Trim Tag

[gary]

Hello Guys,
    I purchase a 69 Camaro with vin # 124379NOR545301 and the trim tag was missing. I was told it was a 11C car but he misplaced the trim tag and couldn't fine it. If anybody out there has a car built close to this one would you please give me your trim tag info. I need the body number. I can have a tag made but just don't know what the body number should be.  Thanks for all the info.  Gary

[william]

The body number was generated when Central Office confirmed the dealers order. Many orders were cancelled and never built for a variety of reasons; about 27% to be exact. Also, cars were not built in body number order. The next car off the line might have a number 10,000 higher/lower than yours. All this makes knowing the number impossible without original paperwork.

Repro tags are easy to spot and will raise suspicions about the car.     

[gary]

Thanks William.

[6667ss138]

I heard recently about a local guy that had a missing tim tag. He just got a replacement for his supposed 69 pace car project. Supposedly the guy selling the new trim tag guaranteed him that none of the "experts" will be able to tell. Made me sick to hear it and I'm hoping it is just a sales pitch and you guys can still bust them no matter how good they think they are getting.

[gary]

I'm a numbers person but couldn't pass this car up for the money. My oldest daughter has lost three babies with the last one May 25 of this year. I am building this car for her and there will be nothing totally correct on it . I purchased this body for $825.00 with a title but it needs a lot of metal and will be a total restore project. I own a 67 Z/28, 68 RS Z/28, 69 RS Z/28 and other orginal cars and orginal 70 chevy truck my dad bought new. I have never changed a trim tag or vin tag on a car but just couldn't pass this car up.  So with all said, and I don't want to have anybody upset about me having a trim tag made, I just wanted to have it close if I could. Thanks for all you help and have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

[ko-lek-tor]

I am building this car for her and there will be nothing totally correct on it .

First, My heart goes out to your daughter and you and your family for the loss's mentioned. No car will replace those precious lives we all know. As much as you would like things to be different, regarding both your daughter's situation and your trim tag, my advice, FWIW, forget about getting a TT and accept the car as it is and for what it is. If nothing is "totally correct", as you state, what does it matter? Not to get religious, but this well known prayer comes to mind,"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

The courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference." Hope this helps you and Merry Christmas.

[6667ss138]

Gary, my comments were really directed to William's comment, "Repro tags are easy to spot and will raise suspicions about the car" The bad guys in our hobby are working harder and harder to perfect a trim tag so that the experts such as William and the others here at CRG can't spot them. There have just been so many plain jane camaros that have "become" real Z/28's, Z/11 Pace cars etc.and then they pass them off as the real authuentic deal. This is hurting our hobby when these cars become cloned to become something it wasn't born with only for monetary gain. My point with my comment above is that I am hoping that these bad guys have not perfected these tags yet and will not be able to fool all the experts as they claim for the purpose of forgery and theft.
I am also very sorry for the loss in your family.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and all the best on your project.

[69Z28-RS]

Unless you have a means to *KNOW* the original body number of your car, you would have to GUESS which body number to put on any FAKE (not reproduction) TAG.   The body numbers are NOT as important as VIN numbers, BUT.. they are still UNIQUE to the body they were installed on.   

IF you buy a fake trim tag, either you or the 'counterfeiter' will have to guess the body number, and there is a very small probability you will guess the correct one, and a very high probability you will select a body number that will duplicate a REAL car out there.

Suggestion:  If you really want to install a tag there (to fill up the rivet holes? or?)..  and if you really want to pay the counterfeiters for a fake trim tag, why not have them make one like this:

       Camaro VIN _____________
       Rebuilt by ______(your name) ________
       FOR my daughter ______(her name)____
       Date ________   Color ______  Trim ___

ie.. Commemorate the occcasion of this build by you for your daughter!!

[6667ss138]

Now thats a very nice idea.

[BillOhio]

I was going to suggest the same thing. Her own trim tag!

[janobyte]

Wow, what a heart warming idea     Very good.

[gary]

Hey Guys,
   Thanks for all the comments and I understand how you fill about the fake trim tags. I fill the same way. I would not have a plane jane car and put a Z/28 trim tag on it. I own 6 Z/28's and that's not me. This was just a car but a 69 and I couldn't  pass it up because the trim tag was missing. I do like the thoughts on the other trim tags. Something to think about. Any how thanks for the comments and info and you guys are great. I just hope you are all blessed this next coming year and Happy Holidays.  Gary

P.S. I have narrow the body number down from a couple of other 11C cars I found. This car was between 174300 and 181300.

[69Z28-RS]

gary,

VIN numbers are sequential..  Body numbers are NOT sequential, and you cannot 'narrow in' on a body number based on production date or anything else, unless you have the original orders where the cars were ordered from GM.

[gary]

Gary,
    Thanks for the info and I do understand that the body number was not sequential.  I will never get the correct body number without the paper work but still would like to know what was around it. The 2 cars I know built 11C are 6798 cars apart and the body number is 7037 numbers apart and the oldest car or one built first had the larger number which is not in sequence.  I believe I will have a special tag made after I get the car built something like the one you described. Thanks Gary

[69Z28-RS]

Gary,
    Thanks for the info and I do understand that the body number was not sequential.  I will never get the correct body number without the paper work but still would like to know what was around it. The 2 cars I know built 11C are 6798 cars apart and the body number is 7037 numbers apart and the oldest car or one built first had the larger number which is not in sequence.  I believe I will have a special tag made after I get the car built something like the one you described. Thanks Gary

And rather than 'paying the counterfeiters', you could also make your own tag (from Aluminum or ??) have it engraved or embossed the way you like... paint it .. or not.. and mount it in the TT location in the same holes.   Seeing or knowing a 'fake trim tag', makes me dislike the whole car, whereas seeing a TT made with the love you have for your daughter, would make all of us LIKE it even more than what the car itself is..