"Letter"-body

[Stallion]

Okay, I see this all around. Like, I see "F-body" and I think our Corvettes are "Y-body". But, what does this mean? What do these letters mean and stand for?

 

[JohnZ]

Each different GM body series carried a separate letter designation to identify them for Engineering Releasing purposes:

"A" - midsize (Chevelle, LeMans, Skylark, Cutlass)
"B" - full-size (Impala/Caprice, Bonneville, 88, LeSabre)
"C" - premium (Cadillac DeVille, Olds 98, Buick Electra)
"D" - Cadillac limousine
"E" - premium coupe (Riviera, Eldorado, Toronado)
"F" - sporty coupe (Camaro, Firebird)
"G" - later designation for "A"-body
"H" - compact coupe (Monza, etc.)
"J" - compact coupe/sedan (Cavalier, J2000, Cimarron, etc.)
"T" - subcompact (Chevette)
"X" - FWD compact (Citation, Phoenix, etc.)
"Y" - Corvette

I've probably missed a few, but that's how they were identified internally.

 

[Stallion]

Oh I see. Thanks, John!

 

[gooney0]

Humm I though the Corvette has a "Z" body? hence the VIN "1Z...".

The G bodies VIN are 1G...


-Gööney0

 

[Stallion]

Hmmm...I didn't know that the body letter is in the VIN.

 

[JohnZ]

Humm I though the Corvette has a "Z" body? hence the VIN "1Z...".

The G bodies VIN are 1G...


-Gööney0

That's only true for steel-bodied cars with bodies produced by Fisher Body - the letter designations were established by Fisher Body, and the Car Divisions followed their lead. Fisher had nothing to do with the Corvette (or trucks), and the Corvette has always been identified by Chevrolet as the "Y"-body; Fisher Body never used the "Y" designation for any steel bodies.