Here you will find commonly used automotive terms & abbreviations.

Items with a * have been recently added

.030 Over A term used when an engines cylinders have been enlarged or bored out .30 thousands of an inch over stock; can also be .010, .020, etc
1 bbl One barrel carburetor
2 bbl Two barrel carburetor
2WD 2 Wheel drive
2 SPD 2 speed transmission
3 SPD 3 speed transmission
4 SPD 4 speed transmission
4 bbl Four barrel carburetor
2X4 Two-four barrel carburetors or 2 wheel drive
3X2 Three two barrel carburetors
3 duece's Three two barrel carburetors
4X4 Four wheel drive
4WD 4 Wheel drive
1st generation Camaro A term used to identify 1967-1969 Camaro's
2nd generation Camaro A term used to identify 1970-1981 Camaro's
3rd generation Camaro A term used to identify 1982-1992 Camaro's
4th generation Camaro A term used to identify 1993-present Camaro's
#1 condition A car in show condition or perfect
#2 condition A car in excellent original condition showing minor wear/use or one with a quality restoration
#3 condition A car that is a typical driver in good condition
#4 condition A car that runs well and is all there but considered a "beater"
#5 condition A basket case or a car that is good for parts
"A" Body The letter Chevrolet used for the Chevelle/El Camino line
ABS Anti lock brake system
AC, A.C. Air conditioning
AFB, Carter AFB "Aluminum four barrel" A 4 barrel carburetor made by Carter
Air/fuel ratio The ratio of air to gasoline by weight in the fuel mixture drawn into the engine.
Air Injection One method of reducing harmful exhaust emissions by injecting air into each of the exhaust ports of an engine. The fresh air entering the hot exhaust manifold causes any remaining fuel to be burned before it can exit the tailpipe.
AIR, A.I.R. Air injection reactor
alt, Alt, Alternator A device used for converting mechanical energy into electical energy.
Ammeter An instrument calibrated in amperes. It is used to measure the flow of an electrical current in a circuit.
Ampere The rate of flow of electrical current present when one volt of electrical pressure is applied against one ohm of electrical resistance.
A.P.I. Amercian Petroleum Institute
A/R As required
armature A laminated soft iron core wrapped by a wire that converts electrical energy to mechanical energy as in a motor or relay.
ARS Air restraint system. (air bags)
ASSY, assy Assembly
ASE Automotive service excellence
ASME American society of mechanical engineers
AT, auto, Auto Automatic transmission
atomization The breaking down of a liquid into a fine mist that can be suspended in air.
AWD All Wheel drive
axial play Movement parallel to a shaft of bearing bore.
"B" Body The letter Chevrolet used for the full size cars including, Impala, Impala SS, Caprice, Belair, Biscayne, etc.
BA Belair
backfire The sudden combustion of gases in the intake or exhaust system that results in a loud explosion.
backlash The clearance of play between two parts such as meshed gears.
back pressure Restrictions in the exhaust system that slow the exit of exhaust gases from the combustion chamber.
Backspace (wheel offset) This is the distance from the rear mounting surface of the wheel to the rear edge of the rim.  Example
Balanced An engine that has had the weights of it's internal moving parts (such as pistons) matched.
BAT, BATT Battery
BBC, bbc Big block Chevy engine
bbl, BBL barrel (carburetor)
BCCC, BC/CC, B.C.C.C. Base Coat, Clear Coat. A Urethane paint with a clear coat over it
BMC * Brake master cylinder
BOP, B.O.P. Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac.
Bored, Bored out An engines cylinders have been enlarged or bored out. Also see; .030 over, punched
Bowtie A Chevrolet car
BRG * Bearing
BRKT, brkt * Bracket
BTM Bottom
Build Sheet A sheet that was used by assembly line workers to build the car. This sheet listed options and also the original dealer that sold the car.
Click here to view a sample build sheet
Bumpstick Camshaft
"C" Body The letter Chevrolet used for the 2 wheel drive truck line
CAT Catalytic converter
carb Carburetor
CC Cruise control
CCA Cold cranking amps
CCS, C.C.S. Controlled combustion system
CEC, C.E.C. Combined emission control
CFM Cubic Feet per Minute
COMP Compressor
copo, COPO, C.O.P.O Central office production ordered
cu, cu.in, C.I. Cubic inch
Curb weight Weight of empty vehicle ready to drive. It is the shipping weight plus weight of gasoline and antifreeze.
C.I.D. Cubic inch displacement
Conv, conv Convertible
cp, cpe, Cpe Coupe
crank Crankshaft
CST Custom Sport Truck
Cyl, cyl Cylinder
DIFF Differential
DIS, D.I.S. Distributorless ignition system
DIST, dist Distributot
DOHC, D.O.H.C. Double overhead cam
dr Door
D.O.T. Department of transportation
ea Each
ECM Electronic control module
EDP Electro Deposted Primer
EFE, E.F.E. Early fuel evaporation
E.F.I. Electronic Fuel Injection
Escutcheon, escutcheon plate A trim plate or a shield surrounding a moving part like the windshield wiper shaft or the trim piece around a radio knob, etc.
"F" Body The letter Chevrolet used for the Camaro line
FI, F.I. Fuel injected
ft, Ft Front
FR, fr Front
FWC Front Wheel Cylinder
"G" Body The letter Chevrolet used for the Monte Carlo line
gen Generator
Gold cadmium A type of plating used on some automotive parts such as power brake boosters, fuel pumps, etc. Similar to silver cadmium only it has a gold color.  Example
GVWR Gross vehicle weight rating
"H" Body The letter Chevrolet used for the Vega/Monza line
HD, H.D. Heavy duty
hdtp, HDTP Hardtop
H.E.I. High Energy Ignition
Hi Perf. High Performance
hp, HP Horsepower
Imp Impala
int, Int Interior
I.D. Inside dimension
K Thousand
"K" Body The letter Chevrolet used for the 4 wheel drive truck line
kit Multiple pieces
km, Km Kilometers
LB Long bed
LD, L.D. Left hand drive
Left, Left side The driver side of vehicle
Lf, LF, L.F. Left front
LH Left hand
Limited Slip Posi A rear that allows the opposite wheel to engage if the other begins to spin
L.O.F Lube, oil & filter
Long block An engine that has heads installed. (Also see Short block)
L.P.O. Limited Production Order
Lr, LR, L.R. Left rear
L/R Left/Right
LWR Lower
man, Man Manual
mi, Mi Miles
mldg Molding
mouse, Mouse, Mouse motor Small block Chevy engine
mpg, Mpg, MPG Miles per gallon
mph, Mph, MPH Miles per hour
MT, man Manual transmission
NOM, N.O.M. Not Original Motor
NORS, N.O.R.S. New old reconditioned stock
NOS, N.O.S. New old stock or Nitrous Oxide
O.D. Outside dimension
OD, O.D. Overdrive
OEM, O.E.M. Original equipment manufacturer
OHC, O.H.C. Over head cam
Open rear Non posi rear
orig, Orig Original
pb, PB Power brakes
pdl, PDL, P.D.L. Power door locks
Pegleg A rear without posi-traction. Only one wheel operates.
pg, PG Powerglide transmission
PNL Panel
P.O.P., Protect-O-Plate A metal tag glued onto the warrantly pamphlet that contained car and owner information. Used by the dealer when warranty work was performed.
Posi, Posi rear, Posi-traction A rear that allows the opposite wheel to turn if the other becomes stuck (limited slip posi) or both to turn all the time (full time posi)
pr, PR Pair
ps, PS Power steering
Punched, Punched Out An engines cylinders have been enlarged or bored out. Also see; .030 over, Bored
pw, PW Power windows
pwr, PWR Power
rat, Rat, Rat motor Big block Chevy engine
REMAN Remanufactured
repro, Repro Reproduction
REQ, REQD Required
rest, resto, Resto Restoration
Rf, RF, R.F. Right front
RD, R.D. Right hand drive
RH Right hand
Right, Right side The passenger side of vehicle
R.P.O. Regular Production Order
rr, RR Rear
r.r, R.R. Right rear
R&R Remove and replace or remove and reinstall
RS Rally sport
RWC Rear wheel cylinder
R.W.D. Rear wheel drive
R.W.L. Raised white letters
SB Small block or short bed
SBC, sbc Small block Chevy engine
sdn, sed, Sdn, Sed Sedan
SET A complete set
Shipping weight The weight of the vehicle with regular equipment and with grease and oil where required. This does not include the weight of gasoline and antifreeze.
Short block An engine that does not have heads installed. (Also see Long block)
Silver cadmium A type of plating used on some automotive parts such as brake master cylinder lids, electrical relays, etc. Similar to gold cadmium only it has a silver color.
Six pack No, not that! Three two barrel carburetors
Sleeper A high performance car that has the appearance of being average. (Ex. A 4 door wagon with a 409 engine)
spt cpe, Spt Cpe Sport coupe
spt sed, Spt Sed Sport sedan
SS Supersport
std, Std, S.A.E. Standard
Stroked An engine that's had the length of it's piston stroke increased
TAC, T.A.C. Thermostatic air cleaner
TBI Throttle body injection
TCS Transmission controlled spark
TI, T.I. Transistor Ignition
TRC, T.R.C. Throttle return control
Tri-five A 1955-56-57 Chevy
Tri-Power Three two barrel carburetors
T.P.I. Tuned Port Injection
tg, TG, Turbo glide
th, TH, Turbo hydamatic
tk, Tk, TK Truck
TVS, T.V.S. Thermal vacuum switch
UPR Upper
VAC * Vaccum
W/ With
W/O Without
WB wheel base
WCFB "Will Carter four barrel" A 4 barrel carburetor made by Carter
Wheel offset (backspace) This is the distance from the rear mounting surface of the wheel to the rear edge of the rim.  Example
WHL wheel
w-motor, W-motor 348 or 409 Chevy engine
WOT, W.O.T. Wide Open Throttle
W.W.W. Wide white walls
"X" Body The letter Chevrolet used for the Chevy II/Nova line
"Y" Body The letter Chevrolet used for the Corvette
Z-11 The R.P.O. number for the aluminum nosed 427 Impala