66 SPID sticker language - share and learn!

[gmcdeadhead]

heres mine from my 1966 c-20[IMG][/IMG]

[yelmer]

detriot locker rear end nice

[gmcdeadhead]

it's coming out in the spring , gonna put in a gm 14 bolt rear .

[yelmer]

Is the ratio to high 4.57

[cortcomp]

Thank you to everyone who has shared so far, i think this is invaluable info for everyone who wants to get the smallest details right.

[aerotruk63]

GM heritage center link.

http://www.gmheritagecenter.com/docs...olet-Truck.pdf

[gmcdeadhead]

Is the ratio to high 4.57

yep, gear ratio to high.

[60-66]

Here are some pages I found explaining the white strip on the top of the spid sheet and a 4 digit "Special Equipment " Numbers on the two spid sheets.

[cortcomp]

Wow, thanks for posting those pages, those answered a few questions for me (special paint, that strip at the top, the special equipment number)

[theastronaut]

Here's mine. I haven't seen another that looks like brushed-on glue was used to adhere the sticker.

[jamesrussell26]

question guys, have not looked yet but can anyone tell me if this sticker is available in a blank form to make a reproduction of the original tag or in my case a custom tag?

[61_FL_Apache]

If I dont have the SPID for my truck, is there anyway from the VIN what my truck came with?

[cortcomp]

No way to decode from vin (why i started this thread), think only 66 and newer came with them (none factory for 60-65). There are several ways to make your own (some here have blanks, or you can buy blanks from restoration places) but i'm told that a member here runs this site and does the most accurate ones, feel free to clarify if that info is wrong:

http://outintheshop.com/2.html

[clemdaddy]

hey cortcomp, i'm not sure if you're talking about me but i have a sharp file for this spid and have it layed out with a real similar type face. i sent you a sample of one for the dually i built or the suburban, not sure which. but once the codes and option numbers are figured out... i can make you one.
mine is the second pic in your 3rd post.


and thanks for starting this thread... this is great info.

[chipflyer]

Hey Guys,
I am the member who reproduces these for the 67-72 folks and I have done a few for people with 1966 trucks. I don't have a lot of original information for 66 but I will say this thread has a great deal of excellent info in it and you should be able to come up with just about any option that was available. Below is an example of the label I make (printed on plain paper), it is a permanent adhesive backed label that I feel is very similar to the original thickness and texture and the characters (font) I use are exactly like they were done originally. If you are interested send an email to Jeff@outintheshop.com.

Jeff

[VictoriaHardware]

Here's a sample with the rare OD trans -

[60-66]

I've been doing some more digging for info on these codes.

I have to retract a statement I made earlier that I was thinking the letter codes after the option codes on the SPID sheet were the same as build sheet codes. I think they are called ECL's , they basically told you the combinations that came with a certain option or if another option affected that option that code would mean what was needed to work both options together.

Also found the Special order option 4 number code on one of the two of these SPID sheets we have so far. The rear axle on cortcomp's spid of 9512 is a 3:73 Positraction . Will keep digging.

[aerotruk63]

ECL stands for EXCEPTION CONTROL LETTER in a Corvette forum I looked at. They say it allows the line worker to install the proper piece that goes onto the vehicle for compatibility with an option. Interesting stuff.

[aerotruk63]

Link to ECL's applications to Corvair

http://www .corvairkid.com/64fctag.htm#Exceptions

[aerotruk63]

Partial page from ebay auction. Notice the grouping.

[60-66]

Nice work aero !!!

[60-66]

Heres another spid

[aerotruk63]

[aerotruk63]

Just got an email from a guy who's name seems to appear whenever ECL's are mentioned here's what he wrote.

Hi Norm,
Nice to hear from you. It's always good to hear from those interested in literature, codes etc.

The Exception Codes...generally two letters following an option number, are actually part of the RPO. In fact, an RPO number is incomplete without the exception letters. For example, L62AA is a complete RPO number because it completely defines the RPO.

L62 by itself is only part of the RPO because it just refers to a high performance Corvair 110hp engine but not what TYPE of 110hp engine...that is, whether it has the extra or deviation parts for its use on different models or combined with various other RPOs like with A/C, Powerglide, etc.

The exception letters have different meanings depending on the particular option they're used with, and were always changing as various models, options and option combination possibilities were introduced or canceled. Thus they can never be the same for different car lines, cars vs. trucks etc.

I'm assuming that the trucks you're interested in are the C-K variety and not Corvair trucks? I've never seen any Chevy publications that decode truck exception letters, but they certainly existed. And I don't know of anyone who's done exception letter research -- or ANY VIN or code work at all-- on the C-K type trucks. But it's way overdue!

The only way to get started would be to gather as many factory truck invoices as you can find and study the complete RPO codes on them. You might be able to define many of the exception code letters that way. I have lots of them that I'd sell for a reasonable price if you're interested.

Thanks again for your interest,
Dave

[Keith Seymore]

I've had an opportunity to go back and skim through the previous pages and it appears to me you guys are on the right track. Keep up the good work!

This is good stuff here:

Originally Posted by aerotruk63

Just got an email from a guy who's name seems to appear whenever ECL's are mentioned here's what he wrote.

Hi Norm,
Nice to hear from you. It's always good to hear from those interested in literature, codes etc.

The Exception Codes...generally two letters following an option number, are actually part of the RPO. In fact, an RPO number is incomplete without the exception letters. For example, L62AA is a complete RPO number because it completely defines the RPO.

L62 by itself is only part of the RPO because it just refers to a high performance Corvair 110hp engine but not what TYPE of 110hp engine...that is, whether it has the extra or deviation parts for its use on different models or combined with various other RPOs like with A/C, Powerglide, etc.

The exception letters have different meanings depending on the particular option they're used with, and were always changing as various models, options and option combination possibilities were introduced or canceled. Thus they can never be the same for different car lines, cars vs. trucks etc....
Thanks again for your interest,
Dave

...as I mentioned, by the time I started those additional codes were no longer in use. I had noticed extra "blank" characters which looked like placeholders on our SPIDs but could not explain why they were there. Rather than re-doing the formatting it looks to me like they were just carried over and filled with dummy characters ("1"s, or "A"s, in our case).

Originally Posted by cortcomp

There has been a lot of speculation on the printers used for this, some even speculating typewriters. I've read discussion across a lot of sites, and, from my tech experience, and knowing GM (why pay 1000 typists when you can spend 800 times that on a mainframe and some printers) i'm betting that this was the series used:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_1403

This is good stuff, too. I do recognize that printer, although I hadn't thought about that in years. Just to expand a bit:

The build sheet/manifests were printed in the "Print office" (...naturally...) and then were distributed throughout the plant prior to the production shift by a courier from the Insepction/Reliability office. You might note the paper was "tractor driven" by the little holes on the side and sheets connected together - it was distributed in this form to the necessary spots like the beginning of the engine line, transmission pick, start of body shop, start of the chassis line, crossmember build, axle line, seat build (ie "cushion room"), tire and wheel, etc. Those individuals would tear off the individual sheets and hang them on the carrier as they chose the correct component (based on the broadcast code) and that started the "build sheet" down the line (the build sheet that is often found in the vehicle today). Technically they were supposed to be thrown away at the end of the line but often were left in place, or had already had the vehicle built up around them (and were trapped in place, like the seat shown above).

Additionally, there were some "special" operators that got a whole build manifest packet, left together, to assist them with their day. One example would be the guy that installed the M20 shift lever/boot (..."Banana" was his name). Prior to the shift he would sit at the picnic table, coffee and cigarette in hand, take his packet of build sheets and scan through every page, circling with his red crayon any "M20" equipped vehicles that were scheduled for the day. Based on this information he would build up the appropriate number of shift lever/boot/knob assemblies and hang them on his rack, and then seek out those vehicles by build sequence number to make his installation. Since he used hand tools he was not tied to a particular spot on the line via an air hose, so he could - and would -work as far up the line as he chose (all the way up to body drop). Another guy in a similar situation was the person that installed the U01 cab running lights: he needed to know which vehicles required his services and he did so via the build manifest. Those packets were also thrown away at the end of the day.

Sidebar: The other (negative) thing this accomplished was that it let the hourly assembler know how many M20 vehicles were being built per day, and he could discern if he was "overworked" per union standards and could write a formal grievance if he found this was the case. He also could count how many vehicles were being produced per hour or per day and would know if the line was running faster that the agreed upon rate (...which happened...).

K