VIN versus Trim Tag Question

[Joseph M.]

Was is normal for a 1966 car to have an "S" in the VIN for St. Louis build, yet have a trim tag showing an "A" body for an A.O. Smith body production?

Sorry if this is a silly question.

Joe

[Chris E.]

Re: VIN versus Trim Tag Question

I think there was concensus that it was OK for an "S" on the pas as part of the VIN derivative.

Read this thread.

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?t=73872&highlight=stamp&uid=7923

The "S" refers to the St. Louis final assembly of the whole car, whereas the A in the paint code refers to the A.O. Smith origin of the BODY only.

[Joseph M.]

Re: VIN versus Trim Tag Question

very interesting thread you attached!

To be clear, my VIN tag reads 194676S110555. The engine stamp is correct in that it reads 6110555. The thing that worried me a bit with the trim tag referencing the body being built at AO Smith, but I believe you are correct that bodies were sent to St. Louis for final construction and car completion. I hope that is right.....gulp

[Wayne W.]

Re: VIN versus Trim Tag Question

A is just the body code, the cars were built in St. Louis.

[John H.]

Re: VIN versus Trim Tag Question

Was is normal for a 1966 car to have an "S" in the VIN for St. Louis build, yet have a trim tag showing an "A" body for an A.O. Smith body production? Joe

Joe -

This explains the A.O. Smith-sourced bodies:

http://www.lbfun.com/warehouse/tech_info/misc/A.O.Smith.pdf

[Joseph M.]

Re: VIN versus Trim Tag Question

john, thank you kindly for that article. very much appreciated,

Joe

[Page C.]

Re: VIN versus Trim Tag Question

Found this Service Bulletin today date Feb 20,1964. Starting in Jan 1964 with Corvette serial # 109678 the bodies were coming from two sources.
They were supposed to keep track of the body repair in order to charge each source.

[Wayne M.]

Re: VIN versus Trim Tag Question

Joe -

This explains the A.O. Smith-sourced bodies:

http://www.lbfun.com/warehouse/tech_.../A.O.Smith.pdf

Thanks for the link to a fantastic article , wherein you mention that half the body production was to be from Ionia, and the other half, St.Louis.

To expand on that a bit; in the case of the 1965 MY (my favourite ), it's amazing how close to an even split production was, even by body type.

From the black books, we know that there were 15,378 convertibles total. The last S-body was probably #7755 (L30; Friday 30th July), and the last A-body that I've seen is A-7546 (L16; also a Friday). Still missing 77 bodies to agree with black book total, but some of that could be due to early-in-the-day production on the A body I quote.

Black book says 8186 coupes total. The last S-body coupe was probably #4082 (L30; in fact 'LAST Job' was found written on inner floor panel, under insulation). For the last A-body coupe I'll have to take that shown in Noland's Vol 2, pg. 40, which is A-4078 (no body date given, but probably L14 or L15 to jive with the A-4038 (L12, a Monday) that I have seen a picture of.

I've heard that there may be some L19 A-bodies out there; ie. produced the following Monday, but I doubt it. If you know of any, please advise.

So, when you factor in the transit time from Ionia, and the vagaries of body inventory handling (FILO, LIFO, etc. once these A-bodies arrived at St.Louis) the body type production of A and S bodies is remarkably close. for 1965 at least.