1959-1963 cowl tags
- Thread starter Carl 1962
- Start date
Carl, how does K9's tag tell you it was a 348 car?
Carl, here's another one. to decode. 
In reference to my post above, does it tell you that it is a 348 car? I didn't think that was distinguishable
from a V8 in general.
In reference to my post above, does it tell you that it is a 348 car? I didn't think that was distinguishablefrom a V8 in general.
I got looking at 59K9's and my cowl tag, both have what looks like a "J" punched into the bottom edge. I queried the internet and found it only on the 1960 Nan Nuys built cars. Any idea what it is from or for?
Carl 1962
Well Known Member
I have cracked many of the mysteries of cowl tag codes, one of which was the different codes that each Fisher plant used to denote the difference between the engines fitted to full-size Chevys in 1960 and 61. The codes that denote which engine was going to be fitted to a car were only used for these two years and relate to the badges that were fitted to the trunk lids at the Fisher plants. Fisher must have known which body was going to be fitted to which chassis and with which drive train at the Chevrolet plant because they fitted the trunk badge and each trunk badge was different depending upon the engines in 1960/61. This is how I know the engine fitted to K9's car was a 348 and the engine fitted to body # VN 27760 was a 283. I won't go into which code means what at each Fisher plant because if the internet knew all these codes, the fakes would not be detectable.
I believe that the "J" code was a punched inspection code that was done to verify that the car matched the tag. In 1960 prodution, some Van Nuys tags got no J punch and some got two or even three of these J punches. Early in 61 production the J punch was replaced with an "8" or triangle punch and later in 61 production the inspection punches were phased out altogether. These inspection punches are another way to determine if a Van Nuys cowl tag is original for 1960/61 cars.
Does my tag tell you the transmission it came with?
I get keeping the rewards of hard work close to home.
I spend tons of time developing products and upgrades that I keep relatively quite.
I had suspicions my 60 was a small block car because only one side had exhaust mounting points that had not ever been used and the shroud was a trimmed down SB unit. I'm fine with that. It doesn't change my happiness that I bought it because it is a super rust free original Westcoast car.
I get keeping the rewards of hard work close to home.
I spend tons of time developing products and upgrades that I keep relatively quite.I had suspicions my 60 was a small block car because only one side had exhaust mounting points that had not ever been used and the shroud was a trimmed down SB unit. I'm fine with that. It doesn't change my happiness that I bought it because it is a super rust free original Westcoast car.
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Carl 1962
Well Known Member
The cowl tag does not tell you what transmission the car was built with in 1960. Optional transmission cowl tag codes came in in 1963.
I looked at that but the welds looked typical. Pretty sure the body has never been off if that tells a different story. I'll have to have another look.
When you say optional: Is it a different tag? Was it just done at some plants?
Jeff
I have a 90 % completed list of all the body idenfications for emblems for what engine came in the car from the factory (6 cylinder, V-8 -265, 283 and 327 and 348 and 409 motors from 1955 to 1964 ) showing where and what type of emblem was placed (in some cases no emblems) on the body by GM on every model sold from 1955 to 1964 -GM used the trunk or hood and fenders and rear 1/4s for V-8 in 1955 for the emblems identifying what motor the car came with.
Paul
Paul
Carl 1962
Well Known Member
The optional transmissions (powerglide or 4-speed) were annotated with different codes on all Fisher cowl tags from 63 onwards.
Carl,
"This is the Belair I am looking at." From Oct 29.
Since you did not mention PG or 4spd, I can assume that it is a 3 spd car??
From the 1 interior pic it does not appear to have a tree shifter. The person advertising it says its a 4 spd car & it does have a factory style tach. Whether it has been added, I cannot say.
"This is the Belair I am looking at." From Oct 29.
Since you did not mention PG or 4spd, I can assume that it is a 3 spd car??
From the 1 interior pic it does not appear to have a tree shifter. The person advertising it says its a 4 spd car & it does have a factory style tach. Whether it has been added, I cannot say.
Carl 1962
Well Known Member
A car built at Atlanta in 63 that does not have code M or L on the cowl tag must have been built as a 3-speed manual. It may be a 4-speed now (probably better to be already changed), but it wasn't built that way. However, it may have been fitted with a tach from new as it was an option on any V8 (RPO U16).
And the cowl tag does not specify the tach?
Jeff
Carl 1962
Well Known Member
The tach did not get a code on the cowl tag.
Don’t know if these are legible enough, here are two cowl tags. One is my 62 Impala black with red interior. One acc code looks to have been hit or flattened out?
Next is my 63 Bel Air blue with blue interior?
Next is my 63 Bel Air blue with blue interior?
Photos of my bracket. Welds look too good for a factory weld that is comparing it to the other welds on the frame. Also looks to have been tacked then finish welded. Other than that I do not have a reference so I ask the form for a judgment.
If this is a bad place to post this, feel free to move it.
I haven't look at one of my frames with the z-bar bracket in a while, but I believe they only had three or four spot or plug welds holding it to the frame. No weld beads.
