VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1965-1970 1969 Chevelle SS396 Data Tag

Just purchased a 1969 Chevelle SS 396 and on the cowl tag just below the trim code 751 there is a 7B and just below that an 8, also to the right of this is a a L205760 can anyone tell me what this means?
Also where are the stamping numbers on a 396 so I can identify the year and model of the engine ? Thanks Denny

Hi There! This is the 1912-1928 four cylinder forum. For a better response regarding your 1969 you might want to post your question in the 1965-1970 forum on this site instead.

I see that a site moderator moved the above posting to the correct forum. Cool!

I thought it was a late night on your part! Ha Ha Ha

Nope, sure wasn't since the initial posting regarding the 1969 was in the 1912-1928 forum. When the site moderator moved the above posting to the correct forum he probably should have deleted my posting regarding the wrong forum at the same time to avoid any confusion.

L205760 L is Los Angeles built 205760 is the unit number off the line.
The engine number should be stamped into the block on the head mounting surface on the passenger side at the front. It should include a suffix. There should also be a casting date at the rear of the engine near the block casting number. The cylinder heads also have date castings under the rocker covers.

http://www.yearone.com/updatedsinglepages/Id_info/decoding_body_tags.htm

Hi Denny,
Congrats on your purchase! I like the '69 Chevelle SS 396 cars,even though I do not own one :)

I show the trim code 751 as a black vinyl bench seat interior.
The 7B is body build date.This car was a VERY late built car for '69.Second week of July.The L205760 is the body plant sequence number.Usually by '69 this number would start at 100001,so your car was the 105759th car built at that assembly plant for that model year.The number 8 down low on the trim tag is usually an option accessory code.Does your SS have a vinyl roof?
The right front engine pad just below the cylinder head should have 2 sets of numbers.One will have the last 6 of the vin,the other will have engine suffix code and build date.Check to be sure you have a 12 bolt rear end with both upper control arms and front disc brakes as this was standard on SS396.In '69 it became an RPO code option package(Z25) versus earlier SS396's which were separate models.What are the first 5 digits of your vin? Hope this helps,Jim

Jim, yes it has a 12 bolt Posi and a Turbo 400.There was no vinyl top and it is a radio delete car and belive it has a 136849 start to the vin # All the SS badging and trim is original to the car.
There is also a data tag on the inside of the drivers side inner fender Thanks Denny

Jack, this was a Baltimore built SS and what I believe to be a truee SS, FRONT DISC,12 BOLT POSI,TURBO 400 and RADIO DELETE

Hi PapaDenny,
So your VIN number has a letter B in numbers then for Baltimore?

Jack, 136379B403353

Hi Denny,
The vin# of an original '69 SS Chevelle will start with one of these 4 body style model numbers: 13427,13437,13537,13667. Jim

Jim, checked my Vin,# 136379B403353 and you have been a great help and I truly Thank You

Oops...and yes 13637! Jim

Jim, what do you make of the data tag on the inner fender well drivers side? How is the weather holding in Chicago?

Denny,
I thought your car was an LA built car by reading your initial post here.The fact that it is a BAL built car changes the L205760 meaning.If the location of these is in the lower right of the cowl tag(below paint code)those are Fisher Body specific plant codes.Same for the number 8 you mention.Are you sure about the trim code being 751?I show that as a black cloth bench seat.
Sounds like a good find! Jim

Jim, I just checked the tag again and the trim code is 755 and just below that was the 7B AND JUST BELOW THAT WAS THE 8.The vehicle was sold 07/28/69 in Virginia so it looks to be a RPO Code car and I believe the 8 is the radio delete option

The weather here has been ok.Just finally started getting nice over last week or so.
I have never heard of or seen a cowl(trim)tag riveted to an inner fender well!Only to the firewall in this era of car.That is wild stuff if it was originally put there.I did some more digging and found your trim code 751 for black vinyl bench on base sport coupe model.
I'd love to see a good pic of the cowl tag.I've seen mis- stamped 69-70 cowl tag occasionally as well.I've also noticed when comparing same 2 cars side by side,one built very early in model year vs one built very end of model year there are some noticeable differences.Definitely some odd ball original stuff on cars out there.Did you find a build sheet or body broadcast sheet? Jim

Makes more sense with the 755 trim code.The 8 could be the plant code for radio delete.
That's the million dollar info that everybody wants....the GM plant option codes.But,most plants used whatever system they wanted and didn't keep good records.No real consistancy of cowl tag RPO coding from plant to plant or region to region.In hind sight,probably a good thing for the hobby.Makes it harder to fake a car.

Jim, it has a 396/450 and I want to return it to the 375hp that it came with, do you have any idea what carberator came on the 69 Chevelle ss 396 as far as make and cfm?

This may be the carb. and maybe not.
My carb. book says 1969 Chevelle 396 with Auto. trans.325hp.
carb. 7029200.Rochester 4bbl.
350 hp. auto.trans. 7029204-Rochester 4bbl.
Neil

Niel, Thank You so very much, do you know of a good supplier?

Wish I did, sorry.
Incidentally, it lists 7029204 also for 1969 Corvette and Camaro that have the same engine as the Chevelle.
Neil

Hi Denny,
All the factory L78(375hp) Chevelles in '69 ran the non double pumper Holley#4150 carb.The L78 cars are quite rare. Jim

Thanks Jim and I just purchased the Qudrajet that was recomended so I hope that with not starve it? Checked the heads and they are 3964291 castings correct for 69 396 but the stamping numbers on the block are gone because of decking and there is no casting numbers behind the manifold so not sure where to check, let me now on the carb. please

Block casting # and date should be on the flange where the trans. bolts on. Casting # is visible on the drivers side and casting date on the passenger side with a mirror. May need to move plug wires to the side.

Also ck. intake casting # and date. On the intake behind the carb.Correct # for a 325 or 350 motor with a rochester carb is 3931067.Intake for a 375 hp motor would be aluminum and have the number 3933163 and be for a Holley carb. What makes you think it should be a 375 HP car? A 375 hp. car in 1969 would have come equipped with smog, and AC was not available with the 375.

The 375 would have been a solid lifter motor.

The 291 heads are correct for a late 69 375 motor. The 350 hp. would have used the 3964290 or the 3931063. What is the casting date on the 291 heads, as these came out late in 69. Most 69 375 cars came with the 840 heads. The casting date on the heads needs to predate the cars build date.

Also need to look at the rear end code stamped on the tube on the front side of the passenger side about 3 or 4 inches from the center section. What is that #.

Also ck. the # on the distributor. Backside facing firewall.Stamped.May help to determine hp.

Thank You so much, the car had a aftermarket manifold so I'm replacing it with a stock manifold,carb.,dist. The date on the heads is May of 69 and the car was built in July 69 and has solid lifters.The car has the original 12 bolt positraction dif.The Quadrajet is 700 cfm and has huge secondaries and the carb.removed was a double pumper Holley so it will be stock once back togeather.This is a RPO radio delete car built and delivered in July of 69.Just concerned about the CFM

If it is a true 375 car, then it would have had the aluminum 163 intake and the 4150 holley carb when new.List number on the Holley airhorn would be 4346. Part number would be 3959164 GE.
Which quadrajet do you have? he 200 or the 204?

Purchased a 7029204 equivilant from Summit Racing

I am sure you know that the quadrajet won't work on a Holley manifold and vice versa. Holleys are square bore and quadrajets have bigger secondaries than primaries.You will have to use the cast iron 325 or 350 hp manifold to use the quadrajet. Hope you had this planned out.

Any idea of the required CFM on the Holley 4150 ?

470 or 500... your pick.

http://www.holley.com/HolleyCatalog/Catalog.asp?pageNumber=22

I would think more like 600 or 650 editions of the 4150 model Holley for the 375 hp, 396. The smaller carbs are for the 283 or 327 engines.

Different versions can go all the way to 850 CFM. I believe the 427 COPO cars came with an 800 CFM 4150.Boss 302s ran a 780 and boss 429s ran a 735.(if my memory serves correct).

Thanks and I just purchased the stock replacement series 4150 with the correct list number and it was a dual inlet Holley and 800 cfm for the L78 375 hp that I have. It was a true SS car and came with a 396 but not positive it was a L78 but it has a date correct motor so who knows.Thank You for all your help Jim

You are welcome Denny.Like somebody else posted earlier,I'd be looking real close at each casting and part #'s.That would definitely increase the value of your SS as well as confirm if it is a true L-78 car.Another thought,if your interior is all original there's a chance a build sheet may be lurking inside<g>.I'm not sure if Balt plant had build sheets or separate body and chassis broadcast copy sheets.Sounds like a good buy from what you've described here. Jim

Great idea Jim and I will sure check,the interior is for sure the original but the carpet mus have been replaced because it is not faded but I will be sure to check and my present goal is to restore the top of the engine to stock 375 specs