Can you guys tell me what the tag says about my town sedan thanks, some rust is obscuring some numbers I think, so I was hoping there enough there to tell the story. Also where can I tell if the 350 is the original motor and what carb it had, 2 or 4 barrel thanks..

 

That tag says the body number, year, body type, paint codes 57 57, trim 934, and a couple options which I am sure will be decoded for you shortly.

The way to check numbers matching is to see your vin under the windshield, and then look at the the stamped pad on the engine. Face the driver's side head from the side of the car, look to the bottom left corner of the head, and directly below where the head ends and the block edge is seen, there will be a little pad with it.

We have a picture somewhere of that. It will say some numbers and then the last digits will match the last digits in your vin, which is the serial portion. The rest of the vin derivative, as it is called, may tell 2 or 4 barrel, or you may need to find a broadcast card for that.

 

The cowl tag won't tell you what engine or carb. You need the VIN. What is the fifth character? It will be a letter.

As far as decoding this, we can say a few things,

33699

3 = Oldsmobile division
36 = Cutlass (the car is not a Cutlass Supreme)
69 = body style (Town Sedan - 4-door pillar)

LAN = Lansing assembly plant
350086 = sequential number at that plant
TR 934 = light covert interior? Not sure what color "covert" is, maybe a beige color?
57 57 PNT = baroque gold upper and lower body colors
01B? = 2nd week of January 1972 build date. That looks like "01."
A52 = front bench seat?

Someone will be able to fill in the rest.

 

Wow, thanks guys..

 

While the engine info is not on the cowl tag, 1972 was the first year that the VIN contained the engine code. Post the VIN and we can decode that.

 

I seem to recall the phrase "covert beige" in my memory. It is probably what "champagne" evolved into from previous years.

 

Given that beige blends in, isn't "covert beige" redundant?

 

Cant find anything on the driver side head except 7a, here the vin

 

The "H" in the VIN means 350 cubic inch engine, 2 bbl carburetor (L32), single exhaust.

Randy C.

 

Below the 7a, probably blocked by the power steering pump bracket.

 

Keep looking. It's there, usually under 50 years of grease.

 

Is it under the head where I marked it, if so I probably wont be able to see that area until I get it up on the hoist, will be re doing my front end soon anyways lol

 

clean the area - hold a mirror below with left hand and snap a picture of the mirror image - read the backwards number in a mirror to see it correct +- LOL - your results may vary

 

Remove the strut from the PS pump bracket to the exhaust. You won't be able to see it from the bottom.