Assembly Plant "L" ??

[jocko]

Recently bought a 62 short fleet that has an "L" code in the VIN for the assembly plant location - can't find that letter in any of my manuals for location. Anyone got any idea where the L was "L"?

[LILRED66]

Welcome to the forums from Kansas City, KS.

I don't see an L either. Perhaps you have a Canadian truck...obviously they used different plant letters.

[jocko]

Good point. But I just bought it from the original owner - the title is dated fall 1961(!) and it's been in California its whole life on a farm. I'm cornfuzed. Thanks - I'll keep digging - let me know if you think of any other possibilities - I've checked online, LMC, and the 62 assembly manual with no joy.

[markeb01]

It may be Los Angeles. Per the attached link, there may have been more assembly plants than just what is listed above. Many that are shown are the same on both charts.

http://www.autofacts.ca/classics/VIN/Chevrolet.htm

[jocko]

Yep, Los Angeles is about all I could think of too - but didn't know they ever made trucks there - just seems odd. In fact, several "odd" things about this little truck. The title was the original title from late '61, yet I noticed the back was signed over in Jan 2008 (and I just bought it) - and the guy I bought from said he was the original owner. Hmmm.

Anyway, thanks very much for the help. If anyone else might have any ideas - please chime in. Maybe I have the only chevy truck ever made in Los Angeles in 62, making it extremely rare, and worth a fortune!! Yeeaaah, that's the ticket... Or not.

[markeb01]

If the guy was close to 70 years old (or older), he could very well be the original owner. I've seen pre-dated titles like that several times where an elderly person made the decision to sell, then something happened and the deal fell through or they changed their mind and held the vehicle longer.

[jocko]

Just found out some more info from the dealer that had this thing listed - the guy selling it was a collector - and he's only owned it since Jan 2008 - and when he stuffed it in his barn he never changed the title over from the original owner. So much for my assumption that I bought it from the original owner (well, actually, it was more than an assumption, the dealer SAID it was the original owner's..) Well, technically, I did buy it from the original owner according to the title - it's just that a guy that never bothered to re-title it once he bought it was wedged between me and the original owner. (that doesn't seem quite legal...) Oh well. Still a nice truck, great shape, no rust. Doesn't really matter to me if 50 people have owned it.

Thanks for helping - and I'm still trying to figure out the L assembly plant code... really odd that no L's listed for 62 trucks in any of the manuals - but I think you're probably right - it probably is Los Angeles. Regardless of make, Chevy didn't change the assembly plant codes depending on the model - they were the same across all models (if they used a common plant). I want to check the trim tag - if there even is one on this truck(?)... to make sure it wasn't a "GM of Canada" truck - something Lil Red 66 mentioned - could be the case. But if I think about it, a Canadian truck would have the Oshawa plant code, ("1") the only one in Canada at the time - and this VIN clearly has a capital "L". Must be Los Angeles. That's my story and I'm stickin to it.

[markeb01]

Here's another link to more production specificaitons listing the L code in the 53-64 factory codes box on the right. I'm curious now if there are any production line photos showing what was being built in that plant in 1962. If I find anything I'll post a link.

http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/VIN.htm

[jocko]

That's a great link - thanks very much. It's truck-specific and it actually lists an L for Los Angeles in 60-64 trucks. First and only place I've seen that. If that were the first place I'd looked, I'd never have had any questions at all. If I had no info, I'd have guessed Los Angeles since the guy that bought it new lived in SoCal, so I'm willing to bet it's a Los Angeles truck. Unfortunately, I'll be the first person to have to remove that good lookin' California black plate...

[Slow Build]

Thanks for the link. It turns out my truck is locally built. Code H for Oakland, Ca. I guess it was made in a GMC plant.

[markeb01]

Originally Posted by jocko

Unfortunately, I'll be the first person to have to remove that good lookin' California black plate...

Sadly, I had to do the same thing about 15 years ago. Just make sure to keep the old plates. I slapped mine back on just before my recent repaint, just to have a before and after comparison.

[mbgmike]

The only ones I know of , and they don't make any sense is

Van Nuys, Ca. WAS called "L" at one time

however the Holden Plant in Elizabeth South Australia is called "L" also

I would assume it was the Van Nuys Location However they made camaros If I remember correct but maybe they produced trucks before then

[jonzcustomshop]

there might be some help here:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=316902
type your vin into the decoder on post #4, as you can see the 60- vin I chose to picture in the first post was an L as well, coded out as losangeles...

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Originally Posted by jocko

it's just that a guy that never bothered to re-title it once he bought it was wedged between me and the original owner. (that doesn't seem quite legal...)

I don't know about MD, but it's definitely illegal in VA. It's called "jumping" the title, and since the state misses out on one of the sales tax transactions, they're not too happy when that happens.
They have no sense of humor.

[mbgmike]

Yeah I just called a guy. L was LA

[jocko]

Thanks all - pretty much certain the L is Los Angeles - have used all the decoders you all sent and it's showin up every time. Still seems like it would have shown up in the original VIN decode section of the assembly manual (many have forwarded it, it's in the LMC catalog, and it's identical to my assembly manual). Maybe it was a short run or something! Good to go though, thanks. Hopefully I won't get "surprised" when I go to register this thing and they see the title was signed over 2 yrs ago...
Thanks again.

[Dee61Apache10]

If you find out "L" plant location please post. I have a 1961 Apache 10 with the L listed for the Plant. It was my grandfathers truck that he bought in San Diego in 60-61.

Thanks!

[ImpalaJim]

I'm a car/truck nut not once did I ever care of the numbers matching and or where it was made game.

[jocko]

Well that's good to know.