LOS to VN changeover date

[69 Z11]

I believe that a couple of trim tags that I've seen recently may help pin down the date that 1969 Camaro Van Nuys trim tags changed from the LOS prefix to the VN prefix.  The first is tag # LOS176071 and the second is tag # VN208927.  The VINs on these two vehicles are L512168 and L512317, only 149 apart.  These are both 12B tags, the second week of December.  The scheduling codes are G417 and H411 respectively, indicating subsequent production days, right?  G = day 7 and H = day 8.  The 1st day of December 1968 was on a Sunday, and I think I read in one of John's reports that they were only working 5 days a week.  That would put the changover day (i.e. the first day with VN tags) on Wednesday, December 11, 1968.

I'm not sure how the changeover would have happened, there may have been some mixing of old and new over a period of several days.  My database doesn't have any earlier VN tags, does anyone have the tags of any cars between these?  What do you guys think?   



The second is VN208927:

[Z71]

Whats the reason for the change?  Different body shop?  Or just a change for the sake of a change?

[69 Z11]

I think it might be related to the transfer of the Van Nuys Fischer Body plant to the General Motors Assembly Division (GMAD).  According to official GM history 6 plants were transferred that year:

"1968 - Six passenger car and truck assembly plants previously operated by Fisher Body and Chevrolet Motor Division are transferred to the management of GM Assembly Division."

The local newspaper noted the change on November 7 and November 12, 1968:

[Nov 7, 1968] The Chevrolet and Fisher Body plants in Van Nuys were transferred to the General Motors Assembly Division, which also operates the GMAD plants at Fremont and South Gate. Similar transfers were made at GM assembly complexes in Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, New York and Wisconsin....
From The Valley News (Newspaper) - November 7, 1968,...

[Nov 12, 1968] Under the new structure, the separate Chevrolet and Fisher Body assembly plants on Van Nuys Blvd. now are combined as a GM Assembly Division Plant. Managed Body Plant Frank J. Fessenden of Sherman Oaks, who had been manager of the Chev-rolet plant, has been named assistant to the newly ap- ...
From The Valley News (Newspaper) - November 12, 1968,... 

John Z probably could tell us more.

[Jonesy]

It also coincides with the same timeframe x-codes showed up on tags at Norwood.

G709 is a LOS tag - LOS208573

Maybe the H period is when it started?? Who knows.

I dont think you can say for sure that G=7th day of the month and H=8th day. It really depended on when 12A or any new month started.
Some started before the 1st of the month and some a few days after the 1st of the month.
You could surely guesstimate it.

[69 Z11]

What's the VIN on that one Jonesy?

[JohnZ]

In late '68, the following Chevrolet/Fisher Body assembly plants were transferred to GM Assembly Division:

Van Nuys, California
Atlanta, Georgia
Baltimore, Maryland
St. Louis, Missouri
Tarrytown, New York
Janesville, Wisconsin

During 1969-1971, the rest of the Chevrolet/Fisher Body assembly plants were transferred to GMAD:

Willow Run, Michigan
Flint, Michigan
Kansas City, Kansas
Lordstown, Ohio
Framingham, Massachusetts
Norwood, Ohio

At Van Nuys, the new GMAD plant manager was A.B. "Andy" Anderson; I worked as a Production Superintendent for Andy when he was transferred to Lordstown in 1971 and we went through the "War at Lordstown" together.

[Oaklyss]

I had read that the change from LOS to VN on the tags was a result of Van Nuys incorporating and became its own City as opposed to being a suburb of Los Angeles.

[melav8r]

So did the window stickers for '69 also reflect the change from Los Angeles to Van Nuys if at all? I've seen both, whether real or not?