!957 Cowl Tag Decode

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Old Feb 12, 2018 | 12:02 PM
  #1  
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Question !957 Cowl Tag Decode

Hello,

I could use some help decoding my cowl tag. It's a 1957 Super88 Sedan.

Style: 57-3669D
Body No: BC 412
Trim: 383
Paint: 60-60-41-41
ACC

I found out that paint code 60 is Alcan White and 41 is Artesian Blue Metallic. But which of the four positions in the paint code sequence stand for which part of the car?

I think trim code 383 stands for blue. Anyone with more specific info on this?

My car is white top and bottom with the blue trim stripe. The dash is painted blue metallic. The seats are blue fabric and for some reason the carpet is green which seems odd to me.

The car has power steering and power brakes. Was that standard on the Super88? No electric seats, windows and no A/C.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Stefan
Old Feb 12, 2018 | 08:12 PM
  #2  
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Originally Posted by Aviator
The car has power steering and power brakes. Was that standard on the Super88?
Only on the 98. Here's the "features and accessories" page out of the '57 Olds brochure. Look at the bottom right, far right column under "chassis." The sections on brakes and steering state that power versions of these were standard on "Starfire 98" and optional on other series.


Old Feb 12, 2018 | 09:15 PM
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Style 57-3669D = 1957 Super 88 Four Door Sedan (post)
BC = Assembled at South Gate , California .
Trim 383 = seats Medium Blue Bolster (vinyl) & Medium Blue Pattern Cloth
Medium Blue upper instrument panel with Light Blue lower instrument panel .
Medium Blue headliner with Medium Blue carpet . Aluminum seat cushion side panels and Medium Blue (vinyl) front seat back .
Paint : 60-60-41- 41 = Alcan White upper and lower body with Artesian Blue Metallic stripe and Artesian Blue wheels .

https://smsautofabrics.com/collectio...sedan+trim-383

http://www.autocolorlibrary.com/aclc...obile-pg01.jpg

http://www.autocolorlibrary.com/aclc...obile-pg01.jpg

Last edited by Charlie Jones; Feb 12, 2018 at 09:27 PM.
Old Feb 13, 2018 | 10:28 AM
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Thank you both so much for this. Looks like my car has been repainted in the original colors including the trim stripe and the wheels. The interior was redone in full cloth with materials very close to original by the looks of it. I don't mind that it's all cloth and no vinyl. Still strange about the green carpet. I wonder what went on there. Maybe discoloration?

So the body was made by Fisher in Lansing but the car was assembled in South Gate, CA? Interesting.

Thanks again!

Stefan
Old Feb 13, 2018 | 01:49 PM
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the body tag shows OLDSMOBILE LANSING MI because that was the location of Oldsmobile's headquarters

the body would've been built at a Fisher Body plant in CA ("BC" = Southgate) * BODY TAG
the car would've been assembled in a BOP plant in CA (Oakland?) * VIN TAG

isn't there a assembly plant "digit" in the VIN #?

I believe Fremont assembly opened in '62? (small cars)

Oakland appears to have been a Chevy assembly plant 1919-1964??

Last edited by hurst68olds; Feb 13, 2018 at 02:05 PM. Reason: added info
Old Feb 13, 2018 | 02:00 PM
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My VIN is 578C03454 and this online VIN decoder https://www.v8cars.hu/oldsvin/decode.php says this means assembled in South Gate, CA. So that's the car? The body? Both?
Old Feb 13, 2018 | 02:02 PM
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yes, it appears there was Fisher Body plant & Assembly plant at the Southgate facility

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Gate_Assembly

Last edited by hurst68olds; Feb 13, 2018 at 02:06 PM.
Old Feb 13, 2018 | 02:11 PM
  #8  
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Thanks for the link. However, I can't find a mention of Fisher in it. Having said that google turned up this site which mentions South Gate as a Fisher plant. http://www.pontiacsafari.com/PlantCodes/Codes.htm
Old Feb 13, 2018 | 02:15 PM
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Plus, this wikipedia page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...tors_factories says that South Gate was "First GM plant to build multi-carline body/chassis (Buick/Olds/Pontiac)serially. Other models: Tanks (WWII); Unibody BOP "Y" series Special, F85, Tempest added to B&C mix 1961-63; replaced by Chevrolet B for 64; Vega; Monza; Deville; Cavalier and Cimarron"

So, I guess my Super88's entire car including the body was built in South Gate, California
Old Feb 13, 2018 | 02:25 PM
  #10  
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Originally Posted by Aviator
So, I guess my Super88's entire car including the body was built in South Gate, California
I agree

the Pontiac link shows that some body styles were built at one "body" plant and shipped to final assembly - don't know if any Oldsmobiles were handled in a similar fashion ??

how many assembly plants were building Oldsmobiles in 1957?
There were 7 assembly plants by '61:
Lansing, MI
Southgate, CA
Linden, NJ
Kansas City, KS
Wilmington, DE
Atlanta, GA
Arlington, TX
Old Feb 13, 2018 | 03:41 PM
  #11  
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Originally Posted by hurst68olds
how many assembly plants were building Oldsmobiles in 1957?
There were eight plants in 1957 ;
Atlanta, GA
Framingham , MA
Lansing , MI
Linden , NJ
South Gate , CA
Kansas City , KS
Wilmington , DE
Arlington , TX
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