RE: [Chevelle-list] Numbers

[Dale]

As noted, it’s been discussed on TC several times and consensus (plus looking at a lot of 66/67 Chevelles) is that this is not indicative of a SS or Malibu – regardless of the number.    Ah yes, but it may be indicative of 2dr vs. 4-door   Well, since there’s no 4-dr SS and MOST numbers reported and questioned have been 13617 and 13817, my reply was concerning a 2-dr sport coupe.     Each number has been found numerous times on the ‘other’ model.  I don’t think anyone knows for sure but some thoughts have been it’s a die number from a particular supplier.  Could be it’s was originally intended to be different for Malibu and SS due to the different emblem mounting locations but found not necessary and the dies were just never changed.  Then again, maybe something else entirely. :*)   Do you really think they would have had a whole different die just because holes need to be in different places? I don’t know but I doubt it. The holes were probably drilled after the fact.   As stated, nobody knows for sure or at least isn’t telling.  But having the holes built into the die itself or drilled from a jig is not out of the realm of possibility.  To me, building them into the die would be easier and less labor intensive.  You simply run say a thousand or so Malibu 2-dr quarters, replace a couple of items on the die to change where holes are punched, run 500 SS quarters, and so on for all the models.  Malibu vs. SS (vs. 300/300 Deluxe) quarters has very different mounting of not only emblems but lower body trim as well.  Remember, at Fisher Body, the raw body shell was assembled (from the firewall back), sent to painting and then the trim shop.  See http://www.camaros.org/assemblyprocess.shtml for the assembly process of Camaros that would apply to Chevelles as well.     Unfortunately most of us, me included, get wrapped up in Malibu vs. SS and I’ve honestly never checked other models.  Maybe some 66/67 300/300 Deluxe owners could check their trunk areas and let us know if anything is stamped there…133xx, 134xx, 136xx, etc.   Can you see them w/o sanding off the paint?   On all that I’ve seen that are original, yes you should be able to unless there has been a ton of repaints.  See http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/396guy/quarter.jpg and http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/396guy/quarter02.jpg for examples.  Both came from 2-dr sport coupes but I honestly don’t know what the model was of each…but note the extra 2 digits in each and one even has the 6th digit upside down.