philv1983

So I've been doing quite a bit of research on my car. I know from reading a lot of posts on here that something isn't adding up right with her. Is it possible to have a 72 cutlass S that was ordered in 71 with options from 71? reason I ask is I've read on here that the rear view mirror for 72 was black, mines stainless. the factory color is Lime Green, which doesn't show for 72, but does for 71. there's a few other things that I can't remember right now. I'm just curious if that's possible or the previous owner swapped some parts.

rocketraider

Look close at your VIN and body data plate to make sure your car is in fact a 1972.

If it's a very late 1971 (last week of July) or very early 1972 (1st week of August) build some overlap is possible but kinda unlikely. A lot of things changed VIN-wise and emissions-wise for 1972.

joe_padavano

More likely parts were swapped. The use of "incorrect" parts from prior or future years is extremely rare and fully documented when it happens. The use of residual red inner fenders on a handful of early 1972 W30s is well known. The use of 1968 block castings to build 330 motors at the very end of the 1967 model year run is documented in the parts book and in a dealer tech bulletin. Olds had several RPO codes for special order paint, so it WAS possible to special order Lime Green on a 1972 car, but proving that would require a build sheet or similar document. What's the paint code on the cowl tag? Are you sure the car hasn't been repainted? A lot can happen in half a century.

philv1983

Is it just me, or is my body tag different than others? Or im just loosing my mind.

joe_padavano

The latter.

ST 72 = 1972 model year
33687 = Oldsmobile (3) Cutlass S (36) Hardtop Coupe (87)
R = Arlington, TX assembly plant
04892 BDY = Fisher Body sequence number
TR 942 = Green interior
A52 = bench seat
43 G PNT = Pinehurst Green (43) lower body color with green (G) vinyl top
09D = built fourth week (D) of Sept (09), 1971
137 = sequence code used by Arlington plant (should match the sequence number on the build sheet)

Despite what was incorrectly printed on that invoice, the name of the color was Pinehurst Green in 1972. It was close to the 1971 Lime Green, but not the same. Both were paint code 43, but 1971 Lime Green was GM formula code WA4208. 1972 Pinhurst Green was GM formula code 4232.

philv1983

thanks Joe, since it was an early 72, could it still be a 71 color? Here soon I'm going to pull the door cards to see if the original color is still there.

joe_padavano

Fourth week of Sept is two months into the model year. That's not that early a car. It's Pinehurst Green. The human who typed up that invoice saw paint code "43" and automatically called it "Lime Green" from a year of practice on the 1971 cars. This isn't a rare and valuable factory mistake, it's two nearly identical colors that someone mis-typed on the invoice.

philv1983

ok thanks, I'm still going to put her back to that color. I think it's a better green than the dark green that's on it now. Plus they did a terrible job painting it.

4speed455

Maybe Joe or somebody else can confirm, is it possible that since it was made before January 1st 1972 that the black mirror back was not mandated yet?

joe_padavano

That is highly likely, as the seat belt warning light was also not required until Jan 1, 1972.

Koda

Now, see, this is an intelligent question. It is my understanding that all safety stuff went live at or before the mandate date. One exception I can think of is that, while 66s have shoulder harness brackets if ordered, all 67s have them, regardless if ordered or not, but the shoulder belts went mandatory Jan 68, and I don't know if early 68s could be had without.

joe_padavano

68s came with shoulder belts from the start, at least on US cars. I've seen many that had the belts removed when a new headliner was installed and not reinstalled.