[Kurt S]

Originally Posted by A Schab

Any car that came with drip rail molding will not have the coupler piece at the corner that connects the A piller to the rest of the steel drip lip that the stainless snaps on to.

This is how I tell if a car came with drip rail molding. If it has a steel elbow there, then it didn't. If there's a gap, then it did. The gap is covered by the stainless trim elbow.

[John V.]

johnta1, just to clarify Kurt's comment about the '69 Lordstown AEE code and address your question about Lordstown Camaro Convertibles, the codes being found on 03-B & 03-C Lordstown Firebirds have no relationship to any other Lordstown production.

In particular, Lordstown did not build the '69 Camaro! The Firebird was being built there in '69 along with big Chevys, not sure what else, but not Camaros. Firebird production (but not big Chevy production) was terminated at Lordstown in March '69 and tooling moved to Norwood (which up to that point built Camaros but NOT Firebirds).

The one Lordstown AEE code was recorded by Transamric years ago. He logged it along with all other Data Plate info and the VIN. At the time he did not know the significance of any Lordstown Data Plate code, he just recorded what he observed.

It is VIN 9U135418 and is an 03-C hardtop, the final week of 'bird production at Lordstown.

I have logged a later VIN with the B80 code but this VIN is estimated (by me) to be among the last 600-700 'birds produced at Lordstown. The AEE that Ric found may simply be an anomaly but it certainly connects to the later use of the AEE code at Norwood. There is no doubt about any mismatch of the VIN & Data Plate (ie., a possible VIN tag swap to launder a stolen car) because the Body No. matches up with the VIN as a Lordstown Body.

The Lordstown B80 has been recorded on both Hardtops and Convertibles. Drip Rail is nonsensical on a Convertible but the Decor Group is not. That is why I believe it is not a coding error to see B80 on a Convertible.

And the timing of the first appearance of the code coincides with the PMD mid-March announcement deleting drip rail molding and other items from the standard 'bird content in order to lower the price of the '69 'birds, with the drip rail molding becoming part of the Decor Group option.

Norwood coded the Decor Group with the AEE code near as I can tell right from the start of 'bird production there in April, I've recorded a very early 04C build with the AEE code. Norwood did not use the B80 code AFAIK.

As yet I have not seen the AEE on a Norwood Firebird Convertible, but I have not recorded very many converts either. I would be surprised if they did not code AEE for a 'bird convertible with Decor Group option.

Norwood Camaros used various Data Plate codes (refer to Kurt's CRG website for a LOT more about that). But Camaros did not use the AEE code, that was a Firebird only code.

[Kurt S]

Originally Posted by John V.

As yet I have not seen the AEE on a Norwood Firebird Convertible, but I have not recorded very many converts either. I would be surprised if they did not code AEE for a 'bird convertible with Decor Group option.

John,
Thanks, I missed that.
I looked, I haven't seen a NOR convertible with AEE. Every one I that I have PHS docs for doesn't have decor group, except one and I don't have the tag for that car.
I'll keep watching....

[Kurt S]

Here's a nice shot of another B80 tag. I think this is the highest VIN I've seen with B80.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/111068714128

[The Boss]

Originally Posted by Kurt S

Here's a nice shot of another B80 tag. I think this is the highest VIN I've seen with B80.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/111068714128

Car looks like it wouldn't be that hard to fix - somebody got a good deal!

[John V.]

Also the highest Lordstown Body No. I've logged.

But the Lordstown VINs went about 500 units higher than this one, so there are bound to have been many more with higher VINs equipped with the Decor Group that would have the B80 Data Plate code.

Kurt, thanks for posting this one, I haven't pulled out my '69 Firebird log in quite awhile.

The Boss, easy fix?

Original vinyl top car, reinstall it, that should take care of the "wavy" roof!

[keith k]

Cool car. That WAS a good deal for somebody. Maybe not an "easy fix" for most, but an easy fix for some

[Kurt S]

I thought it was an easy fix too!
I have several cars later than this one, but they don't have B80 on the tag.

[Kurt S]

Change that last post.
Here's the highest VIN I have out of LOR and it has a B80.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/WINDO...-/200923049390

Nice car, but the vinyl top was added.....

[maxepr]

Whats the significance of a b80 designation and a d80....

[johnta1]

D80 is the designation for the rear spoiler, like for the TA.
(which in 1969, should be the only one to have it.)

B80 signifies the drip rail.

[maxepr]

Thank you

[John V.]

D80 was only used for Norwood builds and only for Trans Ams built there. Neither Lordstown nor Van Nuys put the D80 coding on the Data Plates. Norwood 'bird production did not start until April.

Lordstown did not build Trans Ams. 'bird production there ended in March before the tooling was moved to Norwood and before TA production began.

We began studying the appearance of the B80 code on the 03-B & 03-C Lordstown Data Plates because nobody understood why it existed and at least one example was claimed to read D80 rather than B80.

We now know that the B80 code began to appear at Lordstown after Pontiac announced in mid March the elimination of the Roof Drip Rail Scalp molding as standard content. Curiously, the B80 code will appear on both Coupes and Convertibles as long as the Decor Group was optioned. This is strange because Convertibles did not have Roof Drip Rail Scalp Moldings.

Only 'birds that were optioned with the Decor Group option will show the B80 code (there seems to have been possible variations also reported, possibly misreads or coding errors and at least one AEE code found) and only on the last 2 weeks of Lordstown production.

Norwood used the AEE code for the same purpose, cars that were optioned with the Decor Group from April thru the Nov end of '69 'bird production.

I am now trying to determine exactly what was included in the Decor Group from mid-March and up, there was a possible content difference between 350 cars and 400 cars.

Kurt, thanks for finding yet another, I feel like a slacker!

[Kurt S]

Nice summation John.

This car makes 3 in one month!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/140979273697
223379U135386 Like the color.

[A Schab]

There are 2 more B-80 cars on E-Bay today.I think that they are both 03C cars.

[Kurt S]

I glanced and don't see them. Can you post links?

Thanks!

[John V.]

Kurt, here is one, I haven't found the other one yet.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/UNRES...item2a2d027c11

[Kurt S]

Thanks! Made just before the one I posted today.
223379U135265 Triple green! That's not common.
Nice car, original trunk weatherstripping with the centering mark still visible.

[A Schab]

I don't know how to post a link but here is the info. Car 1,E-Bay #181143763985 Vin.223379U135265 B80 03C. Car 2, E-Bay # 140979273697 Vin. 223379U135386,B80 also 03C.

[Kurt S]

Got it. #1 was the car that John just posted. #2 was the car that I had posted. So there's two B80 cars on ebay, not three.
Thanks for the follow-up.