Spotting a fake '67 trim tag
 

For those of you who have actually seen a fake '67 Camaro trim tag...are there any discernable differences outside of the obvious things like font size and body number etc. that would help me recognize a reproduction trim tag? I'm referring to things like tag shape, stamping markings, size, gauge of metal, etc. Thanks in advance [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img]

Re: Spotting a fake '67 trim tag
 

VIN and build date on the trim tag should match up. go to VIN table on the below link.

http://holisticpage.com/camaro/goodies_fs.htm

Re: Spotting a fake '67 trim tag
 

I dont know about 67 and 68 VIN start dates, but you can take that 1969 Norwood and VanNuys list and throw it out. The VINs are off by quite a bit. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/no.gif[/img] I dont know how old that list is or who compiled the info but it's wrong. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif[/img]

Re: Spotting a fake '67 trim tag
 

I believe the new tags are stamped crisper, easier to read. If put side by side, i think the difference would be clear. But i have only seen one new tag. Roger

Re: Spotting a fake '67 trim tag
 

Here's my idea for how to tell a new cowl tag. Since there's only a couple of places that do cowl tag reproductions, call them both and ask them if they made the one you're looking at. Chances are they keep records and it's probably best for them legitimacy-wise to be aboveboard with their past dealings.

Oh, and here's the 67 VIN list by month and plant:

http://www.67z28.net/images/67VINS.gif

Re: Spotting a fake '67 trim tag
 

Good info Denis....thanks.

I've actually seen a 'wrong' trim tag attached to a otherwise 'correct' 67 firewall. The attaching rivets were the dead give-away. Bogus all the way!

Re: Spotting a fake '67 trim tag
 

Thanks guys, I appreciate the info. Another fellow told me to go to www.trimtags.com and compare their samples to an original. Luckily, I have a spare tag off of a car I scrapped a few years ago, so I think I'll bring this with me from now on when I go to look at a car [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img]

Re: Spotting a fake '67 trim tag
 

Those month ending VIN numbers are the VIN reported by GM in their end of month shipping paperwork. Essentially they are the highest VIN of the cars in the lot ready for shipping at mid night on the last day of each month. They are an instantaneous snapshot in time used to track production at the plants. I believe the list originally came from Colvin. The problem comes into play when comparing those VINs to trim tag codes. a Camaro took roughly 5 days to progress from a pile of body stampings to a completed car, so while a car with a VIN of 637016 might be sitting in the lot on April 31st 1969, it probably has a Cowl Tag of 04D, possibly 04C because it started through Fisher 5 days prior, and there is still 5 days worth of production coming down the line with April Trim tags on them (roughly 4000 cars). 67/68's are a little more straight forward because the the body numbers are fairly sequential to the VIN numbers, unlike the 69's which correspond to an order number that could have been assigned weeks before the build was scheduled.

Re: Spotting a fake '67 trim tag
 

Here is a 67 Camaro trim tag from www.trimtag.com's website:

http://www.trimtags.com/67camaro.jpg

I'm pretty sure their "7" is wider than that used on original tags. I don't have as clear a photo of an original tag to compare with but that's the way it looks to me.