Hi All,

I am taking a good long look at a 71 Supreme for sale and unfortunately the trim tag is not legible from the picture the owner sent. Is this a major red flag? Would it deter you from moving forward with a possible purchase?

I can say the rest of the car is in fantastic shape and this is the only blemish I've found. Just want to make sure its not an indicator of a damaged car.

Thanks,
Bill

 

Well it just looks painted over too much but it does look original to me. Maybe the owner can take a better pic or try to do a pencil rubbing of it. As far as damage, I'd definitely search it from top to bottom prior to purchase.

 

X2. Consider that the tag was originally semigloss black, and there's blue and gloss black over that. A little paint stripper would go a long way here. Don't use abrasives since the tag is aluminum and will damage easily.

 

Ok guys, thanks for the tips. I don't want to get crazy about it either, but would have been easier to decode it before buying. I will go over it with a fine tooth comb and confident that if it all checks out that I can strip it down enough to read.

Thanks!

 

I can make out a faint 71 on the tag, thus it SEEMS correct for the car.

I agree, a pencil rubbing may get better contrasting detail. Many coats of paint have preserved the information for seemingly eternity.

 

Or just a different cam angle....

 

my eyeballs pickout 71st 67 for convertible and LAN for Lansing.

Pat

 

Yes, it's a major red flag that the owner is a crappy photographer, but not a major red flag about the car itself. Couldn't you just ask the owner to take a better picture?

 

That's right Pat - I have the VIN# and all that you mentioned above is confirmed.

 

Those who thought the owener was a terrible photographer were right. Below is another attempt at it by me and it looks totally different and most importantly, legible.

Would someone be so kind to decode this for me? I'm thinking its just a base Cutlass vert in viking blue, but one can't assume...

Thanks,
Bill

 

3 = G M Division (Oldsmobile)
42 = Cutlass Supreme
67 = Convertible
LAN = Lansing, Mich Assembly Plant
369229 = Fisher Body Unit #
983 = Blue themed interior with bench seat
26 = Lower body color Viking Blue
B = Black convertible top
04B = April (04) 2nd week (B) build

 

Good stuff, thanks GAOldsman!

 

No problem TenMidgets Do you have the VIN? Any other documentation with the car?

 

Yes the VIN is 342671M183080.

As far as I know, the only other documentation is copies of all receipts from the restoration process.

 

VIN decodes similarly
3 - Oldsmobile
42 - Cutlass Supreme
67 - Convertible
1 - 1971 model year
M - Lansing production
183080 - Lansing production sequence (not related to fisher body tag)


EDIT: BTW on your 983 code. Your bench seat should be the A65 split bench with folding armrest.