need help decoding cowl tag

bigbrad

New Member
Hi guys -- just found your site, WOW! who ever is putting this together and running it, I am truly impressed. I have been looking around the site trying to verify some numbers on the 59 impala I purchased. I have verified everything looks good so far, but I need a little help tiwh the cowl tag. Maybe I missed it on the main page, but how do I tell how to decode the style and body numbers. I found out trim, acc, and paint, and those all check out aok. anyone out there to give a corvette guy an education?
 

Impalaguru

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 1
The Style number will be the number designating whatever body style you have, 2drHT 4drht 4dr sedan, etc. The body number is just the sequential number for the body, not to be confused with the VIN which is the sequential number for the entire car. I hope this helps!
Ross
 

bobs409

 
Administrator
bigbrad, thanks for the kind words on the site. :cheers

Here is a break down of the model numbers for 1959:

1100 series - Biscayne 6 cylinder (also Brookwood wagon)
1200 series - Biscayne 8 cylinder (also Brookwood wagon)
1500 series - Belair 6 cylinder (also Parkwood & Kingswood wagon)
1600 series - Belair 8 cylinder (also Parkwood & Kingswood wagon)
1700 series - Impala 6 cylinder (also Nomad wagon)
1800 series - Impala 8 cylinder (also Nomad wagon)

As Ross mentioned, the body number on the tag is a count of whatever body style your car is at whatever plant your car was built. (2 door count, 4 door count, wagon count) The VIN is a count of ALL cars built at the plant your car came from. (starting with 1001)


Bob :coffee:
 

bigbrad

New Member
more cowl tag questions

Hi guys and thanks for the help. A couple of additional questions. It is my understanding that 1959's did not have the serial # stamped on the block like later chevys. So do determine if a vehicle is "numbers matching:, all that can be done is to see if the build dates of the block and body line up sequentially. My 348 block is stamped TI03IG, which I decode as T= Tonowanda engine plant, IO = 10th month - October, and 31 is the date, 31st day of the month (halloween!). The G=58-60 passenger car 348/250 hp v-8 with 4bbl and powerglide.

My body is JA15691. Which if I understand is Janesville plant, 15691th car built. The question is, how do we know the date of the body build, to determine if it postdate the engines build date, Making it truly a numbers matching car? My vin is 264472, which would agree with what you said about the body number of the car being built out of the entire number of production at all plants, ie: the body number cannot be larger than the VIN or it would be out of sequence, right?

Again, fantastic site!!!
p.s. how about a little help on carburetors? Carter with a triangle brass tag that is stamped 2555S and K64.

bigbrad
 

bignbad60

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
carbs

Brad, the carter carbs for a 59 should be 2818s for a 283, 2626s &2627s for a dual quad vette,2613s & 2614s dual quad vette, 2897s for a 438 - 305hp, 2897s for a 348 - 320hp,the 2555s was for a 1956-1957 265ci, 283ci (210/220 HP) ...Hope this helps good luck with the 59. most info can be found in the july Chevy Rumble Mag..Tim
 

bigbrad

New Member
carbs

Hey Tim -- thanks for the help with the Carb numbers. It looks like I have an incorrect carb on the car now, (or maybe the wrong tag?) I did not see in your post what a 348-250 hp should have, which is what engine I think I have. appreciate the help, Brad
 
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