jasensob

have a 76 cutlass 455 . i had heard that the vin code T6 was a rear thing ? would like to know any thing i can about the vin codes for this year thanks .

rocketraider

T means 455, 6 means 1976. Something tells me you may have been a Ford guy in a past life. Their VINs include that information.

The VIN tells carline, bodystyle, factory installed engine, year built and assembly plant. Your car looks like a Supreme coupe. Your VIN probably reads out like this:

3J57T6Mxxxxxx

3= Oldsmobile Division GM
J= Cutlass Supreme (a Salon will be K)
57= notchback coupe
T= 455
6= 1976 model year
M= Lansing car assembly plant (other plants have different codes)
xxxxxx= sequential VIN

GM rear axle codes are stamped into the passenger side axle tube, and trans codes are on a plate on the transmission. Body data plate underhood tells you the original colors and interior trim, and the Fisher Body build date. It can also contain some obscure codes for seat belts, floorshift, mouldings, air conditioning, T-tops etc.

jasensob

my vin reads 3M57T6M42****

jasensob

i have all that info but cant find any place that will tell me what it all means

jasensob

looking to find how rare the 455 was in 76 my car is not a 442 but has 4brl 400th dual exhaust its a brougham

rocketraider

I've never seen any breakouts on 455 in 1976 Cutlass but it wasn't common. That was right after the first contrived gas shortages of the 1970s and big-block cars in general were in decline.

M57 is a Cutlass Supreme Brougham coupe. Those had fancy pillow-look seats and interior trim. The velour trim cloth was called LaMancha.

What exactly are you looking for? There's plenty of folks here who can decode data plates and drivetrain codes. Plus it's all in the 1976 factory books- shop manual, parts manual, color/fabric.

jasensob

im trying to find how many 455 cutlass's were made in 76 i know there arent many i'v see a few 76 cutlass's but never one with a 455 . other than mine .

rocketraider

There were 91,312 Cutlass Supreme Broughams built in 1976. Engine options were a 250 CI inline six sourced from Chevrolet, then Oldsmobile-built 260, 350 and 455 engines. If anyone has the 455 breakout I've never seen it, and the only person I know of who could have possibly found the stuff at the factory died several years ago. Since the factory records are now in GM's custody, and GM doesn't care much about the Oldsmobile hobbyist, don't count on any support there.

If you want a definite answer, I can't tell you and I don't think anyone else can. For a ballpark figure 10% of production is probably close. There were more 455s built than six-cylinders, but a whole lot more each of 260 and 350 than the six and 455 put together. We're talking close to half a million Cutlasses built in 1976; at the time it was the best selling car in the country.

I can say I know of four other surviving 1976 455 Cutlasses scattered thruout the country- two Supremes and two 442s. Sorry I can't answer your question any better.

jasensob

well as the vin indicates i have a 76 brougham 455 and yes it has a 455 !! t-tops dual exhaust . this car as far as i can tell is all factory other than the two small changes i have done .