Interior/exterior?

[Wilkinshc]

Hi,

Just bought my first Corvette (65). Been dreaming about it for years and finally have one. It is not in the best of shape and I am learning about them so please bear with me. I did research the board but not 100% sure on decoding the trim tag and I did find an description for the newbie like me. The trim say

"F28- Style 65 437- Trim 427AA- S1482 Body - 900QQ Paint"

Now if I understand other post it was built in feb 28, 1965- and is a coupe (F26 65 437), the interior was Silver leather (427) but was the exterior texado black (AA) or was it Silver Pearl (QQ)? Do you check the letters in the Trim or Paint Code to figure it out? If it's the trim what does to Paint code stand for? Or if it's the paint code what does the AA stand for in the Trim Code?

Thanks
Chuck

 

[ctjackster]

For 1965, both AO Smith and St Loius, F = January, not Feb

900QQ = Silver Pearl - that 900 was a St ouis thing, I think

427 = Silver leather interior, lucky you

the "AA" is a broadcast code, you can decipher THAT for even more info on original options (certain of them anyway, those that impacted the interior assembly and config.)

 

[61 Silver]

Interior & Exterior Codes

I believe that it is: 427AA is the code for Sliver- Leather and AA represents St. Louis Coupe. Paint code QQ is Silver. All Silver, should be a great looking car.

Ray

 

[Wilkinshc]

ctjackster,

Thanks for the info, you say lucky you?

Is that a rare option? or just a combo that you like.

Chuck

 

[ChuckG]

The letters after your interior color are known as ECL's or "exception control letters". What are they?

They can be very confusing, and a great explanation is in Noland Adams' 63-67 Resto. and Technical Guide (which you should buy, BTW).

Basically the ECL's define differences within the same color interior. Here are 3 easy examples:

If you have power windows, your door panels would not have holes for the window cranks.
If you have a radio delete car, the dash pad wouldn't have a cutout for the radio.
If you have Air Conditioning, the dash pad would have the extra vent for the AC.

So, that's what the ECL's stand for. Sounds like a nice car with a neat color combo. Chuck

 

[ctjackster]

ctjackster,

Thanks for the info, you say lucky you?

Is that a rare option? or just a combo that you like.

Chuck

like Ray above I think a silver on silver C2 looks stunning. If you have something other than black vinyl (STD) you also get that code I referred to as a broadcast code - which can be deciphered - every little bit of info helps. Me, my Trim plate has a STD on there.

2552 65s in Silver Pearl (middle of the pack, popularity-wise). Cannot offer any thoughts on number sold in that the combination

 

[ctjackster]

The letters after your interior color are known as ECL's or "exception control letters". What are they?

They can be very confusing, and a great explanation is in Noland Adams' 63-67 Resto. and Technical Guide (which you should buy, BTW).

Basically the ECL's define differences within the same color interior. Here are 3 easy examples:

If you have power windows, your door panels would not have holes for the window cranks.
If you have a radio delete car, the dash pad wouldn't have a cutout for the radio.
If you have Air Conditioning, the dash pad would have the extra vent for the AC.

So, that's what the ECL's stand for. Sounds like a nice car with a neat color combo. Chuck

pretty sure the ecl (I called it a broadcast code) is right next to the interior trim code, in this case AA

 

[Wilkinshc]

61 Silver,

Actually it needs some work, I picked it up for $15,000. The interior has nice blue carpet, black door panels, recardo seats, headlight buckets have been replaced and filled in, and none original engine or tranny. I plan on making it a driver and would like to get it closer to stock appearance. So I have a little work ahead.

Goals are to enhance to handling and performance but keep a stock appearance with the exception of wheel and tires.

Thanks for the help and any recommendation on where to get replacement parts.

Chuck

 

[IH2LOSE]

Welcome to the forum,

Now you have to show us a photo.
Good luck with your car

 

[JohnZ]

For a '65 coupe, the "AA" ECL suffix with the 427 trim code just means the car doesn't have the N03 36-gallon fuel tank.

Lots of good C2 parts suppliers out there, depending on what you need; Long Island Corvette Supply, Paragon, Corvette Central, Dr. Rebuild, etc.

 

[ctjackster]

For a '65 coupe, the "AA" ECL suffix with the 427 trim code just means the car doesn't have the N03 36-gallon fuel tank.

Lots of good C2 parts suppliers out there, depending on what you need; Long Island Corvette Supply, Paragon, Corvette Central, Dr. Rebuild, etc.

wouldn't the "AA" ecl also imdicate no a/c or power windows? Just trying to get educated . . . .

 

[Wilkinshc]

ctjackster,

Not sure about the code but this one does not have A/C, Pwr windows, or Pwr brakes.

IH2LOSE,

I am bring it home Sunday so I will try to post some pic then. Hope to get the body done by summer, then plans for suspension during summer, and new engine and tranny next winter.

Thanks for all the info

 

[JohnZ]

The 427 silver leather trim code in '65 was unique in terms of its ECL's - for coupes, there were only two; AA for base cars without N03, and AB for cars with N03. Special case - the part numbers for other affected parts were apparently generated manually at the plant; don't know why.

 

[61 Silver]

Interior trim codes

John Z or others that would like educate me!

On page 14 interior of the NCRS JG there is the following note:

Note: "All St. Louis built body interior trim codes contain a two-lettter suffix. The first letter is an "A" it indacates a coupe model and if the first letter is a "B" it indicates a convertible model. Example: 450 AJ A.O. Smith built bodies typically contain a single or a rare occasions none at all. Example: 414A"

Thanks for the education!
Ray

 

[ctjackster]

The 427 silver leather trim code in '65 was unique in terms of its ECL's - for coupes, there were only two; AA for base cars without N03, and AB for cars with N03. Special case - the part numbers for other affected parts were apparently generated manually at the plant; don't know why.

ahhhhhh, veddy interesting, this silver leather interior . . . . .. thanks for the info John

 

[JohnZ]

Here's an example of a '65 trim combination that may help you understand what ECL's (Exception Control Letters) were all about - this one is 414AJ, which was a blue vinyl interior for a coupe. The ECL's after the trim number triggered the production control computer to generate a detail parts list, by part number, for the interior of each car, which triggered the procurement system to order the parts for that car before it was built, and triggered the production Broadcast system to show the right parts to install on that car on the Broadcast Copy that went down the line on the car.

The major interior parts were different, by part number, even in the same color, depending on what options were ordered on that car; power windows dictated different door trim panels (without window crank holes) and a unique painted console with the hole cast-in for the window switches, electric window regulators, switches, wiring, conduits, circuit breaker, etc. Powerglide also affected the console, as the shifter used a different painted console casting, deleted the clutch pedal and linkage, added a different brake pedal, shifter, neutral safety switch and wiring, and so on. The N03 big tank deleted the rear carpet and added different trim pieces, etc.

Convertibles had their own separate bunch of ECL's (with a "B" prefix), as their major interior parts (door trim panels, rear quarter trim panels, carpets, deck lid edge trim panels, etc.) were completely different from the coupe interior parts regardless of color, so other options also affected those unique convertible parts in the same way (except for N03, which wasn't available on convertibles).

For all '65 coupe interior trim combinations (except 427 silver leather) there were eight different ECL's:

AA = Base car, no options
AB = Big tank, no other options
AC = Powerglide, no other options
AD = Powerglide and big tank, no power windows
AG = Power windows, no Powerglide or big tank
AH = Power windows, big tank, no Powerglide
AJ = Power windows and Powerglide, no big tank
AK = Power windows, Powerglide, and big tank

Each one of these combinations requires a different group of interior part numbers to build the car, even though all of them were ordered with a blue vinyl interior; that's what Production Control is all about. Without ECL coding, ordering, scheduling, procurement, and installation of all those many variations/combinations of the same blue vinyl-interior parts for each different option condition would be a nightmare.

Every option on the car had similar ECL's, as the parts required for that option changed depending on what OTHER options were also on the same car; that's what the two letters are after each option number on the window sticker and the "tank sticker" ('67 and later); they also produced the specific parts list for THAT particular car.

 

[Wilkinshc]

JohnZ

That is some great info. I would like to see a database set up so every new guy can figure it out like that.

Thanks
Chuck

 

[JohnZ]

There's no database that I know of, but it's all in Noland Adams' 1963-1967 book; you just have to dig for it.

 

[ctjackster]

The recently-released Trim Tag book by Greening et al. is also replete with this sort of info, for you Vette "code-breakers" it is fascinating stuff. I have the book, as well as the Noland Adams "bible" - but I still was unaware or hadn't noticed the special treatment the Silver Leather interior got.

 

[Elusive 67]

Since you both have your books open. Please turn to 1967 Coupe with 976AA Marina Blue Paint what is the AA for on this year?

JohnZ already decoded the 415AJ trim for me on another topic :BOW. This is all very enlightening.

Here's a can of worms for all you experienced NCRS people to open...why is there not an explanation of these ECL's in the Tech Information Manual & Judging Guide for each year? My newly arrived 1967 manual has no information on the ECL's and I would think these are extremely important to undestand if the car is to be judged correctly as it would be from the factory. Without other forms of proof such as the build sheet, why don't they spell this out? Inquiring minds want to know