Where can I get my hands on a decoding book? They seem to be out there,many of you guys have them. Also looking for some type of production numbers for interior / exterior, combinations, if they even kept track of that sort of thing. Example ; Fire Red with Pearl White Bucket Seats.... that sort of thing. I have that combo in my 71' L6 and just curious as to how common it was. Thanks for all of your help !! Happy Motoring !!
There's no "single" code book per-say, but there are sources for date/casting codes (Duane), part numbers (David Walker). GM Parts Books, Chassis & Body Manuals, and Buick Factory assembly manuals are also available. All of these can help you learn more about your particular Buick. But none of these can help you determine how many of what options or color combinations were produced for the 71 model year. Those records were limited and the records for the 71 model year supposedly have been lost. So your 71 is an L6, (Chevy strait six)? You don't see those in a Buick A-body very often. Fire red/white is a great color combo on a Buick Skylark.
You can contact the Sloan Museum and ask for the "Daily Car Reports" for the year and model of your Buick. They will send you (for a price) a list that will show how many cars were built with each option at each factory. They will also have "some" option combination totals but will not tell you how many red cars were built with black interiors, etc... That type of info is not available anywhere at this time. The daily car reports are not available pre 1968. The one problem you will have is that the statistics in the Daily Car Reports are listed by option UPC codes so you would have to know what those codes are. I purchased copies of all of the daily car reports for 1968 thru 1972 GS cars and decoded the options and put them in an easy to read "production guide" book. That took some time to do. The individual car (by VIN) information does not exist for 1971 or pre 1970.
Thanks guy's for the info. I do have an L6, only with the V8 option. It really will be a pretty car once I get it finished. Fire Red with White vinyl top and Pearl white buckets with floor shift. From what I am finding it is kind of a popular choice, but kind of rare on the L6 model. Duane is in the process of decoding the POBF for me, and as soon as I can locate the build sheet, he will get that as well. Thanks again Mike
Mike, The "POBF" (Production Order Body Final) is the buildsheet for that car. That is what the Flint plant used. GMAD plants used a totally different sheet. They look like what was used for the Chevies, etc. By the way, your car was built very late in the model year, and many of the codes used on this sheet are like the ones used for the 71 models. Even the base sheet is different and resembles the 71 sheets more then the 70 sheets. Some of the codes on this sheet are extremely hard to figure out. I will be calling you to ask some questions soon. Duane
Ok, so I don't have to knock myself out looking for another sheet?? Yippy Skippy !! I did figure the build date off of that sheet -- Tuesday June 15th of 71'.... I do have another question for you, did they use a differnt code # for Convert's? ie; 155 for White vs. the 165 for Hardtop's. Reason I ask is on the Mecum auction site, they have a 71' vert with a trim code 155 = White. Thanks again for all of the info. Mike
You asked, "I do have another question for you, did they use a differnt code # for Convert's? ie; 155 for White vs. the 165 for Hardtop's. Reason I ask is on the Mecum auction site, they have a 71' vert with a trim code 155 = White." Yes 1971 - code 155 is a pearl white notchback vinyl interior for Convertibles code 165 is pearl white bucket seat vinyl interior for Hardtops
you can find lots of decode info in the Buick libraries see thread http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?263905-Learn-how-to-decode-your-Buick-body-vin-plates-engine-trans-option-codes-etc&highlight=libraries
Rob's site has alot of information, I frequently refer to his shop manuals when I'm at work or on the road and I want to check something....check it out. I understand he is building out his earlier library stuf too, so the nailhead guys will enjoy that too.
