California, and the Framingham, Massachusetts, assembly plants used the build sheet form. Other plants have two forms of paperwork used to build Chevelles: a body broadcast copy sheet and a chassis broadcast copy sheet. The former was used on the Fisher Body side of the plant and the latter by the final assembly side of the plant.
In 1970, the Baltimore build sheet showed the Z15 SS 454 CONVER option verbiage for the SS454 option along with the optional LS6 V-8 454 CI 4 B verbiage for the LS6 engine. A build sheet such as this is invaluable in documenting your Chevelle. (Photo Courtesy LS6 Registry)
While the SS396 option is not specifically noted, there are several clues in this 1969 Chevelle body broadcast copy sheet. First is the model at the beginning of line 2: 13639 is a Malibu sport sedan, so it is automatically disqualified as an SS396-optioned Chevelle. The engine option code entry in line 2, box 11 has a single dot where an internal RPO code would be used for an optional engine. The dot indicates the standard V-8, or 307-ci engine in this case, was to be installed. (Photo Courtesy ChevelleStuff.net)
Where the body broadcast copy sheet was used on the Fisher Body side of the assembly plant, the chassis broadcast copy sheet was used on the final assembly side. The car’s model, engine type, and several other pieces of information match the body broadcast copy information. In addition, the chassis broadcast copy sheet has the engine identification code on line 3, box 172: DC is for the base 307-2 engine.
Typically, a body broadcast copy sheet will show the series/bodystyle along with the build sequence number. The series/bodystyle, model year, plant designator, and sequence number make up the VIN. The chassis broadcast copy sheet will show the same VIN information along with the engine code.
A typical chassis broadcast copy sheet shows parts to be used for final assembly. It will include an internal sequence number, body color, engine identification code, transmission type, various pulleys to be used on the engine, front suspension pieces, and various other parts used to complete the car.
Warranty Card
Another form of verification is the warranty card, or Protect-O-Plate, first used in 1965. This metal card was created at the assembly plant and lists the car’s VIN, original engine identification information (engine build date and identifying suffix code), transmission type and date, and rear end date and ratio code. Be aware these are now being reproduced as well, so again, buyer beware. The original warranty card will verify a 1970 SS-optioned Chevelle by the engine code for the L34 or L78 396-ci engine or the LS5 or LS6 454-ci engine. For 1971 and 1972, since both 350-ci engines and the 402-ci engine could be ordered with or without the Z15 SS option, the card will only verify the original engine, not whether it was ordered with the Z15 SS option or not. Only a warranty card for the LS5 454-ci engine will truly verify a 1971 Z15 SS-optioned Malibu.
The Protect-O-Plate was stamped by humans and often errors or variations did occur. For example, the engine identification code for the RPO L34 396-ci engine such as CTX may be stamped with just TX. This anomaly hasn’t been found (yet) on any 454-ci engines, but there may be some out there. The engine assembly plant and date portion never includes the year, only the month and day. The rear end identification code shows the ratio designation, the month, day, and assembly plant letter. The transmission is shown in several formats, depending on the transmission itself. This example is for a Muncie manual 4-speed as noted by the letter “P,” which is followed by the model year it was intended for (“0” for 1970 here) and the month and date it was built. E01 is May on this example. Plants varied in how the Muncie manual transmission is depicted beyond the P0E01 example. Some will add A, B, or C for the M20, M21, or M22, respectively. Some may add the broadcast code WB, WL, or WO as well. It should be noted again that these were stamped by humans and variations and mistakes occur.
The original buyer of the car received a metal card with warranty information, commonly called a POP (for Protect-O-Plate). This contained the car’s full VIN, carburetor type (R for Rochester), engine assembly date and identification code (T0616CRT), rear end type and date (CRV1215B), and transmission (P0E01) identification along with a code for the month the car was built (6). The label information has the original owner’s name and address along with the date the car was sold.
Although the warranty card was not intended to document a car, it has become a valuable tool in doing so. Typically, the major components such as engine, transmission, and rear end are dated fairly close to the car’s build date. But, as shown here, these major components can be dated well before the car’s final assembly. The warranty card becomes invaluable in proving a mid-December rear end is most likely original to the car.
Selected options are depicted on a warranty card with numbers in any one of seven positions, and the location of the numbers is critical. For the model years 1970 through 1972, there is only one number possible for each position: either the number 1 or the number 3. On earlier years there could be up to one of four numbers used in certain positions. Why only 1 or 3 for 1970 through 1972? You’d have to ask General Motors, that’s just the way it is.
A Kansas City car shipper invoice shows the Z15 SS 454 Equipment option verbiage with the optional LS6 450-HP Turbo-Jet 454 V-8 engine verbiage along with all other options and exterior color choice. (Photo Courtesy Warren Leunig)
This is an example of a 1970 Atlanta dealer invoice showing the SS 454 Equipment option verbiage. Since the LS5 454 engine was the base engine for the SS 454 Equipment option, it is not shown on the dealer invoice. (Photo Courtesy Warren Leunig)
The options in position order from left to right are:
1 = Power Steering
1 = Power Brakes
3 = Radio
3 = Disc Brakes
1 = Four Season Air-Conditioning
3 = Power Windows
3 = Four-way Power Seats
Only two of these options were standard equipment on any SS-optioned Malibu: power brakes and disc brakes. So those two should be present on any warranty card of an SS-optioned Malibu and must be in positions number-2 and number-4, other options may or may not be present on the warranty card. The same option numbers and their physical location are also shown on the build sheet in box number-108 and should match.
Often you can even score the original order form for the car, the car shipper, or even the dealer’s original invoice.
CHAPTER 2
PREPARATION
The first thing you probably need to ask yourself is, “Do I have the skills and tools to do what I need to do?” Well, that depends on a lot of factors. What is your overall objective for the car? If the objective is to build a nice driver-quality car and you have some skills in bodywork and things mechanical along with the garage
