I am hoping I can get an experts help on what all of this stuff means. I went online and saw a few cowl tag decoders but I'd like some help please!

VIN# 3G87H2M155920

MOTOR # 395558 2 W/ #7 Heads 2bbl Qjet (Motor/valve covers are gold)

Also attached is a piece of paper of what I could decipher off of my cowl tag...

 

The VIN is easy as there are sites that will decode it for you, and decoding it usually doesn't tell you much more than you already know just by looking at the car. In your case, the VIN tells you that it's a 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass S Holiday Hardtop (2-door hardtop) with a 350 V8 built at Lansing, Michigan.

http://www.v8cars.hu/oldsvin/decode.php


As far as the cowl tag, others will be able to decode it. Given that you have a question mark in your copying, it would be best to post an actual photo of the tag as mistakes are commonly made when people try to transcribe what it says. I can tell you that the 12C means that the car was assembled in the third week (C) of December (12), so that would be December 1971.

 

Thanks for the info! Yeah I tried to take a few pics of the tag but they all came out terrible. And the question mark is there because I couldnt figure out the character thats stamped there. Its all scratched and deformed kind of. It was the best I could do while I was outside earlier haha.

 

People on here a pretty good at figuring out what those hard-to-read codes might be as there are only certain possibilities. All the more reason to post a photo. Give it another go.

 

OK I'll go ahead and run out there now and give it a go...maybe I'll take a water bottle and some shop towels out and attempt to clean it off a little more

 

It's well worth doing if you really want to know what the cowl tag is telling you. No one is going to be able to translate a question mark.

 

Hopefully someone has better eyes than me!

 

haha now that I can see them bigger on my phone I just noticed that I there between 57 and PNT...

 

3=Oldsmobile
36=cutlass V8
87=hardtop coupe
LAN=Lansing
326969=Fisher sequence
949= saddle interior vinyl
57= baroque gold
T= covert beige vinyl top
12C= December 69 3rd week build
A52=seating style? i.e. bench/bucket
B80=drip rail?
Looks pretty close to what you have!

Pat

 

December 1971? Given that it's a '72 model?

 

Except that that I is actually a T according to 1970cs, and I think he's right. (Highlighting once again the importance of posting a photo of the cowl tag!)

Also, it appears that there actually isn't anything where you had the question mark between the TR and the 949 except for a bit of dirt.

 

Thanks! Glad to get more eyes on it! I see your in GL! Enjoying this weather we have been having in Lansing/GL?

 

Yeah must have been some build up where I thought the ? was suppose to be something. And I too am confused on whether that's an I or a T...Still looks like an I to me but its more than I could have figured out so I'm happy with the answer so far!

 

It's a "T" because "I" wasn't an option in that position. To convince yourself, lightly go over the raised letters with sandpaper or a scotchbrite pad - or even better, do a pencil rubbing.

 

Yup Build year began Aug '71 or there abouts and ran through July '72 for the 1972 year model.

 

A52 = Conventional bench seat
B80 = Exterior Drip Scalp Moldings (Drip rail moldings)

 

Correct 1971, oops, typing with phones ringing and customers coming in so!

Pat

 

Finally broke out the Alero, sitting in storage in front of a low spot. With the 7"-8" of rain in April. Cutlass has been running around since March, weather permitting. Judging by those picks you have not moved from R_am_le _ood_ yet?

Pat

 

Thanks for confirming those for me!

 

Yeah that rain we got was a bummer! Good to hear you got everything up and running! Actually I did move but not too far, farther west down Saginaw off Canal but I'm looking for a house, so hopefully I'll have a nice two car garage to play in soon! I have another project car now so I'll be able to put one in there an the other in storage for the winters!

 

No problem it is my pleasure

 

You may want to grab a house soon! With the interest rates low and what seems to be a dwindling market i.e. 2 houses within a block of me that had been for sale for up to 3-4 years, have been purchased with in the last thirty days. Remember you may want a pole barn, you can never have to many toys. I am about 4 miles west of you in the city of G.L. by the high school.

Pat

 

yes a pole barn would be nice! Even a 2 1/2 car would be great! I have been looking on the west side of delta township and out to GL and Dewitt! I'll be going to some showings with my realtor soon!