1970 Chevelle Fisher Body Number Plate General Information
[ 1964 ] | [ 1965 ] | [ 1966 ] | [ 1967 ] | [ 1968 ] | [ 1969 ] | [ 1970 ] | [ 1971 ] | [ 1972 ]
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Generally, in 1970 the series/model designation is a trim level and not an indication of the engine type installed in the vehicle as Fisher Body didn't care what engine type was to be installed. To date, Baltimore, Kansas City, and Oshawa are the only 1970 Chevelle plants I have an example of that used an odd 3rd digit in the style number although the Van Nuys plant is suspected to have used an odd 3rd digit as well in the style number; Van Nuys did in 1971 and it would follow they did in 1970 but none have shown up as of this writing.
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1970 continued the Concours Estate wagon the 13836/46 series designation as well as the newly introduced Monte Carlo 2-door sport coupe with series designation 13857.
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The SS Equipment option package (RPO Z25) was dropped from the 300 Deluxe (aka, Standard) series 2-door hardtop & 2-door sedan and was limited to the Malibu series 2-door hardtop, convertible, and sedan pickup. Although there are theories about certain letters appearing on certain final assembly plant body number plates indicating the SS option was installed on the car, there is NO PROOF in the form of GM documentation. The Monte Carlo only offered the SS454 package (RPO Z20) with the 454 engine.
* Strong evidence, yes.
* Proof, no. -
Baltimore shows a data processing number from block #24 on the trim tag and not the body number from the buildsheet.
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Numbers in parentheses after the STYLE are number of units produced and are for total production of the series/model depicted on the body plate except where noted. Unless otherwise noted, this production number assumes the trim tag STYLE to match the VIN series/model number. This is not always the case as noted in the first bulleted item.
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A popular publication states, "On all 1965 through 1971 trim tags, the engine identification portion of the model identification number always indicates a V-8 engine. No 6-cylinder engine identification numbers are stamped on any trim tag." This is an incorrect statement for not only 1965 through 1971 but includes 1972 as well. There are numerous examples of trim tags with an odd 3rd-digit style on this website.
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Atlanta continued their trim tag physical size of 1-3/4" x 4" and newly joined plants Arlington, Flint and Van Nuys (Los Angeles) compared to 2-3/16" x 3-1/2" of Baltimore, Kansas City & Oshawa plants.
1970 model year plant 1-3/4" x 4" 2-3/16" x 3-1/2" Atlanta yes Arlington yes Flint yes Van Nuys (Los Angeles) yes Baltimore yes Kansas City yes Oshawa yes
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Links to Fisher Body Number Plates (a.k.a., trim tag, cowl tag, firewall tag, etc.)
- A ~ Atlanta, Georgia
Click tag to see more Atlanta examples...- Assembly month padded with leading zero where applicable.
- Almost all have a hand-stamped number visible. This is an Final inspection stamp indicating the vehicle was ready for shipment.
- No convertibles or station wagons were built in Atlanta in 1970.
- Two pair of 6-digit numbers are found on the last line.
These are data processing tracking numbers and have no significance
today. The first 6-digit group and the last 4 digits of the
second 6-digit group are found on the buildsheet in block 24.
The first 2 digits of the second 6-digit group are found on
the buildsheet in block 10. Matching the Fisher Body plate
to the buildsheet for an Atlanta Chevelle is shown here.
- B ~ Baltimore, Maryland
~ El Camino
Click either tag for more Baltimore examples...- Assembly month padded with leading zero where applicable
- All examples of 2-door sport coupes (37), 2-door convertibles
(67), and sedan pickups (80) have either the letter "B",
the letters "B" and "D",
or the letters "B" and "L"
(on sedan pickups) following the assembly date. The meaning
of these letters is not known. It is suspected the "B"
is for SS cars but not
confirmed as readers have reported seeing the letter "B"
on both SS optioned and non SS optioned Malibus. It's also
been reported that the letter "D" may
indicate factory hood & deck stripes but that has not been
confirmed.
Anyone with photos of a Baltimore trim tag along with the corresponding buildsheet is encouraged to contact me to assist in the search for the possible meaning of these letters. - Numbers following plant designation code (B for Baltimore) are not the body number shown on the buildsheet (in this case BB00292) but rather the first 6-digit number from block 24.
- The 4-digit number at the bottom right is a data processing tracking number and has no significance today. This number is found in block 24 of the buildsheet.
- Special Paint (RPO ZP3) is indicated on the trim tag with
a dash character (-) where applicable; vinyl and convertible
tops on special paint cars still retain the letter code for
the top color.
- BL ~ Los Angeles (Van Nuys),
California ~ El Camino
Click either tag for more Van Nuys examples...- Assembly month not padded with leading zero where applicable.
- Two pair of 6-digit numbers are found on the last line. These are data processing tracking numbers and have no significance today. The first 6-digit group and the last 4 digits of the second 6-digit group are found on the buildsheet in block 24. The first 2 digits of the second 6-digit group are found on the buildsheet in block 10.
- Special paint trim tags show DuPont mixing formula such as 926-99616.
- BT ~ Arlington, Texas
Click tag for more Arlington examples...- Assembly month padded with leading zero where applicable.
- Three digit number after assembly date is a data processing tracking number and has no significance today. The number is found in block 10 of the buildsheet.
- No convertibles were built in Arlington in 1970.
- FL2 ~ Flint, Michigan
Click tag for more Flint examples...- Assembly month padded with leading zero where applicable.
- No data processing numbers other than the body identification is found on Flint body plates.
- No convertibles were buitl in Flint in 1970.
- KAN ~ Kansas City, Missouri
~ El Camino
Click either tag for more Kansas City examples...- Assembly month padded with leading zero where applicable.
- A 5-digit number follows the assembly date. This is a data processing tracking number and has no significance today.
- Special Paint (RPO ZP3) is indicated on the trim tag with
a dash character (-) where applicable; vinyl and
convertible tops on special paint cars still retain the letter code for the top color. - Controversy continues over the letter "L" that appears after the data processing number. Of the examples I have, the letter "L" appears on every known SS-optioned Chevelle Malibu and does not appear on Chevelle Malibus known NOT to be SS-optioned. Other Chevelle owners have stated they have seen the "L" on other known non SS-optioned Chevelles and not just the Malibu series. Other body plates are displayed with the letter "Z" or no letter at all.
- To continue with this, it appears that sometime around late March, early April, Kansas City began including "B" or "W" when applicable to indicate black or white hood & deck stripes. If you have access to a late March, early April or later Chevelle with "B" or "W" on the trim tag and can document via buildsheet that it does indeed have black or white stripes, please contact me at dalem@chevellestuff.net with particulars.
- Conversely, if you have access to a late March, early April
or later Chevelle that has "B" or "W"
on the trim tag but buildsheet does NOT show hood & deck
stripes or vise versa, no "B" or "W"
on trim tag but buildsheet does show hood & deck stripes,
I'd be very interested in those cases as well.
- OS ~ Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Click tag for more Oshawa examples...- Assembly month NOT padded with leading zero where applicable.
- Paint color names differ from U.S.-built paint color names. Canadian color name is listed with U.S.-built color name in parentheses.
- Some RPO codes like Z25 are listed on the body plate making it easy to identify an SS-optioned Malibu built in Oshawa.
Just for fun, here's a trim tag for a full size Chevrolet convertible from Tarrytown, N.Y. Information is generally the same as found on 1970 Chevelle trim tags. Fisher Body style number 16467, TA to identify assembly plant (and the only year TA was used for Tarrytown), Fisher Body unit number 02525, interior trim color/material identification (806 is black coated fabric bench seat), paint code of 25 B noting Astro Blue with black convertible top, body date of 05D for May, 4th week, then alphanumeric tracking codes used at Tarrytown.
