1969 Buick Skylark data tag

[Guest StarfireRoy]

A friend to me have 1969 Buick Skylark Custom Convertible but car have lost the data plate tag on firewall. I can order a new data plate that´s no problem, but our problem is to identifies some of the information that should be on the plate.

We have the correct VIN number (division series and body style) on the original build sheet that´ easy to understand. but our problem is to know what exactly should be stamped as the BODY number for the -69 Skylarks. Buick made 6552ea. Skylark Custom convertibles in year 1969.

On the build sheet I can read BODY number: BWO 1822. What do BWO say? Is this a body plant code? I can also read that car is assembled in Wilmington Plant, Delaware.

In 1969 Buick have the letter Y as a code for Wilmington Plant. I can understand that Body is #1822 (unit number) that should be on the tag, but what should we put as the Assembly Plant?

WIL (for Wilmington plant) or just the code Y (for Wilmington plant) or the code BWO (that I can read on the build sheet).

Is there someone in this forum that know about data plate codes for 1969 Buick Skylark and can help us with this very confusing detective job?

As I say we have the original build sheet if that can give some more help?

I will appreciate every little help from everyone. Thanks/ StarfireRoy

[sean1997]

The code for Wilmington is BW. I'm guessing the build sheet says BW 01822 (BW01822) and not BWO 1822 (BWO1822). Leading zeros are often found on tags for cars with low body numbers

Edited February 13, 2015 by sean1997 (see edit history)

[JohnD1956]

I tried to get a clear picture of the tag on my '69 GS but I can't seem to get a clear picture. I will try to get a tracing later today but for now here is what I was able to get:

[JohnD1956]

BTW, my car was produced in Wilmington

[sean1997]

A few more Wilmington tags.

[JohnD1956]

On the left side,, the top code is ST "69-(model #)" Box 25 on the build sheet

Below that is the trim # in my case 168 the C60 Trim # is box 43 on build sheet. The C60 refers to the Air conditioner

Below the trim # is 05A 0568 I cannot find a reference to the 05A but the 0568 is the date produced code in box 2 of the build sheet.

On the Right side top is BW00400 which is the body # in box 8 of the build sheet

Below that is 52 B which is the color code in box 44 of the sheet.

[sean1997]

05A = build date = May (05) 1969, first week (A) (production usually ran August through July, so in May 1968 they would still have been building 1968 model year cars and August 1968 would start the 1969 model year)

0568 is the line or sequence number shown on the build sheet

Edited February 13, 2015 by sean1997 (see edit history)

[Guest StarfireRoy]

Thank you John and Sean for your replies. Yes you are correct, Now I understand that it must be BW 01822 printed on build sheet. BW for Wilmington plant and 01822 for (Body) Unit number.

Another thing I'm some confused for is what´s correct for paint code. Lower body is signal red color and this must be code 52, correct?

Upper body (Top) is a white vinyl top. What letter should I put for a white vinyl top? Is it a D or what do you say?

Also what is code 05D 0461 on one of pictures? and 10A XXXXXX 0884 on one of the other pictures? What does the third line say on tags?

Thanks /Roy

[Guest StarfireRoy]

Sorry John I missed to read your last reply. In box 2 on my build sheet I have 0433 (date Produced) . Should I put that on the third line below Trim number?

Or is it the sequence numbers from box no1. as I should put below Trim number? There I have hand printed 3242.

Thanks. /Roy

[sean1997]

10A, 12B, 05D, 11B, and 10C are all build date codes (not listed on the build sheet in this format, on the body tag only) and decode as month (numbers) week (letter, A=1 B=2, C=3, D=4, E=5). 0884, 0455, 0461, 0088, and 0885 are the sequence or line number (not build date). Don't know why they stamped the XXXXXX's. I would think your third line would be something like XXY 0433, where XX = month and Y = week, but you will have to figure out the month and week code (A,B,C,D, or E). White top = A, D = Buckskin (Med. Fawn), so the paint code should be 52 A if the top is white and 52 D if it is Buckskin.

Edited February 13, 2015 by sean1997 (see edit history)

[JohnD1956]

Roy, I cannot dispute what Sean says, cause I just do not know for a fact how these plates are coded. All I can say is that just like your build sheet, mine has a handwritten code in Box 1, labeled Sequence # and that does not match the code in box 2 labeled Date Produced. None the less, it is the code in the date produced box that is on line three of my data plate, not the hand written sequence number.

If one follows the date code as Sean reports, then the only clue as to your appropriate date code is the date printed below your hand written sequence number. In my case that date is listed as 05 05-06 Which may mean May 5th or 6th as a start date for production, thus confirming Sean's interpretation of the 05 A date code on the tag.

I hope this helps.

Edited February 14, 2015 by JohnD1956 (see edit history)

[sean1997]

Not every plant put the line or sequence number on the body tag, but they all used the same date code scheme (which started in 1960). Here is a tag from each plant that built Buicks in 1969 except Baltimore, MD (and Wilmington shown above). They all show the date code. Also notice that there are two different types of tags, one that is rectangular and one that is more square.