[Zooguy]

So I picked up this 1966 Pontiac Star Chief that has been sitting since 1993 and I'm slowly giving the car to come around to be a fun family cruiser. The other night out of boredom I was playing with the radio and it was super quiet at that time and I heard just a faint sound coming from the dash and sure enough my factory radio does work. So I removed the dash pad tonight to switch out the speakers and to my surprise I found the factory original build sheet.

I was wanting to know if somebody could help explain what some of these different options are because I don't know the codes.

[Zooguy]

...

[bluejudge]

Originally Posted by Zooguy

So I picked up this 1966 Pontiac Star Chief that has been sitting since 1993 and I'm slowly giving the car to come around to be a fun family cruiser. The other night out of boredom I was playing with the radio and it was super quiet at that time and I heard just a faint sound coming from the dash and sure enough my factory radio does work. So I removed the dash pad tonight to switch out the speakers and to my surprise I found the factory original build sheet.

I was wanting to know if somebody could help explain what some of these different options are because I don't know the codes.

Nice find!!!

[JSchmitz]

That's very cool! Congrats!

[johnta1]

Awesome find!

I was wanting to know if somebody could help explain what some of these different options are because I don't know the codes.

Which codes are you interested in?

Thanks for the dealer code pic.

[Zooguy]

Originally Posted by johnta1

Awesome find!



Which codes are you interested in?

Thanks for the dealer code pic.

All of them lol

Specifically the options at the bottom some of them have an asterisk * some of them don't does that indicate the car came with that or not?

Box#28, PB
Box#27, YD
Box#42, KK A

[pfilean]

Be sure it's your sheet. I found more than one in my car and when looking closely I noticed one had Buick style numbers.

[johnta1]

YD - 400 2bbl
PB - TH 400

KK - Reef Turquoise Metallic, Upper and lower color
A - Black wheels (I think)

VIN - D101910; last 6 digits and the plant (Doraville)

Cowl tag # may be BA00156

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Zooguy

So I picked up this 1966 Pontiac Star Chief that has been sitting since 1993 and I'm slowly giving the car to come around to be a fun family cruiser. The other night out of boredom I was playing with the radio and it was super quiet at that time and I heard just a faint sound coming from the dash and sure enough my factory radio does work. So I removed the dash pad tonight to switch out the speakers and to my surprise I found the factory original build sheet.

I was wanting to know if somebody could help explain what some of these different options are because I don't know the codes.

Should be pretty self explanatory, in that the RPO codes and corresponding noun names are listed at the bottom (these are the same RPO codes we still use today).

There can be several different part numbers which were then used to fulfil a particular RPO, depending on proliferation due to option content.

For engines, for example, they proliferate based on cubic inches, manual trans vs automatic, carburetion, Federal emissions vs california, etc. Rear axles proliferate based on ratio and locking vs open.

The "broadcast code" in the boxes above, then, represents the specific part number to support that RPO.

Said differently - there really isn't any further decoding to be done, because the build sheet itself is the "secret decoder ring".

K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by johnta1

YD - 400 2bbl
PB - TH 400

KK - Reef Turquoise Metallic, Upper and lower color
A - Black wheels (I think)

VIN - D101910; last 6 digits and the plant (Doraville)

Cowl tag # may be BA00156

I agree.

Additionally - I'd be willing to bet that the "Manifest Seq. Number" 003191 is another name for the General Assembly build sequence number.

Zooguy - I would ask you to take a look and see if you find any crayon marks anywhere indicating "3191" or "191" or "91" (like inside the fenders, front of dash, under the hood, behind the grille/valence, on the axle housing, inside the wheels, etc).

K

[Keith Seymore]

If I'm reading this right the scheduled date is 9-22-65, which is a pretty early build.

In the Pontiac Michigan plant vehicle body types were counted and numbered separately (ie, coupes/hardtops counted up sequentially at a different rate than convertibles or wagons).

I'm not sure how Doraville counted but as early as the 9-22 date is I would be willing to bet that this is the 156th body of this type assembled in the weld shop (whatever type that is), the 1910th VIN assigned in that sequence*, and the 3191st vehicle to go down the final line in Doraville for the 1966 model year.

K

*VINs normally start with 100001. There are exceptions as sometimes they will start with 600001 for 6 cylinder vehicles, or sometimes they will start with some other number to indicate vehicle nameplate (ie, GMC's might start with 700001 with Chevy's starting at 100001, for example).

[John V.]

The asterisks indicate items that are standard content for the build so will not be listed on the Window Sticker except that they will be noted in the area of the Window Sticker that will say something to the effect of "The following items that are optional on some models are standard on this model" and it might then list things like DLX STEERING WHL, ELECT CLK, and so on.

Mike Noun can likely produce a very nice repro Window Sticker for your Star Chief and may have copies of original examples that show what items were listed as standard content on Star Chief Window Stickers.

[John V.]

I will add that the codes in the various boxes generally indicates the manifest codes for whatever component the box is labeled for.

For example, the Upper Radiator Hose used for the build was Manifest Code NA.

Parts/components were picked for assembly by Manifest Code rather than p/n.

[Zooguy]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

I agree.

Additionally - I'd be willing to bet that the "Manifest Seq. Number" 003191 is another name for the General Assembly build sequence number.

Zooguy - I would ask you to take a look and see if you find any crayon marks anywhere indicating "3191" or "191" or "91" (like inside the fenders, front of dash, under the hood, behind the grille/valence, on the axle housing, inside the wheels, etc).

K

What would that indicate?

[Zooguy]

Originally Posted by johnta1

YD - 400 2bbl
PB - TH 400

KK - Reef Turquoise Metallic, Upper and lower color
A - Black wheels (I think)

VIN - D101910; last 6 digits and the plant (Doraville)

Cowl tag # may be BA00156

So "YD" I HAVE A 400 CUBIC INCH MOTOR TWO BARREL CARBURETOR?

I thought the only two options were a 389 and a 421

PB means that I have a turbo 400 transmission

[johnta1]

Yes, it's a 389 2 bbl!

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Zooguy

What would that indicate?

The build number down the line.

The main line is supported by a number of "feeder" lines, which have to supply parts and subassemblies in the correct order.

The chassis and the body are started in different areas of the assembly plant and have to come together at the right time. Similarly, front end sheetmetal (fenders, grills, hood, radiator support, etc) are started elsewhere and also need to come together. Same for engines, trans, rear axles, radiators, prop shafts, tire and wheels, seats, etc.

The build sequence number is the "gold source" and therefore gets written on these various components, both as a "heads up" to down stream operators and as a quick check to make sure everything is still lined up.

You can only imagine what can happen when something gets out of whack. That's when you start putting red fenders on blue cars, or (worse yet) trying to set two door bodies on four door frames.

Nobody cares about the VIN in the assembly plant. It's all about the build sequence number.

K

[Zooguy]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

The build number down the line.

The main line is supported by a number of "feeder" lines, which have to supply parts and subassemblies in the correct order.

The chassis and the body are started in different areas of the assembly plant and have to come together at the right time. Similarly, front end sheetmetal (fenders, grills, hood, radiator support, etc) are started elsewhere and also need to come together. Same for engines, trans, rear axles, radiators, prop shafts, tire and wheels, seats, etc.

The build sequence number is the "gold source" and therefore gets written on these various components, both as a "heads up" to down stream operators and as a quick check to make sure everything is still lined up.

You can only imagine what can happen when something gets out of whack. That's when you start putting red fenders on blue cars, or (worse yet) trying to set two door bodies on four door frames.

Nobody cares about the VIN in the assembly plant. It's all about the build sequence number.

K

Good information

[johnta1]

What's the date code on the cowl tag of your Star Chief? (09D?)

From your other thread on putting a blower on your engine, the date code on the engine is 9-23-1965. Must have got the block right off the casting line.

[Zooguy]

Originally Posted by johnta1

What's the date code on the cowl tag of your Star Chief? (09D?)

From your other thread on putting a blower on your engine, the date code on the engine is 9-23-1965. Must have got the block right off the casting line.

Just seeing this

Must have gotten the block off the casting line? I'm not sure what that means is it a good block or not some people are saying it's very thin and weak.