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This example fender tag is from a Los Angeles produced B-body. Making this most interesting is the "FG2" two tone paint code. Read more about the car at the Fender Tag Examples page. |
For 1963, fender tag code layouts varied from plant to plant. Decode charts for Lynch Road and Hamtramck plants have been documented for many years now with a focus on Max Wedge cars. As a result, fender tags for other plants have not been documented.
Please contact me if you are trying to decode a tag for car from either the Newark, Los Angeles, Jefferson Road or St. Louis plants, I am still researching these fender tags and I could use your help.
The codes on the bottom line under SO NUMBER BDT TRM PNT are consistent across all plants. Under the SO NUMBER are the Scheduled Production Date and the Shipping Order Number. The TRM is a code for the interior trim level for the car, The BDY is the code for the body configuration, and PNT is the paint code. See Fender Tag Standards for decode information for these codes.
The codes on the top line for Lynch Road cars contain the Gate Sequence and Base Sequence numbers. For other plants they are unknown except for the 1963 Hamtramck cars sometimes have a sales/delivery option under the "1" (see below listings for sales codes).
The codes everyone wants to know about are on the middle line under the "ABCDE...". The last digit of a sale code is used under a specific letter to indicate that code. here is how it works:
The lack of a code in a particular location means either no option for that category or the standard option for that category. For example, no radio code means radio delete, no heater code means heater delete, but no engine code means the standard engine was used for that body style (example: Valiant 100 = 170cid six, 330 Sedan = 225cid six).
The chart below is the easiest and most concise way I determined to list the decode locations for different sales codes. This is for 1963 only!
| Category (1963) | Code Range | Lynch Road | Hamtramck | Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine (see below) | A | Q-R | ||
| Transmission | 340-349 | B | A | A |
| Radio | 360-369 | C | G | H |
| Heater | 380-389 | H | J | Q |
| Electrical | 420-429 | K-L | M-N | |
| Mirrors | 480-489 | M | P | |
| Sales/Delivery | 650-710 | S-W | Y | |
| Station Wagon | 390-399 | J | K | F |
The table below lists the codes. The last digit is the significant part of the sales code that will appear on the fender tag under the corresponding number. For example, a 342 Torqueflite Automatic transmission will have a "2" under the "B" on Lynch Road produced cars, or a "2" under the "A" for cars produced at Hamtramck or Los Angeles. On this table, I have only listed common codes, see this link for a longer listing of 1963 codes.
| Transmission | 341 | Three Speed column six cyl. |
| Transmission | 342 | Torqueflite Automatic V8. |
| Transmission | 343 | Torqueflite Automatic six cyl. |
| Transmission | 345 | Three Speed column V8. |
| Transmission | 346 | Three Speed floor shift (T-85). |
| Transmission | 347 | Four Speed floor shift (T-10). |
| Power Equipment | 350 | Auto Pilot Cruise Control |
| Power Equipment | 351 | Power Steering(*) |
| Power Equipment | 352 | Power Brakes |
| Power Equipment | 353 | Power Bench Seat |
| Power Equipment | 354 | Power Windows |
| Power Equipment | 355 | Power Tailgate Window |
| Power Equipment | 358 | Auto Pilot Cruise Control |
| Station Wagon | 355 | Power Tailgate |
| Radio | 361 | Music Master Economy AM radio 2watt |
| Radio | 362 | Astrophonic Deluxe AM radio |
| Radio | 364 | Golden Touch Radio |
| Radio | 363 | AM/FM Radio |
| Heater | 381 | Air Conditioning with Heater |
| Heater | 385 | Heater with Defroster |
| Electrical | 428 | Windshield Washer, Dual Jet |
| Electrical | 429 | three speed variable windshield washer |
| Mirrors | 481 | outside left, manual |
| Mirrors | 482 | outside left, remote control |
| Sales/Delivery | 652 | sold car, expedite |
| Sales/Delivery | 709 | special order, fleet |
Engine codes work differently. These numbers will appear in two digit format on Hamtramck and Lynch Road tags, and a single digit on Los Angeles tags. Not listed here is a 170cid six because if an A-body is equipped with this engine, the engine code area will be blank, indicating the standard engine for that model. Also, Polaras and Belvederes came standard with a 318cid V8, so it would also be blank if so equipped.
| Engine | Lynch Rd Hamtramck |
| 145hp 225 1bbl | 02 |
| 230hp 318 2bbl | 07 (***) |
| 265hp 361 2bbl | 03 |
| 305hp 383 2bbl | 04 |
| 330hp 383 4bbl | 05 |
| 415hp 426 2x4bbl | 09 |
| 425hp 426 2x4bbl | 19 |
*** - unconfirmed.
engine codes of Los Angeles cars are currently unknown.
Please submit missing codes to me. I am continually doing research on these tags and I hope to determine the missing codes over time.
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