Hey all, as the title says, new here, but use to have a '70 Cutlass S (that I am currently looking for)...and a '76 442, that was sadly sent to rust heaven.

Been lurking for a while, and noticed a thread where rocketraider wrote; "Post the first 7 characters in your VIN, and the information on the underhood body data plate. We can tell you what the car is, its original paint color and interior, its original engine, and when and where it was built."
I don't have the under hood info, and the only info I have on my dad's old '70 Cutlass S, is a scribbled vin number on an old insurance doc.
I tried it at the local DMV to do a search, and the number wouldn't work.
Can any one help me with this please??
What I think I have is vin #336870G...
The rest of the numbers are very legible, but factory code G is a real mess...so guessing G at this point. The 8 was also a guess...it could be a 5 or 6.
Thanks in advance!!

 

I know we all like pics ...that's what she looked like new, and the last pic I have of it, with dad's custom work/paint.

 

I/we still have those 14" ET mags...

 

Well welcome to Classic Oldsmobile. Goodluck on your search. Unfortunately the chances of finding that car are slim to none. You might want to just start with another one. Welcome.

 

Thanks!
And yeah, I know...but you never know until you try!

 

Welcome! Great pictures from the early years for that car! I used an old book I have that breaks down the vin. I plugged things into a spreadsheet and showed what results are based on what you suspect is correct for the first 7 digits. I also listed what the other options would be for each code portion of the vin.

There is supposed to be a guy that can identify almost any Olds and he may be able to get you more details with just the vin #. I forget his name but maybe someone else can help with that. I’d love to know myself so I can see if he keeps documents and can provide duplicates.

 

Hey, this is great! thanks!!

Were they made in Canada??

 

That's only the first seven characters of your vin, you need the other six to complete. 13 total.

 

You’re welcome! I don’t see any other plants in this book I’m using and don’t recall ever hearing of a Canadian plant for the Cutlass but I’m no expert. Someone else on the site may know more.

I also tried to dig around and see if there was a way to link a vin to a body number plate (on top left of the cowl, which I know you don’t have). I couldn’t find anything. But if you could tell me…

• Exterior color (black, dark blue? - can’t quite tell)
• last six of vin
• bench or buckets (looks bench based on headrest height in second pic)
• cloth or vinyl
• interior color

…I could speculate about what the body number plate would have on it (except for the code for the build date). It may not mean much unless you could find an expert who could use your vin to determine when the car was made. Just thought it might be interesting to have.

 

The VIN does not provide any clues, in and of itself, as to when a particular vehicle was built. The Body Trim tag does. It will give a month and week of build. Yes, cars were "built" in Canada. Oshawa, from imported US parts. GM of Canada can provide provenance of how an Olds was spec'ed from the factory if you give them the VIN and $$$. OP's car was built in Framingham, per the "G" code in the VIN. The last six digits of the VIN are the GM build sequence number. Unless out of sheer luck, they will not match up to the last six of the Body Trim tag. But those last six of the VIN will be part of the "VIN derivative" on the engine block and transmission. That's how you determine so-called matching numbers for those two components.

 

On my behalf, thanks for the clarification on the build sequence number vs vin. Using this book I have, I had “production number” (last six of vin) in my head when I saw the body plate decoding referencing the build sequence and interchanged them. Like I said, I’m no expert. I think the details I provided in the picture of the spreadsheet were on target but let me/him know if I was off anywhere on that. Thanks again!

By the way, do you know the name of the guy that’s recognized as the absolute expert on all of the olds production data and can identify and provide details about most olds? I’ve seen his name a few times over the years but it escapes me right now.

 

Dark blue, with vinyl, blue, bench, interior.
As BackInTheGame noted, the rest of the vin really wouldn't add much...unless I found a candidate and want to make sure it was the actual car!

 

Hey, thank you for this!! I'll contact GM of Canada tomorrow and see what they can do for me!!
PS, I'd be thrilled if the car was found...the chances of the original block being in there would be on another level!!