Camaro cowl tag decoder, 1970 to 1981
The tag is riveted to the cowl under the hood. Type what it says, line by line, and this reads back each field. Where the table behind a field is not something we hold, it says so instead of guessing.
The tag is four lines. The car is thirty years.
Buildbook keeps the rest: parts, receipts, photographs, hours and who did the work, as one Build Book that stays with the car. Free to keep, and it takes a minute to start.
What each field is
The style. Two digits of model year, then a five-character Fisher body code. 87 is the two-door coupe.
The Fisher Body plant that built the shell. One letter from 1973, three letters on the earliest tags.
Fisher Body's sequence number for this shell. It is not the VIN sequence and does not have to match it.
The interior trim code. Three digits through 1974, then a colour number and a letter for the seat material.
Paint. Lower body first, then upper. The same number twice is a solid car. Three dashes mean special paint.
Two digits for the month, one letter for the week. The week assembly was scheduled, not the day it finished.
Body-related codes: Z28, Z27, Z85, and stripe codes such as YF8 and ZR8.
The last run of digits, the plant's own tracking number. No published decode exists for it.
The tables
Every table this reads is printed below. One year on its own page: 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981.
- N
- Norwood, Ohio
- NOR
- Norwood, Ohio
- L
- Van Nuys, California
- LOS
- Van Nuys / Los Angeles, California
- VN
- Van Nuys, California
- 12387
- Camaro sport coupe, six-cylinder, 1970 to 1972
- 12487
- Camaro sport coupe, V8, 1970 to 1972
- 1FQ87
- Camaro sport coupe, the base car, 1973 to 1978
- 1FS87
- Camaro Type LT 1973 to 1978, and Berlinetta from 1979
- 1FP87
- Camaro sport coupe, the base car, 1979 to 1981
- 01
- January
- 02
- February
- 03
- March
- 04
- April
- 05
- May
- 06
- June
- 07
- July
- 08
- August
- 09
- September
- 10
- October
- 11
- November
- 12
- December
- A
- first week
- B
- second week
- C
- third week
- D
- fourth week
- E
- fifth week
- Z28
- RPO Z28, the special performance package
- Z27
- RPO Z27, the Super Sport package
- Z85
- RPO Z85, the Rally Sport package, 1975 and later
- YF8
- RPO YF8, black stripes
- ZR8
- RPO ZR8, white stripes
- A51
- RPO A51, front bucket seats
- AN6
- RPO AN6, the adjustable driver's seat
- 10
- Classic White
- 14
- Cortez Silver
- 17
- Shadow Gray
- 25
- Astro Blue
- 26
- Mulsanne Blue
- 43
- Citrus Green
- 45
- Green Mist
- 48
- Forest Green
- 51
- Daytona Yellow
- 53
- Camaro Gold
- 58
- Autumn Gold
- 63
- Desert Sand
- 65
- Hugger Orange
- 67
- Classic Copper
- 75
- Cranberry Red
- 11
- Antique White
- 13
- Nevada Silver
- 19
- Tuxedo Black
- 24
- Ascot Blue
- 26
- Mulsanne Blue
- 42
- Cottonwood Green
- 43
- Lime Green
- 49
- Antique Green
- 52
- Sunflower Yellow
- 53
- Placer Gold
- 61
- Sandalwood
- 62
- Burnt Orange
- 67
- Classic Copper
- 75
- Cranberry Red
- 78
- Rosewood
- 11
- Antique White
- 14
- Pewter Silver
- 24
- Ascot Blue
- 26
- Mulsanne Blue
- 36
- Spring Green
- 43
- Gulf Green
- 48
- Sequoia Green
- 50
- Covert Tan
- 53
- Placer Gold
- 56
- Cream Yellow
- 57
- Golden Brown
- 63
- Mohave Gold
- 65
- Orange Flame
- 68
- Midnight Bronze
- 75
- Cranberry Red
- 11
- Antique White
- 29
- Midnight Blue
- 56
- Chamois
Three codes, off one photographed tag. This is not the full 1973 chart and is not printed as one.
- 11
- Antique White
- 26
- Bright Blue
- 29
- Midnight Blue
- 36
- Aqua Blue
- 40
- Lime Yellow
- 46
- Bright Green
- 49
- Medium Dark Green
- 50
- Cream Beige
- 51
- Bright Yellow
- 53
- Light Gold
- 55
- Sandstone
- 59
- Golden Brown
- 64
- Silver
- 66
- Bronze
- 74
- Medium Red metallic
- 75
- Medium Red
Codes 53 and 59 rest on one reference. The second source we checked 1974 against did not list them.
- 11
- Antique White
- 13
- Silver
- 15
- Light Gray
- 26
- Bright Blue
- 29
- Midnight Blue
- 44
- Medium Green
- 49
- Dark Green
- 50
- Cream Beige
- 51
- Bright Yellow
- 55
- Sandstone
- 58
- Dark Sandstone
- 63
- Light Saddle
- 64
- Medium Orange
- 74
- Dark Red
- 75
- Light Red
- 11
- Antique White
- 13
- Silver
- 19
- Black
- 28
- Light Blue
- 35
- Dark Blue
- 36
- Firethorn
- 37
- Mahogany
- 40
- Lime Green
- 49
- Dark Green
- 50
- Cream
- 51
- Bright Yellow
- 65
- Buckskin
- 67
- Medium Saddle
- 78
- Medium Orange
- 11
- Antique White
- 13
- Silver
- 19
- Black
- 22
- Light Blue
- 29
- Dark Blue
- 36
- Firethorn
- 38
- Aqua
- 44
- Medium Green
- 51
- Bright Yellow
- 61
- Light Buckskin
- 63
- Buckskin Metallic
- 69
- Brown
- 75
- Light Red
- 78
- Orange
- 11
- White
- 15
- Silver
- 19
- Black
- 22
- Dark Blue
- 24
- Bright Blue
- 34
- Yellow-Orange, on the Z28 only
- 48
- Dark Blue-Green
- 51
- Bright Yellow
- 63
- Camel
- 67
- Saffron, not offered on the Z28
- 69
- Dark Camel
- 75
- Light Red
- 77
- Carmine
- 11
- White
- 15
- Silver
- 19
- Black
- 22
- Light Blue
- 24
- Bright Blue
- 29
- Dark Blue
- 40
- Light Green
- 44
- Medium Green
- 51
- Bright Yellow
- 61
- Beige
- 63
- Camel
- 69
- Dark Brown
- 75
- Red
- 77
- Carmine
- 11
- White
- 15
- Silver
- 19
- Black
- 24
- Bright Blue
- 29
- Dark Blue
- 40
- Lime Green
- 51
- Bright Yellow
- 57
- Gold
- 67
- Dark Brown
- 72
- Red
- 76
- Dark Claret
- 79
- Red Orange
- 80
- Bronze
- 84
- Charcoal
- 11
- White
- 16
- Silver
- 19
- Black
- 20
- Bright Blue
- 21
- Light Blue
- 29
- Dark Blue
- 51
- Bright Yellow
- 54
- Gold
- 57
- Orange
- 67
- Dark Brown
- 75
- Red
- 77
- Maroon
- 84
- Charcoal
- 775
- Black and white check vinyl buckets, sport coupe
- 776
- Black cloth, Type LT
- 777
- Black vinyl, sport coupe
- 778
- Black knit vinyl, Type LT
- 779
- Black vinyl with red carpet, sport coupe
- 780
- Neutral cloth, Type LT
- 781
- Neutral vinyl, sport coupe
- 783
- Taupe cloth, Type LT
- 784
- Taupe knit vinyl, Type LT
- 786
- Green and black check cloth, sport coupe
- 787
- Green vinyl, sport coupe
- 792
- Red vinyl, sport coupe
- 796
- Saddle and black check cloth, sport coupe
- 797
- Saddle cloth, Type LT
- 798
- Saddle vinyl, sport coupe
- 799
- Saddle knit vinyl, Type LT
Trim numbers were reused across body styles, and carpet rode on a suffix the tag does not always carry. The build sheet settles those.
- 632
- Saddle leather, Type LT, a listed option the source says went undelivered at retail
- 732
- Red leather, Type LT, the same caveat
- 19V
- Black vinyl, sport coupe
- 55V
- Sandstone vinyl, sport coupe
- 63V
- Saddle vinyl, sport coupe
- 91V
- White vinyl, sport coupe
- 19C
- Black cloth, sport coupe
- 55C
- Sandstone cloth, sport coupe
- 55W
- Sandstone knit vinyl, Type LT
- 63W
- Saddle knit vinyl, Type LT
- 16D
- Graystone knit cloth, Type LT
- 55D
- Sandstone knit cloth, Type LT
- 63D
- Saddle knit cloth, Type LT
- 73D
- Dark Red knit cloth, Type LT
Trim numbers were reused across body styles, and carpet rode on a suffix the tag does not always carry. The build sheet settles those.
- 11M
- White vinyl with a black instrument panel and carpet
- 02M
- White vinyl with blue trim
- 03M
- White vinyl with green trim
- 07M
- White vinyl with firethorn trim
- 19M
- Black vinyl
- 64M
- Buckskin vinyl
- 71M
- Firethorn vinyl
- 19B
- Black cloth
- 71B
- Firethorn cloth
- 11N
- White custom knit vinyl with black trim
- 02N
- White custom knit vinyl with blue trim
- 03N
- White custom knit vinyl with green trim
- 07N
- White custom knit vinyl with firethorn trim
- 19N
- Black custom knit vinyl
- 64N
- Buckskin custom knit vinyl
- 19C
- Black custom knit cloth
- 26C
- Blue custom knit cloth
- 71C
- Firethorn custom knit cloth
Trim numbers were reused across body styles, and carpet rode on a suffix the tag does not always carry. The build sheet settles those.
- 11R
- White standard vinyl with black trim
- 02R
- White standard vinyl with dark blue trim
- 03R
- White standard vinyl with dark aqua trim
- 06R
- White standard vinyl with dark saddle trim
- 07R
- White standard vinyl with dark firethorn trim
- 19R
- Black standard vinyl
- 62R
- Light Buckskin standard vinyl with black trim
- 64R
- Light Buckskin standard vinyl with dark saddle trim
- 71R
- Dark Firethorn standard vinyl
- 72R
- Dark Firethorn standard vinyl with black trim
- 62B
- Light Buckskin sport cloth
- 64B
- Light Buckskin sport cloth with dark saddle trim
- 71B
- Dark Firethorn sport cloth
- 72B
- Dark Firethorn sport cloth with black trim
- 11N
- White custom vinyl with black trim
- 02N
- White custom vinyl with dark blue trim
- 03N
- White custom vinyl with dark aqua trim
- 06N
- White custom vinyl with dark saddle trim
- 07N
- White custom vinyl with dark firethorn trim
- 19N
- Black custom vinyl
- 24N
- Light Blue custom vinyl
- 62N
- Light Buckskin custom vinyl
- 64N
- Light Buckskin custom vinyl with dark saddle trim
- 24C
- Light Blue custom knit cloth
- 62C
- Light Buckskin custom knit cloth
- 64C
- Light Buckskin custom knit cloth with dark saddle trim
- 61C
- Dark Firethorn custom knit cloth
- 72C
- Dark Firethorn custom knit cloth with black trim
Trim numbers were reused across body styles, and carpet rode on a suffix the tag does not always carry. The build sheet settles those.
- 11R
- White standard vinyl
- 19R
- Black standard vinyl
- 44R
- Green standard vinyl
- 62R
- Tan standard vinyl
- 74R
- Carmine standard vinyl
- 19B
- Black standard cloth
- 24B
- Blue standard cloth
- 62B
- Tan standard cloth
- 74B
- Carmine standard cloth
- 11N
- White custom vinyl
- 19N
- Black custom vinyl
- 44N
- Green custom vinyl
- 62N
- Tan custom vinyl
- 74N
- Carmine custom vinyl
- 19D
- Black Edinburgh sport cloth, black only
- 24C
- Blue custom cloth
- 62C
- Tan custom cloth
- 74C
- Carmine custom cloth
Trim numbers were reused across body styles, and carpet rode on a suffix the tag does not always carry. The build sheet settles those.
- 19R
- Black standard vinyl
- 24R
- Blue standard vinyl
- 44R
- Green standard vinyl
- 62R
- Tan standard vinyl
- 74R
- Carmine standard vinyl
- 19B
- Black standard cloth
- 24B
- Blue standard cloth
- 62B
- Tan standard cloth
- 74B
- Carmine standard cloth
- 19N
- Black custom vinyl
- 24N
- Blue custom vinyl
- 62N
- Tan custom vinyl
- 74N
- Carmine custom vinyl
- 12C
- Oyster custom cloth
- 19C
- Black custom cloth
- 24C
- Blue custom cloth
- 44C
- Green custom cloth
- 62C
- Tan custom cloth
- 74C
- Carmine custom cloth
Trim numbers were reused across body styles, and carpet rode on a suffix the tag does not always carry. The build sheet settles those.
- 12R
- Oyster standard vinyl
- 19R
- Black standard vinyl
- 26R
- Blue standard vinyl
- 62R
- Tan standard vinyl
- 74R
- Carmine standard vinyl
- 26B
- Blue standard cloth
- 62B
- Tan standard cloth
- 26N
- Blue custom vinyl
- 62N
- Tan custom vinyl
- 74N
- Carmine custom vinyl
- 12C
- Oyster custom cloth
- 19C
- Black custom cloth
- 26C
- Blue custom cloth
- 62C
- Tan custom cloth
- 74C
- Carmine custom cloth
Trim numbers were reused across body styles, and carpet rode on a suffix the tag does not always carry. The build sheet settles those.
- 15R
- Silver standard vinyl
- 19R
- Black standard vinyl
- 26R
- Blue standard vinyl
- 64R
- Camel standard vinyl
- 75R
- Red standard vinyl
- 26B
- Blue standard cloth
- 64B
- Camel standard cloth
- 75B
- Red standard cloth
- 15N
- Silver custom vinyl
- 26N
- Blue custom vinyl
- 63N
- Beige custom vinyl
- 75N
- Red custom vinyl
- 15C
- Silver custom cloth
- 19C
- Black custom cloth
- 26C
- Blue custom cloth
- 63C
- Beige custom cloth
- 75C
- Red custom cloth
Trim numbers were reused across body styles, and carpet rode on a suffix the tag does not always carry. The build sheet settles those.
What this does not decode
Interior trim numbers for 1970 through 1973. The tables run 1974 to 1981. For the earlier cars we have how the TR field works and not the table of numbers, so we do not print a colour.
Paint codes for 1973 beyond three. The 1973 table holds the three codes read off a real Norwood tag. The rest of that year we do not have.
Two 1974 paint codes, 53 and 59, are in our table on one reference only. The second source we checked 1974 against did not list them, and nothing contradicted them either. The reader prints them and says they are the thinner ones.
The last number on the tag, the plant's own batch code. Nobody publishes a decode for it. Restorers use it as one more originality check and so do we.
Whether a 1970 to 1972 Van Nuys tag was stamped L, LOS or VN. Sources disagree and none of them shows a second-generation Van Nuys tag settling it. The reader accepts all three and says the plant, not the era.
- https://www.nastyz28.com/camaro/tagpop.html
the fields on a 1970-1981 tag, the series letters, the plant letters, the build date and the paint format
- https://macswebs.com/7073camaroworld/1973/trimtag.htm
a real 1973 Norwood tag, read line by line
- https://www.camaros.org/numbers.shtml
the Camaro Research Group on tag mechanics, body number against VIN sequence
- https://www.classicmuscleparts.com/resources/1970-1981-camaro-vin-decoder
the plant letters N and L, cross-checked against the VIN
- https://over-drive-magazine.com/document/1970-camaro-paint-mix-codes-body/
the 1970 paint codes, from reproduced factory paint sheets
- https://over-drive-magazine.com/document/1971-chevrolet-camaro-paint-mix-codes-body/
the 1971 paint codes
- https://over-drive-magazine.com/document/1972-chevrolet-camaro-paint-mix-codes-body/
the 1972 paint codes
- https://www.nastyz28.com/camaro/
the per-year colour and interior charts for 1974 through 1981, one page per model year
- https://www.chevy-camaro.com/
the second check on the 1975 to 1981 paint codes and on the 1981 interior codes, with production counts per colour
- https://www.ss396.com/
the second check on the 1976 to 1980 paint codes
- https://www.thecoatingstore.com/
the second check on the 1974 paint codes
Holding the engine instead of the tag? The block casting number lookup reads displacement, years and main cap count off the number cast into the block, and the cylinder head casting number lookup reads chamber volume, valve sizes and whether they are double humps.
The tag does not carry the options. Those are RPO codes, on the build sheet or the SPID label, and the RPO option code lookup reads a whole column of them at once.
Found a code we read wrong, or hold a table we do not? Write to buildbook@nanocorp.app. Corrections go in with the source named.
Working out what the rest of the build comes to? The frame-off restoration cost guide prices blasting, rust repair, paint, machine work, the interior, wiring and chrome from published shop and retailer figures, and names the source on every line.