1969 door jam labels

[Jeff B.]

I have seen some 1970 models with a blue w/black lettering label, about 1x4 inches, affixed to the driver door edge, at the lower part of the door, below the latch. I think the wording attested to the vehicle meeting all Federal Highway safety regulations in effect at time of manufacture. At the bottom of this label was the vehicle serial number and a date of manufacture. Was 1970 the first year for this label, or 1969?

[Jim M.]

Re: 1969 door jam labels

I believe that all vehicles manufactured after September 1, 1969 were required to have this vehicle certification label on the drivers door jam.

[Jimmy B.]

Re: 1969 door jam labels

Jeff,

I have a Sept 1969 car and it has the label. Vin # 30516

Regards,

Jim Blakely

[Jeff B.]

Re: 1969 door jam labels

Sept 1, 1969. Hummmm. Quite interesting. Thank you.
I seem to remember the 1969 model year was extended for several months due to a strike at GM. Were there any 1969 models assembled after Sept 1st? If so, would they have had this label? Jim, is your '69 a vette?

[Terry M.]

Re: 1969 door jam labels

Last day of 1969 production was December 15, 1969 IIRC. So yes, lo0ts of later 1969 Corvettes would have had this label.

Just to set the record straight: I still have an open challenge to anyone to produce a contemporary article/statement giving the reason for the extended 1969 model year production of Corvette and Camaro. I am still waiting.

[Lawrence M.]

Re: 1969 door jam labels

1969 production ran into the week of December 15. The body build date on my 69 is Q 15, December 15, a Monday. It has the Blue Certification label.

LM

[Kevin G.]

Re: 1969 door jam labels

Last day of 1969 production was December 15, 1969 IIRC. So yes, lo0ts of later 1969 Corvettes would have had this label.

Just to set the record straight: I still have an open challenge to anyone to produce a contemporary article/statement giving the reason for the extended 1969 model year production of Corvette and Camaro. I am still waiting.

Maybe............

[Terry M.]

[Kevin G.]

Re: 1969 door jam labels

I am beginning to get to know you!

[Jimmy B.]

Re: 1969 door jam labels

Terry,

Do you think perhaps the late production date was a carry over from the 69 strike by chance?

The factory had lots of 69 parts already made/procured from their sources so they had to keep that year line running later than the norm based on production quantities vice the date on the calendar?

This is my guess, not factual documented data.

Jim Blakely

[Tom M.]

Re: 1969 door jam labels

Vin 36083 has one

[John H.]

Re: 1969 door jam labels

Just to set the record straight: I still have an open challenge to anyone to produce a contemporary article/statement giving the reason for the extended 1969 model year production of Corvette and Camaro. I am still waiting.

Terry -

I haven't published anything on the Camaro issue (other than some Camaro forum posts), but I know for a fact that the Camaro delay resulted from inability to stamp the rear quarter panels without splits; it showed up in final draw die tryout in the production stamping plant, and both the RH and LH draw dies had to be pulled, returned to the die construction source, redesigned, and re-cut from scratch. The trim, flange, and pierce dies also required rework as a result. I was right in the middle of it.

Dunno about the Corvette issue (I had already left the Corvette Group at that time), but I'd guess it was related to the lost units resulting from the April-May-June strike.

[Terry M.]

Re: 1969 door jam labels

We can all guess & speculate. And some of that may be correct, but I am puzzled by the lack of public explanation in any automotive publication that I have come across. Even The Wall Street Journal, which at the time published weekly production totals from ALL the automotive assembly plants, was silent on the model year extension. The silence is deafening

[Terry M.]

Re: 1969 door jam labels

Terry -
Dunno about the Corvette issue (I had already left the Corvette Group at that time), but I'd guess it was related to the lost units resulting from the April-May-June strike.

Good to hear about the Camaro reason, although as you know that is not my prime interest. You really caught the tough challenges. The 1968 Corvette Convertible – Coupe issue, and then the Camaro quarter panel situation. Whose Wheaties did you foul to get all those plumb assignments?

"Lost units" meaning lost sales. I understand there were orders backed up for the same reason, but as I said below -- what really puzzles me is there is no publicly announced reason given. There was a press release that simply stated that 1969 production of Camaro and Corvette would continue. End of story. Even the press release was not widely covered by the automotive press, and I have yet to see anything anywhere stating why. That is probably my Holy Grail -- if you find it you can post it at my funeral.