I am looking for some assistance to identify the build date of my 1991 Trans Am Convertible. I am the original retail owner and recognize the sequence numbers were assigned sequentially for all Camaros and Firebirds produced on the line at Van Nuys regardless of make or body style.

My VIN sequence number is 241480 and it is a VIN code 3 car (6th digit). This VIN shows a build date of Feb 25, 1991 according to Compnine and an ASC conversion date of March 31, 1991 per their door tag.

These dates, however, are inconsistent with other information on the car. This other information includes an emission control exemption sticker dated Sep 19, 1990 that identifies the car as "CPC E-3" and an Instrument Panel test tag dated Aug 2, 1990 identifying the car as sequence number 117231.

I have never found any other markings on parts or panels that would support any of these numbers and I have not yet investigated the numbers supposedly stamped on the engine block and transmission (I intend to look for these the next time I have the car on a lift).

Will anyone with a known build date from Van Nuys for their 1991 car provide their date and sequence number so I can put together a timeline for production by sequence number? Any 1991 Camaro or Firebird will do, not just convertibles but please indicate your body style when responding.

Based on information I got from Okfoz, the first 1991 cars were produced in October of 1989 with the bulk of production happenning between Jan 1990 and Aug 1991. He thought convertible production for Firebirds began in July or August of 1990.

 

Maybe the sequence on the instrument panel refers to that particular instrument cluster? No idea what CPC-E3 is, but all the other dates match and are consistent. Typically, on the driver's door jam there is a sticker with the build month and year under "DATE." Fenders are stamped also with the date and year they were pressed. Open the hood and you will see two bumpers on each fender that the hood rests on. Somewhere between those two are dates with a number for the month and then year. PM me the whole VIN.

 

The door tags show the GM production date as Feb 91 and the ASC (conv conversion) date as Mar 1991. Both consistent with the late sequence number of 241480. I looked at the front fender stampings and the numbers are 12A1290 for the pas side and 11A2090 for the dr side. From your description, these would tell me they were made in Dec and Nov of 1990, right?

I'll PM you the whole VIN as requested. Also, the 117231 sequence number on the IP test sticker does call it the VIN, not an IP number or other reference. It is too faded to post here but it clearly says "VIN 117231" and shows the test date of Aug 2, 1990.

I have attached a picture of the emission exception tag still on the front radiator brace showing the "9/19/90" date and "CPC E-3" identifier. I cannot figure out how this fits the timeline if the fenders were not stamped until later in 1990. Any insight is appreciated. Also posted is a pic of an identification label of this being a "CPC Engineering Test and Dev. Vehicle".

 

Maybe remove an inner fender and check the back sides of the fenders to ensure they have the same color of over spray on them? I think the stamps are "2 90" in your case. If the color does not match OR is black then it would SUGGEST they have been replaced, but if you are the first retail owner you can attest to this and would not be wondering about the later Sept. interpretation of the numbers. How many miles on your car when you purchased it? Can only suggest triple checking. My '89 fenders were stamped "2 89", which is the same as the manufacture date (2 89). Yours being a test/development car it makes sense that dates do not match up. Cluster is interesting.

Wondering WHAT, particularly your car was used to test? What was the original purchase date and where did you buy it? Was it a special order or did you go to the dealer and say I love this car and bought what was sitting there...? Why would the EPA allow an exception to these laws/rules in your car's particular case? Since an emissions exception I would think it somehow related to the drivetrain, suggestively at least. PM a pic of the RPO decal. Would like to see a list of factory equipped options.

Gotta check the seq# on the block

 

Don't have a lift to check the block number but I did validate the VIN on the trans tail. It matched the dash, so I think my research will end here. No way for me to tell anything from the Aug 1990 IP test tag or the Sept 1990 Emission Exemption decal with the CPC E-3 designation.

I have attached a replica of my RPO label that is easier to read per your request. Additional background is that the car was titled by Pontiac in Michigan prior to my taking title from them in Feb of 1992. They put on 8,369 miles between the dated CPC label and the sale to me through a dealer in Atlanta. That dealer bought it from Pontiac Auction Sales with the Michigan title.

Thanks for taking an interest, but I think I have run out of leads to follow. I'll just continue to drive and enjoy the car.

 

Can you post a picture of your IP test sticker? I have one from my 1988 GTA. It lists date, time, a few major RPO codes, along with OK, but there's no VIN or other identifiable information.

 

The Seq. number on the block is on the front of the block and can be seen from the top of the engine. It is on a small "pad" where the head and the block mate-engine front. This is just under the AC compressor on the right bank. It is difficult to observe, but is just as important to confirm as the transmission.

 

Here is a shot of the original IP Test tag. The ink is too faded to get a good shot, so I included a printed tag with the same detail under it you can read. The original is a 5X2 inch, adhesive backed paper tag.