Decoding cowl tag

[Gum,beest]

Can anybody help with decoding my cowl tag
I have try ed it myself with the sales option list posted in the registry
But i did not get far and i am very curios what it all says
1471

I believe this is whats on it

ST73 48P67Y183813BDY
TR 444 AM6 65 TPNT
04D 0065 BWY 450
C61 B79


I know it is a terrible picture but the tag has faded a bit and it is painted with a gloss paint and the lighting reflects of it as well

[The German]

Have a look to this site :http://www.buickcenturion.com/ and go to "Centurion Registry Profiles" and click to "1973 Centurions".

You will find all the codes down on the page for each car; for example Rick´s car : http://www.buickcenturion.com/1973/rick_m/

So you will be able to translate your codes too !

[Smartin]

ST73 48P67Y183813BDY
TR 444 AM6 65 TPNT
04D 0065 BWY 450
C61 B79
ST73 - 1973 Body Style
4 - Buick
BP (not 8P) - Centurion
67 - Convertible
Y - Wilmington, DE Assembly Plant
183813 BDY - Body production number

TR 444 - Neutral/Sandalwood Vinyl interior
AM6 - Power Seat
65 T PNT - Burnt Coral Paint with a Sandalwood convertible top
04D - Assembled the 4th week of April 1973

I'm not sure what the other option codes are. Do you have the buildsheet for the car?

[Gum,beest]

Thanks guys
I knew i could count on you
So i at least know the original color of my body and top(i will install a new top this spring)
Rolf i have taken a look at the site from Rick and it helped me a bit furhter
Adam i havend found the build sheet yet it is not behind or under the backseat or the dash
i havend lookt on top of the gastank so it is possible it is hiding there
Are there other places besides the forementioned?
I am very curious of that too because my car has a lot of options installed

[Austrian455]

Erik, I found my buildsheet (or what was left of it) in the front bench on the passenger side.

[Gum,beest]

Erik, I found my buildsheet (or what was left of it) in the front bench on the passenger side.

thanks Peter
I have looked there as well when i cleaned and repaird my electrics in my front bench

[dewbers]

Hey Erik - that car was built about 15 minutes from my house! Sadly, the plant may be on GM's list of future closings... It's ashame! And my car wasn't built there... though I don't have the heart to tell some of the old timers I see at various cruises and parades! They all claim to have built my ride and are thankful it's being so well cared for!

[Gum,beest]

Hi Steve
typed your address in at Google Earth and the address of the GM plant
It looks like a nice and quiet place :xyxthumbs:
If you talk to one of the old timers over here then thank them for me
And i will be thinking about them when I'm cruising around Holland
Scaring :eek: all the tiny cars over here

[Bob Alberini]

Erik,
Do you realize what a rare Centurion you have? Burnt Coral was a Riviera only color that was a special color option on the other Buick models. Of the
5,739 73 Centurion convertibles built, only 36 were finished in Burnt Coral so you have a very rare one indeed and it is a great color.

[Gum,beest]

Thanks Bob
I am starting to realize that
If i take a look at the options / built sheet that is posted on the registry
I've got almost every option available that is why in anxious to find my built-sheet
I only realized it after i bought the car that the car model is rare as well
When i find it i will post the compleet options and the cowl and vin breakdown

[Gum,beest]

This is my VIN number

VIN: 4P67W3Y214612

4 = Buick Motor Division
P = Centurion
67 = 2 Door Convertible
W = ? (it is a 455-4 but what kind)
3 = Model year (1973)
Y = Wilmington, DE Assembly Plant
214612 = sequential production number (100001 was first built)

Does anybody know what kind of engine this originally is?

[The German]

Eric, I looked into the Standard Catalog of Buick and found this for the 455cui engines :
- "F" for 225-hp four-barrel V8 or 250-hp four-barrel V8 with dual exhausts,
- "S" for 270-hp four-barrel V8

But I found no "Y" or "W" !

The engine identification codes (guess this code could be found on the engine only) are named with "XF" or "XS" and "XA" for a Riviera GS.

I´m curious if this really is correct (?) or if one of our friends here will teach us with better information.

[Smartin]

It should be a J, T, U, or W. Check again.

[Gum,beest]

I know it is strange but i can only make a Y and W out
What do you think sould i return my glasses :laugh:

[Smartin]

W = High Performance 455

Your car seems to have quite a few options!

[The German]

It should be a J, T, U, or W. Check again.

Adam, do you know why The Standard Catalog of Buick printed what you can see down here in the pictures which I copied from this book ? This text is to be found on pages 161 and 163 regarding the model year 1973. The letters you posted I could read on page 159 regarding the 1972 models. Is the book wrong or what is the mistake ?

Or could it be possible that Eriks car is produced with a 1972 engine in spite of being a 1973 model ?

I´m really curious what´s the answer !

[Gum,beest]

Hi guys
Where exactley can i vind the engine vin and the type
I know that the VIN should be on the front of the engine but i cant find it there
Is it on the driverside near the front underneath the exaust manifold?
And the type should be on the driverside between cylinder 5 and 7
Is that also hidden from view by the exhaust?

By the way my engine feels very powerfull and is equipped with a Posi rearend
If i drive (slow between 10 to 30 miles)and use the kickdown it smokes the tires
And from the standstill it draws two beautifull lines aprox 15 meters long
I don't know if this is normal because i'm not used to a V8

My daily Yap car can do that too but that is a special factory edition of the standard car :laugh:
Always fun at the trafficlights with the so called hot-hatches and boyracers

[Smartin]

Rolf, it looks like the book is wrong. 72 and 73 are the same for VIN engine codes.

J - 350-4bbl
T - 455-4bbl
U - 455-4bbl with dual exhaust
W - high performance 455

Erik, the two letter code for the engine (which should be XA for the hi perf 455 in 73) is located on the deck of the engine block between the #5 and 7 spark plugs. It is not covered by the exhaust manifold. The "deck" is where the head bolts to. The VIN should be stamped on the drivers side front of the engine next to the timing cover. It can be difficult to locate.

[The German]

Rolf, it looks like the book is wrong. 72 and 73 are the same for VIN engine codes.
J - 350-4bbl
T - 455-4bbl
U - 455-4bbl with dual exhaust
W - high performance 455
... ...

Okay, Adam, and for the W-code-engine the book says it would have 260 hp (SAE-net-hp). If that´s correct Eriks car has ca. the same power as mine: 1971-"TA"-engine with 335 SAE-gross-hp = ca. 0,8 of 335 in SAE-net-hp).;)

[Gum,beest]

Adam
If i under stand correctley i have to pull my heads off to view the engine code
That is not on my todo list and the season is coming closer and closer so mayby next winter
The Vin is indeed very hard to find i have cleaned the front but dit not find it yet

[Austrian455]

This exlaines very well where to find which number.

http://www.buickperformance.com/455Blocknmbrs.htm

[Gum,beest]

Thanks Peter
I will check this weekend if i can find the engine VIN at the locations specified on the site you sugested it seems possible that the VIN is stamped near the oil pressure switch
At the normal position i cant find anything

[Gum,beest]

Ok guys
I have found all the engine codes thanks for pointing my in the right direction
Now i know fur sure
I've got a numbers matching Hi performance 455-4

Only thing left to do is find somebody who can help decoding the cowl tag
that is why i started this post in the first place