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So I picked up a 69 455 and the last six digits with the Vin start with 100,000 I thought that 100,000 started the abody’s. But 455 didn’t come in a bodys in 69. I could be wrong and maybe their higher like four or 700,000 does anybody know for sure? Thanks Brandon
The '69 Chassis Service Manual makes no mention of different starting VINs for different model lines. I don't think Olds started doing this until later.
Here's the relevant figure from the '69 CSM.
The first CSM which notes different starting serial numbers is the '72, and even then there was not a consistent starting number from plant to plant. It shows that all A-body cars had a starting serial number of 100001. But all B and C bodies not built at Lansing also had starting serial numbers of 100001. The Lansing plant started at 400001 for the big cars. All Toronados, which were built at Lansing, started with 700001, and this was used for many years.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I see an "F" as the assembly plant for the car that had this 455. "F" is not one of the assembly plants for the "A" bodies. Could this engine be from a "B", "C" or "E" body? I don't have a break for the "F" assembly plant.
"F" is not one of the assembly plants for the "A" bodies. Could this engine be from a "B", "C" or "E" body? I don't have a break for the "F" assembly plant.
Good catch, but it goes farther than that. Olds NEVER used "F" for an assembly plant designation in a VIN. GM used F for the VINs of other makes, but it stood for Flint, Michigan. Olds never built cars in Flint.
Could it be an E with the bottom leg worn away? The lower halves of the first three characters (39F) are worn, with the 9 more worn than the 3 and the F worn more than the 9. E would be Linden, New Jersey and would be an acceptable A-body plant.
I enlarged the image and tried darkening it a bit. I think it's an E with the lower portion worn away, or poorly stamped to begin with. Note how much deeper the upper leg of the E is stamped with the middle leg less well stamped. The vertical part of the E fades away from top to bottom.
I think it's an E with the lower portion worn away, or poorly stamped to begin with. Note how much deeper the upper leg of the E is stamped with the middle leg less well stamped. The vertical part of the E fades away from top to bottom.
Considering that the lower part of the "9" is also not stamped correctly, it's an improperly stamped "E". This is from a full size car built in Linden, NJ. FYI, even in the years where build serial numbers were segregated by car lines, that ONLY applied to Lansing built cars. Other plants started at 100001 for ALL car lines and didn't differentiate.
FYI, even in the years where build serial numbers were segregated by car lines, that ONLY applied to Lansing built cars. Other plants started at 100001 for ALL car lines and didn't differentiate.
I don't have info for every model year, but here's the VIN chart from the 1978 CSM, and it shows that the starting serial number for the A-bodies was 400001 for all assembly plants that year, not just Lansing. Also, Starfire serial numbers started with 300001, and they were built only at Lordstown.
I don't have info for every model year, but here's the VIN chart from the 1978 CSM, and it shows that the starting serial number for the A-bodies was 400001 for all assembly plants that year, not just Lansing. Also, Starfire serial numbers started with 300001, and they were built only at Lordstown.
We're talking about the 1969-72 timeframe, not the full 107 years of Oldsmobile production.
October 29th, 2018, 04:01 PM
