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1972 Cadillac Eldorado Body Codes question

Started by Bill Young, December 23, 2014, 08:49:44 PM

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Bill Young

Hello, My Body tag is as follows:
09D  AM6 EXVSL     KRB
CJ                             73A PNT
               TR 454

                                     FWD 001605                    As an asside the VIN No. is 6L67S2Q405116
Now I read My Car as follows: 09D Built 4th. week of Sept.1971 , AM6 A,Rear window defogger M,Power door locks 6 License frames 2 E,Soft Ray glass X, Trackmaster V, Bumper impact strips S,? L, Automatic level control K,Automatic climate control R, Trailer towing package B,Lamp monitors C, Cruise control J, Twilight sentinel 73A Paint 73, Cambridge red A White Conv. top FWD the 1,605th. Eldo Conv. body for '72. The Vin breakdown is 6,Cadillac L,Eldorado 67,Conv. S, 500Cu.In.V8 2,'72 Q,Detroit Assy. 4,Eldo not built on C line 05116,5,116th.1972 Cadillac off the line.
Now , all that said , what I don't understand:
1. In the option codes it states X,Trackmaster brakes. This Car does NOT have this option and there is NO evidence it ever had.
2. Also in the option codes it states S, what is S for?
3. The trim code 454, is white leather with Oxblood dash and carpet. However the car has split 60/40 dual six way seats which I read should be 954QB
Also as an aside I bought a paint code chart and found out Cadillac discontinued Code 74 Coronation Red in September 1971 in favor of the darker Code 73 Cambridge Red. So from the get go you could not order the Car as it was shown in the Catalogue.

936CD69

Bill,

AM6 is the "modular seat code" for dual comfort seats. are you sure the 454 is not 954 on the tag?

Code S is for front shoulder belts (convertible only)

Since trackmaster was a chassis option not a Fisher body option it's doubtful that your X refers to it.

Cadillac made a price and option reduction part way thru the 72 model year. Since yours was and early car V impact strips and B lamp monitors would have been standard. V is also the code for 6way power passenger seat!

Mr Tom Hall spent years researching the Authenticity manual for 71-76s. You could send him a PM, he is a wealth of knowledge. Also suggest you ordered the invoice/as built sheet for your car, as well as the manual. I'd love to know what those mystery codes are

HTH

Craig
Craig Brillhart CLC# 26217
1993 Sedan deVille Spring Edition Carmine Red White Top-SOLD!
1993 Sedan deVille Spring Edition Triple Black
CLCMRC Benefactor #302

Bill Young

Craig , First thank You for your kind response. First I double checked the code is 454 not 954. Second the car has no front shoulder belts and no evidence there ever was. The car does have the dual comfort 60/40 split seats with 6 way both sides.Thanks for the lead to Mr. Hall. You said the impact strips and lamp monitors were standard eqpt. on the early Eldorados very interesting. I would love to get the build sheet but $50.00 is too steep for one piece of paper in my lousy economic condition. This car is my daily driver and I am trying to bring it up to good and complete driver status but every time I get a quote from someone for any little doodad they want a fortune so I guess it will just stay looking like crap perhaps others have deep pockets I do not. Oh well.

Bill Young

Craig, How would I reach Tom Hall as The membership listing seems to be all screen names ?
Thank You , Bill Young

"Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364

Bill (Mr.Shallow pockets),
If the car is absolutely original and the rear seat has never been removed, I might suggest you pull the rear seat back.  That is where the factory stuck my build sheet for my '72 Eldo I bought new in 72.
Greg Surfas
Cadillac Kid-Greg Surfas
Director Modified Chapter CLC
CLC #15364
66 Coupe deVille (now gone to the UK)
72 Eldo Cpe  (now cruising the sands in Quatar)
73 Coupe deVille
75 Coupe deElegance
76 Coupe deVille
79 Coupe de ville with "Paris" (pick up) option and 472 motor
514 inch motor now in '73-

936CD69

Hmmm many of us have shallow pockets but we do what we can, eh? Bill, did you get my PM?
Craig Brillhart CLC# 26217
1993 Sedan deVille Spring Edition Carmine Red White Top-SOLD!
1993 Sedan deVille Spring Edition Triple Black
CLCMRC Benefactor #302

936CD69

Craig Brillhart CLC# 26217
1993 Sedan deVille Spring Edition Carmine Red White Top-SOLD!
1993 Sedan deVille Spring Edition Triple Black
CLCMRC Benefactor #302

Bill Young

Dear Craig, Thank You so very much for sending me the '72 Cadillac Data book. Now so much more makes sense.
Sincerely , Bill Young

936CD69

Bill, I received this replay from Tom today:

"Fisher Body Division did not use the exact set of codes the Cadillac Division did in 1972 model year.  So, if a body tag for '72 says 3XX or 4XX for trim but there is a 60/40 seat in the car, it's not a conflict.  Fisher did not code the trim based on what seat it installed.  It coded the seat based on what seat it installed: AM6 for Dual Comfort 60/40 that year.  Not to worry about the apparent conflict."
Craig Brillhart CLC# 26217
1993 Sedan deVille Spring Edition Carmine Red White Top-SOLD!
1993 Sedan deVille Spring Edition Triple Black
CLCMRC Benefactor #302

Bill Young

OK Craig, It all comes together now. Also I know that Cadillac made provision for customers to change their order as long as the Car had not progressed too far in production at Fleetwood plant 18 yet. I owned a 1961 Cadillac Series 62 Conv. once that had a code 28 red and white interior yet the Body plate stated TRIM 29 all red. I examined the car closely and there was NO evidence that she was ever anything but a Code 28 Car. And I have been told by others who had seen that before that it was rare but it did happen.

Tom Hall 7485

Mr. Young, you have a wonderful body ID tag there.  Lots of great options.

But please forget the Cadillac ordering materials, including the Data Book, in decoding Cadillac body tags of the 1970s.  The Fisher Fleetwood plant was "doing its own thing".  Your codes have nothing to do with Track Master, Bumper Impact Strips, Automatic Level Control or Trailer Towing.

I decoded the body codes for the Class 25 Authenticity Manual.  I can't give away all of my best material for free, but I understand your circumstances and can at least tell you that whatever code is on the body tag represents something on the body, which was shipped part way across Detroit to the Clark Avenue Plant for final assembly.  Nothing forward of the firewall, unless it had controls in the passenger compartment.  Nothing about bumpers.

As a hint, I'll tell you that "S" is found on maybe a quarter or third of all 1972 Eldos.  "S" is a convenience item.  Also, your car lacks stereo.  Kind of unusual, with all those other options.

Tom Hall, CLC Member 7485, Lifetime member since the mid-1990s.

Bill Young

Dear Tom, Thank You for the kind reply. With regard to my financial dilemma let me say that I am embarrased over it however I feel that currently I must stay working where I am in spite of the low pay as it provides health ins. for us both and My Wife is disabled  also this job affords me an 8 to 4:30 job so I can attend to my disabled Wife , My priority. That said I am facinated with Cadillac Body tags and how these cars were ordered and built including the process from Dealer thru production. I have Loved these cars since about the age of seven, this a hopeless lifelong Love affair with Cadillac's mostly of the 50's thru 70's. My '72 is indeed a unique Car in my opinion also as loaded as it is it has the base option AM FM Stereo radio, and no outside right hand rear view mirror. Tom also My E-Mail is mercguy1@aol.com Again thank you.
SIncerely , Bill Young

Tom Hall 7485

#12
Your car may have a stereo today, but one code there indicates it didn't have a stereo when the body was shipped to the Clark Avenue Plant.  One code there indicates a monaural system.  Radio swaps at dealerships were a common part of new car prep.
Tom Hall, CLC Member 7485, Lifetime member since the mid-1990s.

Bill Young

I am so interested to know that!!!!!!!!!!! According to what I read there were 3 radio options available in '72 The base AM FM Stereo, The AM FM Stereo signal seeking radio and the AmFM Stereo radio with 8 Track . Again mine has the 1st. radio mentioned. I did not know a non stereo radio was available? I hate to keep saying " I am Facinated " to learn all this information however the truth is I AM. As an aside when I bought the car in October I had a little extra money so at best buy I bought a AM FM Serius radio for underdash install and 4 new speakers. The car had 4 lame speakers in it. Unfortunately I was not there when they removed the rear seat to see if there was a build sheet hidden in the backrest , however when the new seat covers arrive that I had ordered made ( they will match the original for material and trim style) I will be taking a vacation day to be with the trim  Man and assist to save money and I will look then. Again Tom Thank you for any more feedback.

mgbeda

At that time the base am-fm radio was not a stereo.  If you wanted stereo you had to get the signal-seeking radio.

The mono radio still came with two front speakers, and in the hardtops with one rear speaker.  I'm not sure what they did for rear speakers in convertibles.

-mB
-Mike Beda
CLC #24610
1976 Sedan DeVille (Bessie)

Bill Young

Dear Mike, That is interesting information. I guess I assumed that My Factory radio was Stereo because of the 2 dash speakers however now that we discuss this there is no outward indication of the radio being stereo like for example on the '68 when the stereo radio reached a stereo station the word "STEREO" would light up in red in the center of the dial. Also My radio is definately not the signal seeking model and so it must be the Mono model. I do not know if they removed 1 or 2 original speakers from the backrest when they installed the new system and they ran new wires. Very interesting.

TJ Hopland

I don't know about 71 and 2 but my 73 the rears are 6x9's basically in the back of the seat back that point into the trunk.  Top up it kinda echos around the trunk and top down they are darn near covered. 
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

Bill Young

Yes the ones I had to purchase for the rears were 6X9's. I just was not there when they removed the rear seat to see if there was 1 or 2 there originally , but I will ask the Guy at best buy that did the work.

TJ Hopland

Problem I remember with pretty much any of the 70's and 80's cars when fitting more modern speakers was always the depth of the new speakers.  Newer speakers always seem to be a lot deeper than the originals.   I remember back in the 90's when I did speakers in my 73 being excited to find that they were 6x9 (rather than the 4x10 a lot of gm's had) thinking I would have tons of options but the depth issue took the selection from like 50 down to like 3.  I have not looked at car speakers lately but I would suspect its still the same deal. 
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

Bill Young

OK, I stopped and talked today to Ruben that installed My new system and he said the rear seat had been removed before as it was missing 1 bolt. However he said that there was only 1 rear speaker and it was original. He also stated he saw no build sheet or paper in either the backrest or the seat bottom. So this settles 2 things 1) My car was originally equipped with the Mono AMFM Radio, and 2) the Eldorado Convertibles were originally equipped with just one rear speaker like the Coupes when the base Radio was ordered. With regard to the magnet size on the new speakers, I had no issues fitting the new speakers under the dash pad or in the rear seat. The 2 Dash Speakers are Kicker KS35's the rear are Kicker KSC693's and the Radio installed under Dash is a Sony CDX-GT 57 UP AMFM C/D Player Sirius ready with a SXV200 Connect Vehicle Tuner,the Sirius antenna black box sits on the dash center next to the windshield. I hope this helps.