Thread: 5N code
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Old 06-22-2022, 10:51 PM
John V. John V. is offline
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The Fisher Body Data Plate for '64 and '65 did not code the engine choice.

All four A body Plants used the 5 Group coding system but only the Pontiac home Plant and the KC, Missouri Plant regurgitated 5 Group codes on their respective Fisher Body Data Plates.

As correctly explained here, Group 5, Code W identified the Custom Front Seat Belts w/ Retractors both years (the '65 retractors were far nicer than the simple winders used in '64).

John is correct about the secondary trans code stamping of the block but this is true only for '64. And it appears that Fremont did NOT stamp the secondary code W to signify a 4 spd option build on the block until sometime mid year. The '64 secondary trans codes were SUPPOSED to be stamped at the final plant depending on the drivetrain combination. They didn't always get it right. In '65, secondary trans codes were not used, the 2 character manifest code stamped at the engine assembly plant was all that should be on a '65 block (plus the EUN of course).

KC Data Plates should have the Group 2, Code L to indicate the floor pan was cut for a floor shifted man trans. This code was not used at Pontiac. Presumably because Fisher Body cut the hole at KC but at Pontiac it was cut out on the Car Div. side of the Plant so did not involve Fisher Body or their 5 Group code system.

Older references will say the 2L code indicated a 4 spd. This is wrong. It was used on builds with a floor shifted 3 spd too.

I'm not as conversant with the '65 5 Group codes. IIRC, there was a specific Group 2 code for '65 builds that got the Heavy Duty Dearborn 3 spd, this likely because it required a specific floor cutout different from the Muncie trannies.

Both years, the Transmission Manifest Code for the wide ratio Muncie 4 spd was W. You will see this in the Trans Box on the Manifest docs or Billing History Cards.

If the Regular Production 4 spd was ordered with the 3.90 rear axle, you got the Code 9 Trans instead. It was also a wide ratio Muncie but required a specific 6 tooth internal speedo drive gear, so the trans had its own p/n and code.

If the limited production close ratio 4 spd was ordered, it required the 3.90 axle, tripower, and a few other mandatory options. It was a close ratio Muncie and identified as a Code 8. It was not included just because you special ordered the 3.90 axle, it had to be selected from the Special Order form.

For a '65, the particular Trans Code will be in the Trans Box of the Billing History Card.

Fisher Body did not use the Data Plate to build cars, they used the Manifests. Certain Manifest info was regurgitated on the Data Plates at specific Plants.

An error in the coding of the Data Plate did not cause a misbuild, Data Plate coding errors did occur on occasion. As long as the Manifest was coded correctly, the build would be correct. Unless of course an error in production occurred and not caught by an inspector. Stuff happens!