72455

Getting ready in the next few days to track down the build sheet on my 72 Cutlass Supreme. Mine is a Freemont built car which means I should find it on top of the gas tank. Did they put them in the same spot on the gas tank?

rcorrigan5

If it's there (sometimes, even on a Fremont car, it's not there or anywhere else on the car), it could be anywhere above the gas tank. I found mine between the gas tank pad and the trunk floor sheet metal, towards the forward end of the gas tank on the driver side.

Randy C.

Fun71

The one on my '70 Supreme (Fremont car) was between the gas tank pad and the gas tank. The edge of one corner was sticking out so I never would have seen it if I hadn't dropped the tank.

72455

So is it "tucked in" or hidden or will it be in plain sight? Reason I'm asking is I'm gonna use a bore scope to take a look.

joe_padavano

First, there is no guarantee that you will find one at all. Second, there was no "standard" location. You MAY find it on top of the tank, if you are lucky. You may also find it somewhere else entirely, or not at all.

11971four4two

on a fremont car??
under the carpet
under the package tray (rear window)
gas tank = seldom

happy hunting

Allan R

Good thing the 72's didn't have the gas tank pad.

72455

That's good to know Allan. Thanks.
So when I drop the tank (and if the build sheet is there) I should see it, right?

jaunty75

This won't be enough. To properly locate a build sheet, one needs at least TWO ground-penetrating sonars, a CAT scanner, one scanning tunneling microscope, and a pad of paper attached to a clipboard with two sharp pencils with clean erasers.

rcorrigan5

When I found mine, I thought the task of doing it would be difficult, but it wasn't. I simply loosened the bolt to the each of the two straps that hold the gas tank in place (didn't take them all the way out and, fortunately, they loosened quite easily - no rust, no corrosion) so I could look up into the area between the tank and the pad and the trunk bottom and, there it was. I didn't even have the car on a lift or raised up - it was just what I could reach laying under the car. I was careful to extract it so it didn't tear and it came out intact without completely removing the gas tank. For starters, just take a look and see what you can find. It may be easier than your mind is telling you. And having your car on a lift would make the job even easier, if you have access to one! Keep in mind, however, that there may be nothing at all. A lot of cars from Fremont had build sheets stowed in them somewhere, but many also did not.

Randy C.

72455

Lol...you forgot the the part about standing on my head and counting my toes😀

72455

Thanks Randy..did you loosen all 4 or just the front two bolts?

rcorrigan5

I just loosened the front two bolts which lowered the front end of the gas tank somewhat, but just enough that I was able to see that a piece of paper was there. It was also just enough that I was able to weasel that piece of paper out of there without damaging it. I started at the front end (that is, towards the front of the car) because I thought I could see something but I wasn't sure if it would be the build sheet. As it turned out, it was the build sheet. I believe the bolt that holds each of the two straps up in front are rather long so it gives you some room with which to lower the tank without dropping it. Someone correct me on bolt length if I'm wrong.

Randy C.

Allan R

If it's there, yes.

72455

I lowered the front of the tank and didn't see anything...felt around the front...nothing. Even took a look with the bore scope just to make sure, and zilch. So either it's gone the way of the dodo or it's somewhere else. I've checked the package tray and under the rear seat cushion and behind the rear seat back...any ideas?

My442

The last 3 cars I have owned came from Fremont.

All 3 had build sheets on the top of the gas tank.

2 70 Olds and a 69 Chevelle.

All were in great shape.

rcorrigan5

Keep in mind that it might not be on your car at all. The Lansing plant was fastidious to their rules and either no one, or next to no one, has ever found a build sheet from there. Sometimes the build sheets might not be there from other assembly plants as well. I looked all over my '69 4-4-2 convertible (Fremont car) and never found a build sheet. It could very well be that your build sheet never made it to your car as well. I should add that the build sheet I did find was on my '70 GTO (also a Fremont car).

Randy C.

72455

And I should add that the PO had the gas tank cleaned and re lined...so I may be chasing a ghost...

And there is no way to get a replica, correct?

joe_padavano

Oh, hell, if the tank has been out before, there won't be anything there now.

Correct. That information does not exist. Oldsmobile didn't have a reason to save it, so why pay to store it.

72455

Oh well...at least I gave it the old college try. If nothing else, I know it's a numbers matching car, and there's still hope with my research in the fact that the dealership that sold the car is still in business. I have a call into the guy that handles records and archives, and he's doing some digging.

Will keep you posted and thanks for all the help, even though my quest bore no treasure.😣

Dave

Allan R

If you had mentioned that earlier I would have told you to not bother.
I'd say the chances of them finding the records for your car 46 years later are about the same as you finding the build sheet on a tank that's been out already. Sorry, but good luck.

Koda

The build sheets, sometimes called manifests, were a grocery list, for lack of a better term, of what to put on the car on the line. Once the car was built, they have served their purpose and needed to go away, either being stashed or being tossed, and this is why there is no standard on how they worked.

A Chevy I own has two build sheets, and one from the El Camino that was in front of it.

savage'74

My build sheet I found behind passenger side rear interior panel and in very good shape

savage'74

w30brad

I found two copies of the build sheet in a Fremont built 1969 442 I used to own. One was under the rear passenger side carpet and the other was under the rear drivers side carpet