Classic cars are our specialty, but we decode any VIN, 1946 to today.
Chevelle Fisher Body number plate, 1965-1969
Where: Upper firewall in the engine compartment (small metal plate) [CHEVSTUFF_1969] [CHEVSTUFF_1967TT] [CHEVSTUFF_PREF]
| Line 1: production date, 2-digit month plus week letter A-E | 06C [CHEVSTUFF_1969] |
| Line 2: year, division/series/body style, assembly plant, Fisher Body unit number | 69 13637 ... [CHEVSTUFF_1969] |
| Line 3: interior trim code, lower paint code, upper paint code | [CHEVSTUFF_1969] [CHEVSTUFF_1967TT] |
1967 paint code is two characters (lower body, then upper body); a number in the second position is a vinyl or convertible top color; trim codes carry a seat letter A bench, B bucket, S headrests (Baltimore does not use A or B). The A/B suffix disappeared in 1968; group option codes were dropped in 1968; head rests standard in 1969 (Preface page).
From 1969 body paint codes became 2-digit numbers and the top code became a letter (Preface page and 1969 paint page).
In 1972 the Chevrolet VIN format changed but the plate kept the Fisher style number (Preface page).
Pontiac 1967: Firebird Fisher body tag
Where: Riveted to the firewall near the master cylinder [FGF_TAG1967] [FGF_PAINT]
| Time built: month and week letter (01E = January, 5th week) | 01E [FGF_TAG1967] |
| Model year | 67 [FGF_TAG1967] |
| Division / series / body: 2 = Pontiac; 24 Firebird standard interior, 26 Custom interior; 37 coupe, 67 convertible | 2 24 37 [FGF_TAG1967] |
| Assembly plant (LOR = Lordstown, OH) and consecutive build number | LOR 188 [FGF_TAG1967] |
| Paint code: two letters (body, or upper/lower on two-tone) | A [FGF_TAG1967] |
| Trim code: 3 digits plus seat-style letter (Z buckets no headrests, Y buckets with headrests, H standard bench) | 253-Z [FGF_TAG1967] |
| Five-group accessory code (blank group = none) | [FGF_TAG1967] |
Division/series/body digits on the tag do not match the VIN on 1967-68 cars. Paint-type marker: 2 Pontiac special-order, 1 or blank non-Pontiac, 4 or PRIMER primer only (FGF_PAINT).
Chevrolet 1964: Chevelle Fisher Body number plate
Where: Firewall (Fisher Body plate; separate from the VIN plate) [CHEVSTUFF_1964] [CHEVSTUFF_PREF]
| Body assembly date: 2-digit month plus week letter A-E (calendar dates for the letters are not defined) | 06C [CHEVSTUFF_1964] |
| Series/body style (model year prefix such as 64- at Atlanta, Euclid, Fremont, Van Nuys; omitted at Baltimore and Kansas City), assembly plant, Fisher Body unit number | 64-5837 [CHEVSTUFF_1964] |
| Interior trim and lower/upper paint codes (numbers; Fremont uses letters: upper, lower, wheel) | [CHEVSTUFF_1964] [CHEVSTUFF_PREF] |
| Option groups (lines 4/5; varies by plant) | [CHEVSTUFF_1964] |
Fremont and Oshawa were the only 1964 Chevelle plants with an odd third style-number digit. Series/model codes indicate trim level only, not engine.
Preface page: plate formats differed by plant and year and sometimes changed mid-year (Baltimore 1964, Fremont 1966); Canadian (Oshawa) tags differ substantially.
Chevrolet 1946-1957: Fisher Body number plate (cowl tag)
Where: Passenger side of the upper firewall (all 1942-1957 passenger cars) [OCMP_COWL] [CI_PAINT5557]
| Style No. (year, GM division, body style); 46-1007 = 1946, 10 = Chevrolet, 07 = body style | 46-1007 [OCMP_COWL] |
| Body No. (production sequence; letter prefix = assembly plant, e.g. F = Flint) | F-xxxx [OCMP_COWL] |
| Trim No. (interior trim combination) | 132 [OCMP_COWL] |
| Paint No. (body color combination) | 336 [OCMP_COWL] |
Old Car Manual Project states the format is the same across 1942-1957.
Classic Industries calls the 1955-1957 plate the trim tag on the right side of the cowl panel under the hood; in 1956-57 the three-digit paint code may be followed by a letter (A = solid, B/C/D/E = two-tone scheme).
Worked example: a 1967 Pontiac Firebird tag
Built from the field examples on First Gen Firebird's 1967 body tag page. Each value is decoded from our tables or from that page.
| Code | Line | What it means |
| 01E | Time built | January, 5th week (month number, then week letter) [FGF_TAG1967] |
| 67 | Model year | 1967 [FGF_TAG1967] |
| 2 24 37 | Division, series, body | 2 = Pontiac; 24 = Firebird, standard interior; 37 = coupe [FGF_TAG1967] |
| LOR 188 | Plant and build number | LOR = Lordstown, Ohio; 188 = consecutive build number at that plant [FGF_TAG1967] |
| A | Paint | Starlight Black [FGF_TAG1967] |
| 253 | Interior trim | Standard vinyl bucket, Black [FGF_TAG1967] |
| Z | Seat-style letter after the trim code | Bucket seats without headrests (Y = buckets with headrests, H = standard bench) [FGF_TAG1967] |
First Gen Firebird notes that on 1967-68 Firebirds the division, series and body digits on the tag do not match the VIN. [FGF_TAG1967]
Type your tag codes into the code lookup
Codes we decode
The tables behind the code lookup for these makes. Each code in the lookup shows its own source.
| Make | Code | Years | Codes | Sources |
| Chevrolet | Paint color | 1946-1957, 1967, 1969 | 292 | [OCMP_PAINT] [CI_PAINT5557] [CHEVSTUFF_P1967] [CHEVSTUFF_P1969] |
| Chevrolet | Interior trim | 1946-1957 | 280 | [OCMP_TRIM] [CI_TRIM5557] |
| Chevrolet | Assembly plant | 1946-1957, 1964-1969 | 49 | [OCMP_COWL] [CHEVSTUFF_1964] [CHEVSTUFF_1969] |
| Pontiac | Paint color | 1967 | 18 | [FGF_TAG1967] |
| Pontiac | Interior trim | 1967 | 17 | [FGF_TAG1967] |
Before you rely on a tag
- Plate formats differed by assembly plant and year, and sometimes changed in the middle of a year (Baltimore 1964, Fremont 1966). Canadian (Oshawa) plates differ substantially. [CHEVSTUFF_PREF]
- The trim tag records how the body was built. It cannot confirm that today's paint, interior or body is original to the car.
Decode the VIN too
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Other tag guides
- How to read a Ford, Mercury or Lincoln door data plate
- How to read a Chrysler, Dodge or Plymouth fender tag
Sources
- [OCMP_PAINT] Old Car Manual Project, Chevrolet Passenger Car paint codes 1946-1954
- [CI_PAINT5557] Classic Industries, 1955-1956-1957 Chevy colors and paint codes
- [CHEVSTUFF_P1967] Chevelle Stuff, 1967 Chevelle Exterior Paint Codes
- [CHEVSTUFF_P1969] Chevelle Stuff, 1969 Chevelle Exterior Paint Codes
- [OCMP_TRIM] Old Car Manual Project, Chevrolet Passenger Car trim codes 1941-1956
- [CI_TRIM5557] Classic Industries, 1955-1956-1957 Chevy interior trim codes
- [OCMP_COWL] Old Car Manual Project, Chevrolet Passenger Car cowl body number plate 1942-1957
- [CHEVSTUFF_1964] Chevelle Stuff, 1964 Chevelle Fisher Body Number Plate
- [CHEVSTUFF_1969] Chevelle Stuff, 1969 Chevelle Fisher Body Number Plate
- [FGF_TAG1967] First Gen Firebird, 1967 Body Tag Information
- [CHEVSTUFF_1967TT] Chevelle Stuff, Fisher Body Number Plate - 1967
- [CHEVSTUFF_PREF] Chevelle Stuff, Fisher Body Number Plates - Preface
- [FGF_PAINT] First Gen Firebird, Factory Paint Code Reference
These are published secondary references, not factory documents. Where they disagree, we say so.