GM Man

On my 86 Camaro there is a tag riveted to the core support and it has 08 3051 stamped into it. Does anyone know what this is or what it means?

Bull

iTrader: (5)

I'm glad that you asked this question, because I've been wondering the same thing. My Formula has one of these tags, but the one on my TA is missing.

coolram62

iTrader: (2)

GM used a trim tag on the center of the radiator core support(this was the way GM showed colors/some options dating back to the early '60s if not before).It would have color/trim codes for the exterior and interior of your Camaro/Firebird.It will also have VIN and date code when your car was built.I believe GM stopped using these when they went to the Service Product stickers (RPO) list.

LAFireboyd

iTrader: (3)

The label coolram62 described was used through the 1985 model year. But beginning in 1986, the tag was changed to the one with only 6 large numbers(## ####) like GM Man described. In 1986 it was installed over center like earlier years, but in either '87 or '88 through final production it was relocated to the passenger side of the support.

I've seen many '87s without any tag at all--the only models I've seen it NOT on. But '88s have it again. So I wonder if GM tested this new ID in '86 but then decided it wasn't necessary and didn't use anything early in 1987, but then picked it up again later in the model year. Or maybe they only used it at one plant in '87, unsure of its necessity. But it definitely shows up again on '88 and later models.

I've pulled tag after tag at junkyards, along with corresponding SPIDs, and I can't seem to find any consistent correlation with regards to VIN, model, year, options, color, build date or anything else that might show how the numbers on the tag relate to its car. Maybe it's kind of like an expiration code on a food product--each number means something, but who knows what?

Randy82WS7

yeah copolram is confused with the regular normal every day body trim tag you see on all of them

good luck

LAFireboyd

iTrader: (3)

If I'm reading your sarcasm correctly, then you're confused too. Maybe you earlier thirdgen guys need to checkout the later thirdgens. It changed.

Randy82WS7

ok then lets see some pics then

pics are good

LAFireboyd

iTrader: (3)

Here ya go. These are tags I've pulled from cars in junkyards. The top two are examples of tags used through 1985, and the bottom one is an example of the tag GM replaced it with and began using in 1986(and is like the one GM Man is asking about).

In '86 the new tag was placed in the same location as where the "regular normal everyday body trim tag" was--in that appropriately-designated place on the upper support over the fan area. You can even see that the rivet holes line-up. But after '86 and through '92, the new tag was relocated to near the passenger side of the upper support.

Bull

iTrader: (5)

LAFireboyd, on my '92 TA, the tag is missing, but I believe the rivet holes are on the DS. I'll double check, though.

LAFireboyd

iTrader: (3)

Bull, seeing that you're not the original owner of your TA, there's prolly no way for you to know how, when or why your car's tag was removed. Most likely, though, it's the result of that part of your car's frame being replaced somewhere in its history, most likey due to whatever reasons cause the front of a car to get damaged.

It might be hard to tell after all these years, but looking carefully, does it look like the support has been changed, altered, welded-on, etc.? If not, and two holes with the appropriate spacing are there(about 2 3/4" on center), then maybe, just maybe, the car wasn't damaged, and someone simply, for whatever reason, pried-off the tag.

PontiacV8

one example/reason for removing tag:

I removed it once because:...it's a nice place for building rust!

Bull

iTrader: (5)

LAFireboyd, how'd you know that I'm not the original owner of the TA? I could be...ok, I'm not, but still

I have the front end of the car stripped and have been working on killing some rust in the core support area. I have not seen any signs of this piece being replaced...factory spot welds seem to be present, don't see any evidence of the area having been cut.

There are two holes where the tag used to be, located just to the right of the air bag sensor mounting location if you are facing the support.

I believe the tag is in the same spot on my '92 Formula, but will check when my wife gets back from work.

LAFireboyd

iTrader: (3)

scottmoyer

1987 IROC-Z, all original, the tag is still there. This is the tag in question. It's on the passenger side radiator support.

calobs87irocz

I have two 87 Irocs. Both are 5.7L t-top cars. They were built ~7000 apart according to the VIN. The one built in Van Nuys has the tag and the one built in Norwood does not have the tag, nor any sign that there ever was one. Unfortunately, the Norwood car is a parts car. I'm not that cool that I have 2 worth owning . Maybe this will help solve this mystery, as I also wonder what it is for.

LAFireboyd

iTrader: (3)

There ya go, Bull. That's the spot I was describing--right in front of the battery on the Camaro, which should be right in front of the air cleaner on your TA and Formula.

Hey Scott, any idea what it's telling us? Comparing VIN, SPID, build date, year, color, etc., is there a way to decode it?

Klortho

I have an '86 that has the tag on the passenger side of the radiator support.

coolram62

iTrader: (2)

Not confusion Fast68 here just stating the facts as I've seen them,pre '86 F-bodies,as well as other GM products,have the trim tag in the center of the core support.Then,at about the time the Service Stickers came into use,the modified body tags came into use.The TPI air induction setup is probably the reason the tags were offset rather than center on the core support.As for the meaning of the number codes someone may/should be able to explain.
As Calobs87 pointed out his Van Nuys car has it and the Norwood car doesn't.It's not a new concept for the 2 plants to have different practices and procedures.

H8TRAFIC

I've read on this site somewhere before that the tag riveted to the core support is the "job sequence number" from the factory. The number on the core support should match the number in the upper left corner of the car's buildsheet. The numbers in my case are the same. I hope this helps.



Rob

scottmoyer

I don't believe this is the sequence number. My radiator suport reads 08 3437. My buildsheet shows the same information in the upper right hand corner and the upper left hand corner. In the top left corner, the job sequence number is A0853534 and is in square #1, but below it and not in a numbered square, it reads A0083437. In square number 24, it says 085353 A0083437. This is below the UPC label. This info can be seen on my buildsheet below.

LAFireboyd

iTrader: (3)

Cool, thanks Scott and Rob. I'd say that pretty much confirms it. I can stop trying to sort these out because it would seem that, without a build sheet, the tag, on its own, by itself, tells us nothing, unlike the '85 and earlier tags, making this one seemingly unnecessary and, basically, worthless, which might be why one plant, Norwood, chose not to use them(if they, in fact, didn't use them).

My '87 is from Norwood, and it doesn't have one. I'm the original owner, I've never removed it, I can't think of any reason why a dealer or mechanic would've removed it, I don't recall ever having seen one, the car shows no signs of ever having had one, and anyway, there aren't even any holes for one, which is why I began researching these tags to begin with. So all this seems to support my findings(quoting myself above )--until someone with an '87 from Norwood comes along and posts, "my car's got a tag," lol.

Being Norwood's final year of production, maybe they decided to leave the thirdgen with a history mystery.

Bull

iTrader: (5)

I finally got around to taking a pic of the tag in question on my '92 Formula. As I thought, it is located off center, on the driver's side, not the passengers' side. This is the same location where the mounting holes are for the tag on my '92 Trans Am.

Bull

iTrader: (5)

Any comments regarding the fact that my tags on both my '92s are on the DS and not the PS?

cooltc2004

iTrader: (4)

All I can say is that its on the DS for me as well.

LAFireboyd

iTrader: (3)

Just that obviously GM moved them back over top at the end of production. If on Firebirds only, maybe because their air intake didn't cover that spot like a Camaro's did. Or maybe it was moved back there on Camaros too. I rarely see '92s in junkyards, and that's from where most of my research was compiled--on my own, I might add.

At least you seem to have found the tag on both of your '92s, as you originally thought only one of them had a tag. So that's a good thing.

And we finally learned what the tag represents, which is what this topic was searching for.

Bull

iTrader: (5)

Actually, the tag on my TA is missing, but I can tell from the rivet holes and from the "shadow" left by the stamped numbers, where it was, and that's in the same spot as my Formula.

At first, it seemed as if you were saying that my support had been swapped since the tags weren't on the DS for '92. But, I guess based on my and cooltc2004's cars, we can see that the factory did move them there again at some point, for whatvere reason.

Yes, a neat thread.

881SA

I know this is an old post but was curious as to numbering for Van Nuys built units if it was simple color coding. When I replaced my headliner it had a date stamped on it with a sharpie number 66 handwritten as well which matches the last two letters of my tag.

82tarecaro

iTrader: (4)

It was just a sequence number that GM used in the assembly plant to keep track of the car before it was assigned a VIN.