I used my car for an example because it falls in the middle of the 50s plus its my car and I am doing research on it anyway. You will find that many of the number sequencing on the body number plate will be the same or similar for most Cadillacs 52-57. This information is from the Catalog of American Car ID Numbers 1950-1959. This is a great book that has been out of print for some time. The information is otherwise difficult to come by. I would be glad to help if someone needs to ID other American cars made in the 50s. VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER # 5662999999 Located on a plate on the flat machined surface of a boss, cast on the right front face of the block, also on the right-hand frame bar just behind the engine support bracket, and on a lubrication plate attached to the left front body pillar. On coupe styles the lubrication plate is located on the left door lock pillar. FIRST AND SECOND DIGITS: Identify the model year (1956) THIRD AND FOURTH DIGITS: Identify the series SERIES WHEEL BASE CODE 60s .......... 133 ..60 62 . ...........129 .. ..62 75 ..........150 .. ............................75 86 Commercial Chassis .158 ... ..86 LAST SIX DIGITS: Represent the basic production sequence BODY NUMBER PLATE Located on the right side of the cowl, under the hood, just above the battery. CADILLAC MOTOR DIVISION GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION DETROIT, MICHIGAN STYLE NO. 56-6239DX BODY NO. FW42563 TRIM NO. 42 s PAINT NO. 26-90 TOP oo ACC oo PH EXAMPLE: 56 Model Year (1956) 62 Series 62 6239DX Deluxe Sedan DeVille, 4dr. FW42563 .Production Sequence 42 .Blue 26-90 .Cobalt Blue / Alpine White THE STYLE NUMBER Indicates the series and model type. SERIES 60S Body Type STYLE Fleetwood Sedan, 4-dr. ..*6019X SERIES 62 BODY TYPE STYLE Sedan, 4-dr. 6219 Coupe, 2-dr. . 6237 Deluxe Coupe DeVille, 2-dr. .. *6237DX Eldorado Seville DeVille, 4-dr. .. *6237SDX Deluxe Sedan DeVille, 4-dr. . *6239DX Convertible coupe, 2-dr. *6267X Eldorado Biarritz Special Sport convertible, 2-dr. .. *6267SX SERIES 75 BODY TYPE STYLE Fleetwood sedan, 4-dr. *7523X Fleetwood Imperial sedan, 4-dr. .. *7533X SERIES 86 BODY TYPE STYLE Commercial chassis .. 8680S *With hydraulic window lifts THE BODY NUMBER is the production serial number of the body. The prefix denotes the plant in which the body was assembled. THE ASSEMBLY PLANT CODE indicates the plant where the vehicle was assembled. No assembly plant codes were available. THE TRIM CODE indicates the key to the trim color and material for each model series. SERIES 62 COLOR..................CLOTH.............LEATHER..............CODE Black.................................................X......................11 Black/White ........................................X......................10 Blue/White..........................................X......................12 Blue...................................................X......................13,73 Green /White.......................................X......................16 Green ................................................X......................17 Red/White..........................................X......................18 Red...................................................X......................19 Gray/Gray...........................................X......................71 Brown/Beige........................................X......................75 Black/White .........X..............................X......................20,41,50 Black..................X..............................X......................21 Black/Blue...........X..............................X......................43 Black/Yellow........X..............................X......................45 Black/Green .........X..............................X......................47 Black/Pink............X..............................X......................49 Blue/White...........X..............................X......................22 Blue....................X..............................X......................42,42A,42B Blue....................X..............................X......................53,73 Turquoise/Black.....X..............................X......................23 Beige...................X..............................X......................25,54 Green/White..........X..............................X......................26,57 Green ..................X..............................X......................46,77 Red/White.............X..............................X......................28,48,58 Red......................X..............................X......................29 Gray/White............X..............................X......................40 Gold/White.............X..............................X......................44 Gray/Gray..............X..............................X......................51 Gray/Gray..............X......................................................30 Gray/White.............X......................................................31 Blue/Blue................X......................................................32 Blue/White..............X......................................................33 Beige/Beige.............X......................................................34 Green/Green............X......................................................36 Green/White............X......................................................37 SERIES 60S COLOR..............CLOTH................LEATHER..................CODE Gray/Gray...........X.....................................................60,61 Blue/Blue............X.....................................................62,63 Beige/Beige.........X......................................................64,65,95 Green/Green........X......................................................66,67 Gray/White..........X............................X........................70 Blue/Blue.............X............................X........................72 Gold/White...........X............................X........................74 Green/Green.........X............................X........................76 Gray.................................................X........................78 Brown/Beige.......................................X........................79 SERIES 75 COLOR.............CLOTH.................................................CODE Gray/Gray...........X......................................................80, 80A, 81A Gray/Gray...........X......................................................81,90 Gray/Gray...........X......................................................90A,91 Blue/Blue............X......................................................82,83 Beige/Beige.........X......................................................84A,85A Brown/Beige........X......................................................94A THE COLOR CODE indicates the paint color used on the car. Two-Tone colors: The first two digits identify the lower color, the second two digits identify the upper color. COLOR...................................................CODE Black...........................................................10 Canyon Gray.................................................12 Cascade Gray................................................14 Dawn Gray....................................................16 Camelot Gray.................................................18 Sonic Blue.....................................................20 Tahoe Blue....................................................24 Cobalt Blue....................................................26 Duchess Green...............................................30 Princess Green...............................................32 Aquamarine...................................................34 Arlington Green..............................................36 Cape Ivory....................................................40 Goddess Gold.................................................42 Pecos Beige...................................................44 Mountain Laurel..............................................46 Taupe..........................................................48 Mandan Red..................................................50 Chantilly Maroon............................................52 Alpine White..................................................90 Starlight Silver...............................................92 O.A. Starlight Silver.......................................*93 Bahama Blue..................................................94 O.A. Bahama Blue...........................................*95 Emerald Green.................................................96 O.A. Emerald Green.........................................*97 *Acrylic Paint CONVERTIBLE TOP COLORS COLOR.....................................................CODE Ivory............................................................1 Black............................................................2 Blue..............................................................3 Tan..............................................................4 Green............................................................5 ACCESSORY CODES ACCESSORY.....................................................CODE E Z eye glass......................................................E Heater...............................................................H Air conditioner (w/shelf outlet)...............................K Air conditioner (w/roof ducts)................................K2 Power lid............................................................S ELECTRIC 6-WAY CONTROL SEAT...........................V , Y Electric window lifts..............................................X ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS THE ENGINE NUMBER is located on the upper right front corner of the block. The number is the dame as the serial number. The engine unit number is located above the cast rib on the rear portion of the crankcase, behind the left hand block. SERIES ENGINE UNIT NUMBER 56-60S,62,75, w/o AC/Dual carbs 4X 56-60S,62,75, w/ AC, w/o Dual carbs 4XK 56-86, w/o AC/Dual carbs 5X 56-86, w/AC, w/o Dual carbs 5XK 56-60S, 62, w/Dual carbs, w/o AC 7X 56-60S, 62, w/Dual carbs/AC 7XK SERIES 60S ENGINE CODE NO. CYL. 8 CID 365 HORSEPOWER 285 COMP. RATIO 9.75:1 CARB 4bc SERIES 62 ENGINE CODE NO. CYL. 8 CID 365 HORSEPOWER 285 COMP. RATIO 9.75:1 CARB 4bc SERIES 62 ELDORADO ENGINE CODE NO. CYL. 8 CID 365 HORSEPOWER 305 COMP. RATIO 9.75:1 CARB 2X4bc SERIES 75 ENGINE CODE NO. CYL. 8 CID 365 HORSEPOWER 285 COMP. RATIO 9.75:1 CARB 4bc
wow...now that's a nice post !....and yes those "Standard" catologs are a great source....they did early 1900's to 1945...1946 to 1975 and 75 up....they also did one for trucks about 1900 up into the 80's....all great books to have... down here we have a place called "Half Price Books" where you can find some good stuff.... bought most of mine from a Barnes and Knoble... thanks for posting....
This is all so helpful. We are new to owning an "old" car. I do have a question: Our paint # says 42-90 Does that mean that inside was painted Goddess Gold and the top was Alpine white? This is how it reads Trim #44 Paint # 42-90 How do I also find out about what interior the car would have originally had? TYIA
Trim #44 is shown above as Gold/White for 1956 series 62. With two tone paint, the first number is the lower color, the second is the upper color. So it would be gold body with white roof.
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