69 Build sheet/tank sticker decode

[TheRedVikingSE]

Hey guys, I just bought a 69 coupe and I have the tank stick on the tank I am tring to interpret some stuff and get any info and check some stuff I was told. I have pics of the sheet and a sheet I typed from what I can read. some of the codes match listed RPO and some have the code plus and some don't match. I was told this is a L-89 car and it has a L-88 type hood I was told it was ordered that way. I was also told it was built the day the astronauts landed on the moon. I was also told that there is another document with more info but I don't have it yet. There was also mention of it possiblt being an astronaut's car,but not sure. Seems it is the same color (riverside gold) that some were given but different engine and exhaust than the famous three. I think it has some rare stuff but I wanted to see what some people thought. I was also told they thought there was some significance that the vin ended in 003.
Thanks for any comments and help

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Wow, great find! An L89 is one of the most exciting engine option especially coupled to the M21 transmission.

What is the trim tag date on the door pillar? I believe they started build '69s in mid August 68, and the moon landing was July '69.

The L88 hood would not have been installed by the factory.

 

[69 DIRTY RAT]

Some nice options there! Got any Pix of the car?

 

[6880 Mike]

RPO stands for regular production option. The RPO codes on your tank sticker will be in the far left column and will look something like XXXL89AA for the aluminum heads.

Post the codes you cannot identify and we'll see what we can find.

Sadly, '69 #003 would have been produced in September 1968. The moon landing was the next summer.

...The L88 hood would not have been installed by the factory...

I agree.

 

[TheRedVikingSE]

Thanks for the feed back guys,
I could read all the option descriptions on the tank sticker as seen in the pics but some of the codes I could read were a little different than what was listed in the ID number book. I also attached a word document that I typed trying to interpret the data to make it easier to read a reference.
The code for the engine was missing, but the description says
"435-HP TURBO-JET 427 V8", I am guessing this is the L-71.

 

[TheRedVikingSE]

thanks

That is what I am questioning I know you could get about anything you wanted back then. My dad said he had found another car that had an L89 with the same hood and was documented. Everything about the hood looks like it is factory with a functioning scoop. I questioned it also, but how great would it be if it was possible. I told my dad to find the car that he had seen previously. I would also like to trace the car back farther. My dad bought the car then I bought it from him, he said he had traced it back to 1977 and was hitting road blocks about then but everything from that point forward said the hood came on the car. There is supposed to be another delivery sheet for the car somewhere.

 

[TheRedVikingSE]

I think the vin # was 194379S736003, it was a little hard to read. I will have to check into the dates and see where he got the date from.

Thanks

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

The code for the engine was missing, but the description says
"435-HP TURBO-JET 427 V8", I am guessing this is the L-71.

Yes, but on another lines is the mention 'aluminum cylinder head' which is the L89 option.

Quite rare, only 390 built.

Is the car in good shape with all the equipment still in place?

 

[TheRedVikingSE]

Thanks
I wasn't sure what the code on the build sheet is supposed to say, kind of like the rest of the codes on the build sheet are similar to the listed RPO but vary with extra letters and so forth. I don't have any of the codes on the top half and the bottom is a partial. I was not sure if the all the HP Turbo-Jet in^3 in the description or if the Turbo-Jet has any significance.

I haven't done a complete inventory yet, I think someone else had started work on it and stopped. There are alot of parts in the car, But I imagine it is going to be treasure hunt for alot also.

 

[6880 Mike]

...I wasn't sure what the code on the build sheet is supposed to say, kind of like the rest of the codes on the build sheet are similar to the listed RPO but vary with extra letters and so forth....

Correct. The actual RPO number for the option is usually in the center of the listing on the build sheet, i.e. XXXL89AA or XXXJ50AA.

 

[TheRedVikingSE]

RPO stands for regular production option. The RPO codes on your tank sticker will be in the far left column and will look something like XXXL89AA for the aluminum heads.

Post the codes you cannot identify and we'll see what we can find.

Sadly, '69 #003 would have been produced in September 1968. The moon landing was the next summer.


I agree.

How do I find production information according to Vin #. I am trying research this, the Trim says Chevrolet P19 which I guess is November 19, 1979. and that is different from what both of us thought. I read the Vin Number to read 194379s736003.

Thanks

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

P19 would be November 19, 1969 which falls in line with serial #36003.

#38003 would have been built around Dec.1 '69.

There's not much else that can be decoded from the VIN other than determining if it's a Corvette, year of mfg. and whether it's coupe or convertible.

 

[6880 Mike]

How do I find production information according to Vin #....194379s736003...

A copy of the Corvette Black Book will help. So will the NCRS 1968-82 Corvette Specifications Guide. Other Corvette reference sources will tell you the VIN decodes as follows:

1 Chervrolet Division of General Motors
9 Corvette
4 Half the number of cylinders in the base engine
37 Body style code (37 for coupes, 67 for convertibles)
9 Year of production
S plant code, S for St. Louis, Missouri
7 Car line series code
36003 consecutive unit number. The 36003rd 1969 Corvette assembled.

 

[TheRedVikingSE]

A copy of the Corvette Black Book will help. So will the NCRS 1968-82 Corvette Specifications Guide. Other Corvette reference sources will tell you the VIN decodes as follows:

1 Chervrolet Division of General Motors
9 Corvette
4 Half the number of cylinders in the base engine
37 Body style code (37 for coupes, 67 for convertibles)
9 Year of production
S plant code, S for St. Louis, Missouri
7 Car line series code
36003 consecutive unit number. The 36003rd 1969 Corvette assembled.

Thanks, yeah I need to by some more reference books, I bought "Catalog of Corvette ID Numbers 1953-1993". I just noticed that some people seemed to be abe tell some more stuff from the series number.
How was Vettehead Mikey corresponding the consecutive unit # with dates above? maybe just going on how many were produced in a day. I looked into it and Nov 19 does correspond to the Apollo moon landing it's just not 11 it's Apollo 12. I need to do alot more research to restore this thing. I am still trying to decide the best way to preserve the tank sticker. I am seriously thinking of cutting the tank around the stickar and permanantly sealing it to that piece of metal. Like map coatings or some kind or polyurethane or clear coat. I can always buy a new tank besides after 40 years I may want a new tank anyway, though it doesn't look bad from the outside but I haven't really inspected the inside much due to the fact I am trying not to disturb it much till I get the sticker taken care of.

THanks again I am sure I will pick every ones brain alot more.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

How was Vettehead Mikey corresponding the consecutive unit # with dates above? maybe just going on how many were produced in a day.

Just need a decent reference library, that's all. No magic!

 

[TimAT]

The VIN on Ol' Red ends as 710493. It was also an L-89 car (docs long gone, but I've been with it since 1971 and my memory is not that bad!)

Couple other clues in there- it does say Aluminum Cylinder Head, and Transistor Ignition- both of those were required as part of the L-89 option. AFIK, if it was not to be installed they didn't put it on the build sheet.

The L-89 was pretty bad azz in the day. PITA to get it and keep it running right. Tendency to backfire on cold start and take the power valve out of the center carb, most dealer mechanics had no idea how to adjust the valves, and the timing curve from the factory was crap.
Ol' Red has factory 4:11's too. Back then, at 70 MPH, jump on it hard and the passenger side floormat would roll up.