improve it.

And I'm sorry if I don't remember every discussion that's ever been had on these boards.

Allan R

Yes, Chris has done a good job with the 'Beta' version of his decoder. But understand that Beta is a test version - I'm sure you know that. Given that it's in Beta testing, I prefer to use proven documents such as the CSM and AM for deciphering information like this.

I agree with you 100% that he deserves accolades for his efforts and suggest you also advise him of the discrepancy you found. I know he'll appreciate input to make his product better.

jaunty75

Thanks, Allan. I know what "beta" means.

Some of us don't have access to the "CSM," "AM", or any other Ms for that matter, which is why his efforts are so useful.

Allan R

Understood, just was surprised you used beta results for the answer.

WHAT?? You mean to say that others can't get access to WAC and find that out for free??? Shocked I tell ya, plumb shocked