How to read the TRIM tag from 1971

Source: 1970-75 Chevrolet by the numbers, by Alan L. Colvin, for complete infomation, please buy the book.

It is of the outmost importance to be able to read this information on your car or the car you wish to buy, because it puts you in the position to detemine body type, the original paint colour and trim combinations on the car. GM began in a small way with trim tags in 1969 on a few models, Camaro included. In 1971 it was used in all divisions of GM. The tag is a 3-1/8" x 2-1/8" aluminium plate with the words

BODY BY FISHER

stamped across the top and the sentence

GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
CERTIFIES TO THE DEALER THAT THIS
VEHICLE CONFORMS TO ALL U.S.FEDERAL
MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS
APPLICABLE AT TIME OF MANUFACTURE

stamped on the bottom half of the trim tag. The trim tag is to be located in the engine compartment, upper left hand corner of cowl plenum. There are ten specific positions where information is listed on this trim tag.

  1. The letters "ST". ST is short for "STYLE". This refers to the model year and model identification number in position #2.
  2. Model year and model identification. This code is two sets of numbers separatedby a blank space.
  3. The assembly plant letter code and the sequential number of that body style produced. (Not VIN serialnumber)
  4. The letters "BDY". Short for "BODY". This refers to pos. #3
  5. The letters "TR". Short for "TRIM". This refers to pos. #6
  6. The interior trim code. All trim codes are a three-digit number that is specific to each car model.
  7. The exterior paint code.
  8. The letters "PNT". Short for "PAINT". This refers to pos. #7
  9. The body build date code. This position denotes a month and week code. This represents the date of the final body assembly only. Many believe incorrectly that this date represent the final assembly date of the complete vehicle but that date was moved to the bottom of the trim tag in 1969.
  10. The accessory options codes. These codes can be either near the body build date or underneath the exterior paint code depending on the year and application. These codes were added to the trim tag while the car was in the Fisher Body section of the final assembly plant, prior to moving on to the Chevrolet final drive line assembly section.
Month Codes
01=January 07=July
02=February 08=August
03=March 09=September
04=April 10=October
05=May 11=November
06=June 12=December
Week Codes
A=1.Week D=4.Week
B=2.Week E=5.Week
C=3.Week  

Some basic numbering groups used in 1971:

Model Model # Body description Body style
Passenger 15369 4-door Sedan Biscayne, 6 cyl
-:- 15435 4-door Station Wagon, 6 pass. 2 seat Brookwood, 8 cyl
-:- 15469 4-door Sedan Biscayne, 8 cyl
-:- 15569 4-door Sedan Bel Air, 6 cyl
-:- 15635 4-door Station Wagon, 6 pass, 2 seat Townsman, 8 cyl
-:- 15645 4-door Station Wagon, 9 pass, 3 seat Townsman, 8 cyl
-:- 15669 4-door Sedan Bel Air, 8 cyl
-:- 16357 2-door Sport Coupe Impala, 6 cyl
-:- 16369 4-door Sedan Impala, 6 cyl
-:- 16435 4-door Station Wagon, 6 pass, 2 seat Kingswood, 8 cyl
-:- 16439 4-door Sports Sedan Impala, 8 cyl
-:- 16445 4-door Station Wagon, 9 pass, 3 seat Kingswood, 8 cyl
-:- 16447 2-door Custom Coupe Impala, 8 cyl
-:- 16457 2-door Sport Coupe Impala, 8 cyl
-:- 16467 2-door Convertible Impala, 8 cyl
-:- 16469 4-door Sedan Impala, 8 cyl
-:- 16635 4-door Station Wagon, 6 pass, 2 seat Kingswood Es, 8 cyl
-:- 16639 4-door Sport Sedan Caprice, 8 cyl
-:- 16645 4-door Station Wagon, 9 pass, 3 seat Kingswood Es, 8 cyl
-:- 16647 2-door Sport Coupe Caprice, 8 cyl
Corvette 19437 2-door Sport Coupe, 2 pass Stingray
-:- 19467 2-door Convertible, 2 pass Stingray
Nova 11327 2-door Sport Coupe Nova, 6 cyl
-:- 11369 4-door Sedan Nova, 6 cyl
-:- 11427 2-door Sport Coupe Nova, 8 cyl
-:- 11469 4-door Sedan Nova, 8 cyl
-:- 21327 2-door Sport Coupe Ventura II, 6 cyl
Chevelle 13136 4-door Station Wagon, 6 pass, 2 seat Nomad, 6 cyl
-:- 13236 4-door Station Wagon, 6 pass, 2 seat Nomad, 8 cyl
-:- 13337 2-door Sport Coupe Chevelle, 6 cyl
-:- 13369 4-door Sedan Chevelle, 6 cyl
-:- 13380 2-door Seadn Pickup, Regular El Camino, 6 cyl
-:- 13437 2-door Sport Coupe Chevelle, 8 cyl
-:- 13469 4-door Sedan Chevelle, 8 cyl
-:- 13480 2-door Seadn Pickup, Regular El Camino, 8 cyl
-:- 13537 2-door Sport Coupe Malibu, 6 cyl
-:- 13539 4-door Sport Sedan Malibu, 6 cyl
-:- 13567 2-door Convertible Malibu, 6 cyl
-:- 13569 4-door Sedan Malibu, 6 cyl
-:- 13580 2-door Sedan Pickup Deluxe El Camino, 6 cyl
-:- 13637 2-door Sport Coupe Malibu, 8 cyl
-:- 13639 4-door Sport Sedan Malibu, 8 cyl
-:- 13667 2-door Convertible Malibu, 8 cyl
-:- 13669 4-door Sedan Malibu, 8 cyl
-:- 13680 2-door Sedan Pickup Deluxe El Camino, 8 cyl
Monte Carlo 13857 2-door Sport Coupe Monte Carlo, 8 cyl
Camaro 12387 2-door Sport Coupe Camaro, 6 cyl
-:- 12487 2-door Sport Coupe Camaro, 8 cyl

1971 Trim Combinations

INTERIOR TRIM COLORS AND RPO NUMBERS
 

MODEL

 Black Dark Blue

Sandalwood

Dark jade

 Medium Maize Dark Saddle
SERIES 69 39 47 57 67 Cloth Vinyl Cloth Vinyl Cloth Vinyl Cloth Vinyl Cloth Vinyl Vinyl
Biscayne X         - 802 - 810 - 818 - - - - -
Bel Air X         803 804 811 812 - 819 832 - 829 - -
Impala X         805 806 813 814 - - 834 835 830 - 825
-:-   X X X   805 806 813 814   820 834 835 830 827 825
-:-         X - 806 - - - - - 835 - 827 825
Caprice   x x     807 - 815 - 821 - 836 - 828 - -

1971 Exterior Color Codes

CODE NO. EXTERIOR COLOR Black Dark Blue Sandalwood Dark Jade Medium Maize Dark Saddle
11 Antique White X X X X X X
13 Nevada Silver X X X      
16 Silver Steel X   X      
19 Tuxedu Black X X X X X X
24 Ascot Blue X X X      
29 Command Blue X X X      
39 Sea Aqua X   X      
42 Cottonwood Green X   X X    
49 Antique Green X   X X X X
52 Sunflower Yellow X   X X   X
55 Champagne Gold X   X X X X
61 Sandalwood X   X X   X
67 Classic Copper X   X      
75 Cranberry Red X   X      
78 Rosewood Metallic X   X      

 

Last revised: juli 27, 2007.