I did some searching and found a few threads talking about making a 3rd gen rpo code database and also a decoder on the forum. I haven't been able to find the decoder anywhere here. The other thing is I'd like to know where there are good resources for finding the rpo codes and what was available each year.

The gtasourcepage has some good info but the lists are not complete for the years I am interested in (especially 87).

 

There have been a few RPO decoders on here over the years. Somewhere along the way they were lost to time.

There are a ton of free RPO decoders online, as close as a Google search. The only trouble is that GM likes to reuse codes. If you want to know a true definition for the code in a specific year on a specific car, you'll probably want to find a build sheet from a similar car and see if it shows the RPO codes you're searching for. An invoice from PHS can help too.

When you get right down to it, there isn't a comprehensive decoder that would be accurate for everything, because it'd be complicated for the minimal rewards.

 

I kinda figured the decoder was long gone...

I plan to get the PHS on my cars in the future but that doesnt tell you what was actually available that year which I was wondering on some options, for instance DK6 for an overhead console seems to have been available thru 87 only in trans ams but the gtasource page doesnt list it as an option.

 

I've come across some reference material like the Pontiac Dealer Product Books and I was wondering if anyone who may have one for their year can chime in on how useful they are for the RPO's and available options for the specific years.

 

I have a Dealers partial list for my 86,but they do not list the RPO codes.

Row 1 is Firebird,Row 2 is Trans Am,Row 3 is Firebird SE

 

Thats actually a good start, even without the RPO's it still gives the available options, where did you get the page from?

 

It's from the Firebird section of a 86 Dealers Brochure

 

I started working on the Camaro RPO database list many years ago, but time got to be something I didn't have much of, so I never completed it. I got 1982-1986, but like the rest of the databases out there, it's not complete. To get what I have, I went through all pieces of documentation I could find for the specific year.

Unfortunately, Drew's correct that it would be complicated for little reward. It would be so much easier if we could get GM to provide all of the Fbody RPOs for each given year. If anyone has it, they do, but they are not available.

 

This may be well-known, but in case not: Most of the GM parts and illustration catalogs published since the early 1970s have included a complete listing of RPO codes for the years covered by that particular catalog. These were extensive lists, including all RPOs for all GM divisions and all body styles for a particular spread of years. As noted above, sometimes completeness gives us a lot more than we want. There are thousands of RPO codes that would be of no interest to anyone (except those working on the production line), since every single Chevy or Pontiac built in a given year would have been so equipped – ie, they really weren’t optional in the sense that we, as collectors, use the term. I have a fairly complete collection of printed Chevy parts books, and all those printed since about 1971 have included listings of RPOs, plus the usual tables of engine, trans, axle, trim, paint, etc application and identification data. For example, the 1982-91 Camaro parts book has 106 pages of RPO codes, and another 54 pages of other ID info. These tables were used to develop the ID info on the NastyZ website and the RPO listings in the Camaro White Book.

GM parts books can be useful in many other ways as well, though many of the individual part numbers will have been superseded (though still look-up-able by a dealer). GM parts books are readily available on ebay. The last GM paper parts books were published in 1993.

 

This is for Knucklehead39, could you check your collection of Chevy parts books for RPO Z5V for 1985, Z5C for 1987, Z5K and Z5S for 1983, and 1C5 for 1985 and post them if they are in your books.

I haven't been able to find them anywhere except on the SPID and window stickers on those cars. It would be great to find them documented in your parts books RPO listings. Thanks

 

I have a listing of all GM RPO codes available from 1980-1991 or something like that. The problem is that some of the RPOs are still not listed. 1C5 is not there, and should be. The listing I have is in print form and would require a lot of manual work to get online. It also provides a listing of what years the RPO was used and on what models, so it would require a lot of scrubbing to get complete.

The RPO decoder I was trying to get populated was one that would provide all details, including axle codes, engine codes, transmissions, etc. I just haven't found anything that complete for each year.

 

I'm afraid scottmoyer is correct -- those RPOs are not listed in the books I have. And as he said, 1C5 should be there, as (based on the others that are in the same numbers neighborhood) it was probably a component of another promotional or performance RPO package.

The Z5_ numbers appear to be special equipment overrides of otherwise-mandatory equipment. The three Z5_ numbers I found are for deletions of equipment for police and taxi vehicles.