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Build date based on VIN#?


Guest 1951Olds88

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Guest 1951Olds88

Is there a way to find out the (rough) manufacture month based on the sequence number in the VIN of my 1951 Olds 88? It was built in Atlanta (A) sequence number (1)125. Can anyone help?

TIA

Stefan

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Stefan, look on the car's data plate and see if there is a field stamped "TIME". Not sure if the early 50s cars had it but if it does, should look something like TIME 06A which translates to first week (A) of June (06) for the calendar year. Likewise 12C would be 3rd week December.

Short of that, you can interpolate build date by VIN if you know the car series and total production of that series for that year. That can narrow it down say within a month or so, but I doubt you'd get much closer.

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Guest 1951Olds88
Stefan, look on the car's data plate and see if there is a field stamped "TIME". Not sure if the early 50s cars had it but if it does, should look something like TIME 06A which translates to first week (A) of June (06) for the calendar year. Likewise 12C would be 3rd week December.

Short of that, you can interpolate build date by VIN if you know the car series and total production of that series for that year. That can narrow it down say within a month or so, but I doubt you'd get much closer.

Thnaks Glenn,

I am on the road right now, so will check the data plate when I get home. I also remember seeing data about # of units built in 1951 on the web somewhere, so will see if I can find that data. When you say series, do you mean model (e.g. 88-A) or sub-type within the model (e.g. 4Dr or 2Dr)?

And does anyone know whether the 1951 models were actually built in 1951? I seem to remember that in the mid-50s was when they started building and selling the next year's model towards the end of the prior year.

Thanks again to Glenn and any other knowledgeable people that share their info here

Stefan

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Thnaks Glenn,

I am on the road right now, so will check the data plate when I get home. I also remember seeing data about # of units built in 1951 on the web somewhere, so will see if I can find that data. When you say series, do you mean model (e.g. 88-A) or sub-type within the model (e.g. 4Dr or 2Dr)?

And does anyone know whether the 1951 models were actually built in 1951? I seem to remember that in the mid-50s was when they started building and selling the next year's model towards the end of the prior year.

Thanks again to Glenn and any other knowledgeable people that share their info here

Stefan

because of the korean conflict, and time required for re-tooling, the 1951 olds 88's & 98's started production in january of 1951, the super 88's in march of 1951.

charles l. coker

1953 pontiac tech advisor

tech advisor coordinator

poci.

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Guest 1951Olds88
with the first cars having a vin or serial number that started with the number 1001, each week's production would be around 400 to 500 cars, you can find out pretty close as to when your olds was built.

Thanks Charles,

Does the fact that my car was built in Atlanta, where they did not build as many as in Detroit, mean it would be less than 400-500 per week? Either way, my number 125, and knowing that it was sold in Lexington NC early March means the car is only about 3-4 months older than I am. Thanks for the update, it is great to find out this interesting information. I just love this forum.

Stefan

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Thanks Charles,

Does the fact that my car was built in Atlanta, where they did not build as many as in Detroit, mean it would be less than 400-500 per week? Either way, my number 125, and knowing that it was sold in Lexington NC early March means the car is only about 3-4 months older than I am. Thanks for the update, it is great to find out this interesting information. I just love this forum.

Stefan

hi stefan, according to the seral number book for U.S. cars 1900 - 1975, oldsmobile started building cars in atlanta, ga. in 1946. in atlanta in 1951, olds built 1,969 88's, 11,364 super 88's, 7,556 98's.

charles l. coker

1953 pontiac tech advisor

tech advisor coordinator

poci.

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Guest 1951Olds88
hi stefan, according to the seral number book for U.S. cars 1900 - 1975, oldsmobile started building cars in atlanta, ga. in 1946. in atlanta in 1951, olds built 1,969 88's, 11,364 super 88's, 7,556 98's.

Thanks, yet again, Charles for that info, saving me having to look it up. So with about 2000 88s, mine is #125, that means probably 3rd week of the year. So much fun finding out all this info about my toy :-D. So yes, he is almost exactly 4 months older than I am.

Stefan

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hi stefan, if you ever remove your oldsmobile's speedometer, you should find a production date stamped in ink on the backside of it, the speedometer should be about two to four weeks older than when the car was assembled. you might be able to see the ink stamp when looking up under the dash.

charles l. coker

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Guest 1951Olds88
hi stefan, if you ever remove your oldsmobile's speedometer, you should find a production date stamped in ink on the backside of it, the speedometer should be about two to four weeks older than when the car was assembled. you might be able to see the ink stamp when looking up under the dash.

Wow, you are a fountain of knowledge. Funny that you should mention it but I will be dismantling my dash in the next month or two. My original wiring is losing its insulation so I have ordered a replacement harness from YNZ Yesterday's Parts and so will need to get behind the dash. So I can probably easily check the speedometer data.

Thanks again

Stefan

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Guest 1951Olds88
What is the body number (not the style number) on the Fisher Body plate?

BA (with a 90 way over on the right, so I don't think it is part of that ID)

Stefan

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Guest 1951Olds88
Yes, they go together. BA is the code for the Atlanta Fisher Body plant. 90 means your car is the 90th 88A 4-door sedan built at Atlanta Fisher Body.

This is really interesting, but raises more questions. 90th Fisher Body, and 125th (as my VIN ends in 1125) at the Oldsmobile plant. Is the Olds sequence number across model types, e.g. 4dr & 2dr? Or were the first 35 4drs built with Fisher bodies from 1950?

Thanks though for the information to date

Stefan

Edited by 1951Olds88
spelling correction (see edit history)
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That means there were 35 88A of other body styles in the mix somewhere. Though it seems I read once that all 88A were 4-door sedans? Knew I shouldn't have packed all my books away...

Either way Stefan, you have a very early build 1951 88A. I'd guess 1st or 2nd week of production.

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Guest 1951Olds88
That means there were 35 88A of other body styles in the mix somewhere. Though it seems I read once that all 88A were 4-door sedans? Knew I shouldn't have packed all my books away...

Either way Stefan, you have a very early build 1951 88A. I'd guess 1st or 2nd week of production.

Thanks for the comment Glenn. Although based on info in prior posts - i.e. 2000 88s built in Atlanta in 1951, #125 would put my car more in the 3rd week (please correct me if I am wrong with the calculation and assumptions). I like this estimate because it makes the car exactly 4 months older than I am, rather than 4 1/4 or 4 1/2 ;). Unfortunate that there are no Oldsmobile records available any more with exact dates.

Thanks again Glenn, and all other contributors to this thread, it is really fun interacting with such a bunch of knowledgeable and friendly people.

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Posting for Oldsfan...

88As were available as 2 and 4 door sedans. Additionally, they were available in Standard and DeLuxe trim. DeLuxe models have a D suffix in the model number.

The difference between body number 90 and serial number 125 is 35 of the other three models.

Keep in mind - 88As weren't built for the entire year. They were discontinued part way through the model year. You can't average production over 52 weeks. There were two color brochures issues for 1951. The first printing included the 88A, Super 88 and 98. The second printing only included the Super 88 and 98. Neither brochure has a printing date, but they are both copyrighted 1951.

Paul

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Guest 1951Olds88
Posting for Oldsfan...

88As were available as 2 and 4 door sedans. Additionally, they were available in Standard and DeLuxe trim. DeLuxe models have a D suffix in the model number.

The difference between body number 90 and serial number 125 is 35 of the other three models.

Keep in mind - 88As weren't built for the entire year. They were discontinued part way through the model year. You can't average production over 52 weeks. There were two color brochures issues for 1951. The first printing included the 88A, Super 88 and 98. The second printing only included the Super 88 and 98. Neither brochure has a printing date, but they are both copyrighted 1951.

Paul

Wow, more interesting information, it just keeps coming. However, it does sort of confirm Glenn's guess of 1st or 2nd week of January.

On the subject of the Standard or Deluxe version, I do not see any 'D' on the cowl plate, which would indicate that my car is a standard model (see picture below). On the other hand, in pictures and drawings I have seen it seems that some cars have a rubber protection at the front of the rear fender (standard?), while others have a chrome version (deluxe?). I have the chrome version, as well as some other 'luxury' extras, dash clock, radio and turn signals. So is my car a deluxe or standard? (fish, fowl or neither?)

Thanks again to everyone contributing to this unraveling of the background of my vehicle,

Stefan

post-101731-14314277971_thumb.jpg

P.S. Paul and MCHinson, thanks for all the trouble to get that post into the thread. I did see some of Paul's test postings, so I guess that something is not working. Thanks again for taking the extra trouble to get this information too me.

Edited by 1951Olds88 (see edit history)
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I've been wondering about the "DeLuxe" thing. Sales literature that includes the 88A mentions both standard and DeLuxe trim, and shows the DeLuxe cars with stainless stone guards. I've got a salesman's prices, colors and equipment folder, undated, that lists only "88 2-door" and "88 4-door". A salesman penciled in "Del" below them when he penciled in the prices. Specifications in that folder only include "88" - no DeLuxe. Then I've got a dealer facts book dated March of '51. It lists the standard and DeLuxe models, prices for both, and standard equipment for both. And then I've got a '62 parts book that lists all the model numbers from '41 to '62. It lists a 51-3711 and a 51-3769, but nothing with a D - no DeLuxes. As keeper of the membership records for the NAOC, I've got 3711D and 3769D in the car database, but we don't have anyone that owns one. So, I'm guessing that DeLuxe trim was an option, not a model. I'd say yours is a DeLuxe based on the stainless stone guards. Radio, turn signals and clock would have been optional, even on a DeLuxe. Those were optional even on the Super 88s.

Paul

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Guest 1951Olds88

Paul,

It never ceases to amaze me how much useful information the people in this forum can dig. Thanks for the above info. In fact, I have a thread about the car in the 'Our Projects' section and I am going to summarize this thread over there too, as part of the car's story.

Stefan

P.S. As a NAOC person, you might be interested to see in that story thread that the car was awarded the NAOC President's award at the The Gathering - the Dixie Olds chapter of OCA's annual show for the South East. In absence of the NAOC President, the organizers chose me, for my determination in attending (see my attempt to attend an earlier show in the story thread) and enthusiasm for my new hobby

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These 88As are interesting once you start digging into them.

I noticed on your data plate that your trim code is 1. Trim #1 is for light gray chevron pattern cloth that was used on Standard 88A sedans and non-DeLuxe 98 Holiday coupes. Trim #3 was used on 88A DeLuxe sedans. It was dark gray striped bedford cord. You're got non-DeLuxe trim #1 with DeLuxe stainless stone guards.

I saw another 88A online that had trim #1A, which I don't even have record of.

I've seen two cars with the chevron upholstery, one with rubber stone guards, one with stainless. I've seen two cars with the same stone guards, one with chevron upholstery, one with striped.

I've seen cars with "Futuramic" on the rear fender spears, and cars with plain fender spears. I thought the '51s were plain, according to the sales literature.

I don't know if it had to do with which plant the cars were built at, or if Olds was just using up parts by throwing whatever was on hand at the cars as they went down the assembly line.

Paul

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  • 1 month later...
Guest myold88

Interesting info on the '51 Olds 88A. I purchased an original untouched 1951 88A 2 door sedan with 26,222 miles back in 1993. I found it to be the most interesting antique car I ever owned over the years because of its rarity. After my restoration I sold it to a gentleman

out west. My vin #517B 1908, was built at the Framington, Ma plant. The info on the cowl tag, STYLE 51-3711; BODY-BF297; TRIM-1;

PAINT- 50. The factory black car's paint code of 50 and the trim code of 1, should be the same as Stefans.

All 88A's had the same gray interior but standard and deluxe models differed in the interior appointments. I do feel GM was using up

parts on the 88A as my car, a standard 88A, with rubber stone guards also had rear ash trays, and a deluxe steering wheel.

My research showed that 11,792 door, and 22,848 4 door 88A's were built at different plants. One of the best things about owning an 88A is the fact that at shows, including national Olds meets, you rarely if ever see another one. Besides that, everyone thinks it is

a '50 Olds. Also, my car had the factory build sheet under the rear seat. There was no build dates on it or the cowl tag.

Stefan, Good luck with your Olds and I hope you found the interior info I sent you helpful.

Edited by myold88 (see edit history)
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