Hi everyone. I was doing some searching for the elusive build sheet under the back seat of my '71 Electra and I found something equally intriguing (no build sheet though, next stop: the top of the gas tank). Anywho, the sheet I found is about the size of a business envelope. It reads "glove box copy" or something similar to that. I'm at work right now, so I don't have it in front of me. Basically it had a bunch of what looked like random tiny rectangle hole punches in it and not a lot of other writing. When I get home later I will take a pic and post it up. I was just wondering what it is and what it means since I've never seen anything like it before.
Hi Mike, The card is an "IBM" card which was placed in the glovebox and used somehow to coordinate shipping of the car. I dont quite know the exact mechanics of the process, whether it was intended for the receiving dealer or was actually used by the shipper, but I do know that card usually contains all the option information including color/trim for that particular car. The codes on the card are the same codes as you will find on the wholesale car order form which are sales codes. Good luck! Nice find! Almost as good as a build sheet, Tom Mooney
That`s the IBM card. It`s hard for me to read the card but it looks like the first sales code is D4. If you look up D4 on the wholesale Car order you will find the option this code represents and was installed on your car. Nice find, Tom Mooney
Hmmm. I found option D4 (via google) listed as an AM/FM stereo radio with front and rear speakers; which the car has. Quite a pricy option in '71 at $238.92 How can you read the rest of this card? I don't mind sitting and decoding it.
Next code is F1, then I6, and so on...the pic is blurred, cant tell what the others are, Tom Mooney P.S. F1 is probably a whitewall tire option
You must be young if you didn't know what that was!! I never even saw a computer back in those days, but I knew what they were!
put up a clear scan and maybe tom will be kind enough to explain how to the card. what the codes are /prices/ availability etc is available in the regular size (full size) section of <center> </center> 1971 Buick Pocket Price Directory - 24 November, 1970 - - - - - - - - - - - - - an insert to the 1971 Buick Facts Pocket Binder - Salesmen's Guide - GM Corp lots of 71 info for all models in the library at http://boattail-riviera-by-buick.com rob
codes can specific to model or for model groups F1 is white wall tires J78-15 - for Electra 225 and Electra 225 Custom $38.95 I6 is Air Conditioner - Manual Controls (Automatic transmission required) - for All Regular - size Buicks $442.34 with how decode and a good copy - could make you repro window sticker from the info on the card. <center> </center> Boattail Option Lists - Windows Stickers + Various Buick Order forms w/prices
codes can specific to model or for model groups F1 is white wall tires J78-15 - for Electra 225 and Electra 225 Custom $38.95 I6 is Air Conditioner - Manual Controls (Automatic transmission required) - for All Regular - size Buicks $442.34 with how decode and a good copy - could make you repro window sticker from the info on the card. No charge - you print yourself. <center> </center> Boattail Option Lists - Windows Stickers + Various Buick Order forms w/prices
If you look at the card there is a top line that has the VIN etc. The next line in print below is has a box and below the box a letter or a number. The letter starting with A and going through 9 represents the first character in the sales code. The box directly above the letter or number is the second character of the sales code. For instance your car has a printed 4 above the D box. the sales code is D4. For you car the codes can be seen in the Price Directory as provide, the assembly manual if you have a copy of the reprint or the Whole Sale order Form if you have ever seen one of those. Hope that helps. Mark
Thanks Mark I was trying to do it reading the punches (memory mode back to high school, computer science Fortran coding days), using IBM 029 position, Basically a punch in the first three columns indicates a letter group - no punch a number. GM used a modified version, the letters are not in the punch's for the options just the numbers - with what you added the letters would be set positions (with in the 80 rows) with the corresponding option number punched. (couldn't read the letters). If someone can send a clear copy of a card, I'll this to the the update for the decode book. <center> </center> Documentation Decoding and Vehicle Matching Guide will also add any 71-73 Order forms for all models people send in to the ( there a few there already with prices written in) would ALSO like to see scans of price guides, trim books, pocket facts books, AMA specs, assembly books etc (already posted for 71) -- for 72/73 sent in to be added to the library so everyone can have access to the info. <center> </center> Boattail Option Lists - Windows Stickers + Various Buick Order forms w/prices
Umm....I'm a little lost here. I never had to read punch cards in school (I'm 25) so they were before my time. I'll scan this later when I get home.
Not many from era my did either - I went to one of the few tech schools that offered computer science - we didn't even have a computer, wrote our programs, filled in the cards with pencil , they got sent to the university of Toronto to be run - we got report back whether they worked or not, if not start over or try to find the error.
PS ever see a slide rule - that's what we used before calculators. Were actually faster for basic formulas, than the scientific calculators of the day
This is an interesting topic. I know I don't have a punch card in my Skylark, though. I've written FORTRAN on punch cards, right near the end of their use in the late '70s, and written miles of code on a green monochrome monitor. I still have a couple of slide rules. I used a slide rule when I was in the Navy in the early '70s. Man, that was all a long time ago.
Interesting thread... Never saw one of these cards before. Were those cards always left in the glove compartment? Were they supposed to be taken out before the car left the plant or later on by the dealer? (and was this one forgotten?) @ Land_Yacht: did you find this card actually under the back seat?
