I D. TAG BEHIND RIGHT HEADLAMP

[MRJBUICK]

I had to remove the complete right (passenger) headlamp assembly recently doing some work. On the radiator support there is a metal tag riveted on with stamped numbers. What is this tag for and is there a break down if the numbers/codes. 

[91vert]

If you notice there is a VIN. Number there.

I also found mine when I was working on my car.

I asked Barney about it and he stated that it was used when PPG did the painting of the car.

An ID # to keep track of the car.

The VIN # that was behind my headlight did not match my VIN # of my car.

If I remember right it was 3 #'s off however it was a match to another vert with the same exterior colour.

Barney might verify this when he see's this.

Or someone else for that matter.

 

Cal.

 

 

[MRJBUICK]

Thanks,yes I did notice the VIN my tag is 13 digits later than my VIN and that VIN is not a color match at all so hopefully Barney can she'd more light on the subject

[Barney Eaton]

The appear to be just a way of accounting for completed bodies.   

The bodies that John Bourbou had when we visited his place back in 2008 had a tag that I have posted below......... they were used repeatedly to get the paint line up and running.

On the body tag in the picture above......4EC97 is the code for a Reatta coupe......but all the bodies may have had the 97 id

900349 was the sequence and does not always match the VIN number of the car but will be close if not the same.

this could be because a car may have been pulled out of sequence to touch up paint etc and by the time the vin # and labels were attached the number might be off slightly.

C05 = convertible

On the red id plate below, it is probably a coupe 903499 (1990 vin 903499 was driftwood so 903499 could be a 89 or 88)

I don't know what the other numbers indicate on the tag but the first line on production cars seems to be the same except the approximate VIN number.

Notice it has 55A = gold pin stripe,  81U = bright red,  then JL9 = ABS brakes which does not make sense since all but the earliest 1988 had ABS brakes.

 

Now Marty's tag in the first post is a little of a mystery.....I am assuming it is from his 1991 Reatta convertible and from the picture we see it is red.

My records show that 900349 is a Grey convertible....the closest red convertible is 900338....I don't know the explanation for the big gap in vin numbers.

[Barney Eaton]

Thanks Marty.........900362 is a burgundy convertible,  but you paint looks closer to bright red

What color is your convertible?    Any chance you can post a photo of the Service parts label in the trunk?

[MRJBUICK]

Thanks Barney my VIN is 900336 red and tan top. The C05 on the tag is the spo code for a convertible as mine is.i think the first letter in the upper left is the year code, because if the red tag you posted is an 88 and mine a 91 that works. I don't know why mine wouldn't have the stripe code though. Now please be aware my car on the window sticker was not delivered to a dealer but went to BMD show cars, don't know if that matters.  I am attaching my SPID label not a great pic but the only one I have handy.  I think the test tags are real interesting. Thanks again