Build Date

[jaero]

Is there a way to determine the actual build date from the VIN?

[gmc684x4]

you can get year of build

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/Chevyear.html

[jaero]

Yes, I'm aware of that. I would think there is way to find the actual build date from the serial number, the last 6 digits of the VIN. I have never seen a breakdown for this.

[gmc684x4]

Last six digits are the production assembly number
Which i would think will be hard to break down which day it rolled off the assembly line

[52napco]

The Camaro corvette chevelle crowd has figured it out but
Only with tons of research and vin number databases that have
Been accumulated for decades...No one ever thought trucks would
Be so valuable and faked like the muscle cars..now everyone
Has a holy frail big block loaded super just like there are 3 times
more matching number 69 Z28s than were built.

[yuccales]

Originally Posted by jaero

Is there a way to determine the actual build date from the VIN?

Did you check behind the seat for your build sheet? Fingers crossed for you.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by yuccales

Did you check behind the seat for your build sheet? Fingers crossed for you.

Exactly. I believe a the tag on the door frame or back of the door shows the month & year.

I'll have to drag it out, but I think it's the field in the upper LH corner of this build sheet. On this reads 05-19ish-71, which is consistent a plate. There's another value in the box as well.

Heck with the Camaro/Chevelle crowd, we got this figured out I'll bet they say trucks "aren't numbers matching" too

[geunther]

Truck dates matter. (too soon?)

I think all of the information is out there, especially with the cooperation of those with build sheets. Maybe we couldn't get to the exact date, but I'd think within a few days is likely.

I'd be willing to start a little proof of concept if we could get a few to share what information they have specific to say a few month period.

[jocko]

I believe SSTim had an ongoing project wherein he was cataloging build date vs VIN (at each plant) for dbase purposes, but I don't know what became of that effort.

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by jocko

I believe SSTim had an ongoing project wherein he was cataloging build date vs VIN (at each plant) for dbase purposes, but I don't know what became of that effort.

Jocko, he was able to nail mine down to a 2 day window. I sure miss SSTim. He was such a great asset to this board when he frequented more.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by 57taskforce

Jocko, he was able to nail mine down to a 2 day window. I sure miss SSTim. He was such a great asset to this board when he frequented more.

I miss him too. When I first dove into he was real helpful, right off the go.

I pulled out the build sheet on my 71 to see how the first field reads, the picture demonstrates. What's cool is I never realized the small garage/sales operation's name is in the charge to field. I knew where it came from, a short hop from the original owner, and I know of the original owner too. The truck was special order, which is why I'm stuck with leaf springs

I can hear it now, "We need a Chevy on top a GMC carriage". "Why not buy a GMC?" "The guy wants a Chevy"

EDIT: Hmm, trying to decipher job number 24419, maybe someone knows?

Strikes me the 24 is a component of Schedule No. 24. Perhaps it was the 419th unit blessed under what's essentially job number 24? I thought perhaps 19 matched the the day of the month for the build date, but I'm guessing it's just a coincidence.

[jaero]

Thanks for the replies. My original build sheet crumbled as I touched it.

[richard2717]

Not sure if all years had it but on the drivers door there is a blue label with the build date Just after the black writing on the 1st line like this one. It is a bit faded

.

[yuccales]

Originally Posted by richard2717

Not sure if all years had it but on the drivers door there is a blue label with the build date Just after the black writing on the 1st line like this one. It is a bit faded

.

My '70 was built 9-69

[jaero]

Thanks for the reply. My truck has been repainted twice. This label is missing.

[geezer#99]

Do you have the original motor?
Info on it to get you close.

[jaero]

No, the original 327 was replaced by a 350 in 1974.

[57taskforce]

I was able to get the build month and year of mine from the serial tag on the transfer case, if you’ve got a 4x4 that might be a place to start.

[geunther]

One way to get closer that is easy, is the glass date codes. Wont get the date but likely within a month or two. Then other date codes can help refine. (Yes, assuming there is at least one piece of original glass)

[70c10-08]

Can't you roughly find out the build date through the build of the rear axle? My Janesville 70 C/10 was built in December and, I was able to figure out it was built around the 12th but, the axle I believe was built the 1st week of December.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

If your truck is like my 71, you can get an idea of build date based on the date codes on the block and intake, for example. Nearly all date codes on this were a month prior the build month. Tells me things were working quickly, flow of inventory like it's supposed to be. May not apply to other situations.

A few more hints for perhaps build months.

My 400TH transmission is stamped 4 -71, as well as 19. This is likely a date code.

I suspect this 4-23 on my frame rail is the month and day, just a guess.

Take a peak at your brake pedal. Might be E-brake, if I remember the brake pedal has a date code.

70C-10 mentioned axle. My axle has a bunch of codes, but I haven't seen a date code. That said the ring gear is stamped 9/71, which to my truck means it was replaced soon after the truck was purchased. It's that or an entirely new axle soon after, hard to say, I wasn't there

[jaero]

Thanks everyone. I'll check this out.

[jocko]

Just to be clear - component date codes, while often close, can really only tell you a "no earlier than" build date for the truck. It is not uncommon to have components sit on the shelf for a few months, if not more, before beings installed.

If you really want to know your build date and you don't have a door sticker or build sheet - I'd post the model year, assemble plant, and last 6 of your VIN - and then members with the same model year and assembly plant can tell you their last 6 and known build date from their door sticker. That's essentially the goal of Tim's project, but you could easily do it in a focused way in this thread for your truck. Just a suggestion.

[basketcase]

My '69 has a stainless plate that does the same job as those stickers above but doesn't have a build month/year on it (Fremont California assembled truck). If you could find a reference to the ending serial number by month you could then figure the average number of trucks built by day. But then you would need to know if they worked on weekends, how many shifts per day, holidays, history of line or labor problems that may have stopped production for hours or even days, ect. Eventually you could get it down to shift and even a good guess as to time of day. It would take a lot of research but the Corvette, Camaro and other GM guys heave been able to find this info. Talking to them would be a good pace to start researching. They may have actually acquired this info along with the other car lines they got from GM archives.

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by jocko

Just to be clear - component date codes, while often close, can really only tell you a "no earlier than" build date for the truck. It is not uncommon to have components sit on the shelf for a few months, if not more, before beings installed.

If you really want to know your build date and you don't have a door sticker or build sheet - I'd post the model year, assemble plant, and last 6 of your VIN - and then members with the same model year and assembly plant can tell you their last 6 and known build date from their door sticker. That's essentially the goal of Tim's project, but you could easily do it in a focused way in this thread for your truck. Just a suggestion.

Yep that’s exactly right, Tim compared my 72 Janesville truck to other similar vins to get my date, the transfer case tag was may of 72 and my truck was built in June of 72.