Special L78 Nova Code Under the Heater Core Cover?

[92646]

Somebody called and was asking questions about my 1970 L78 Nova that I have for sale. He asked if I had seen the special 3-digit code that was stamped on the firewall under the heater core cover. I thought he was talking about one of the hidden VINs but he said there was a specific code for a L78 Nova in addition to the VIN stamp. This was news to me has anybody else heard of this code? If so I know what I will be doing this week end.
Mark Sheppard

[L78steve]

I have the same car and I never heard of nor seen this code.
I also parted a 70 L/78 Nova out and didn't see anything on that car either. Of coarse the heater box and core are different then SB. He must be getting his info off ebay.

[WILMASBOYL78]

I would check with Greg Roberts at the Nova Research Project...he is really up on this kind of stuff. Personally, I have never heard of such a code...there were engine codes occasionally written in grease crayon on the firewall near the heater box. Perhaps that is what they are referring to...our 70 fathom blue car had VL78 written on the firewall.

wilma

http://www.yenko.net/attachments/427732-MVC-875F.JPG

[JRSully]

My 70 Fathom blue L78 also had VL78 in grease pencil on the firewall

[Nova Research Project]

If there was a stamping on the firewall under the heater box it was the partial part number / date code of the sheet metal. It has nothing to do with the engine or options.

The paint stick codes were generally applied to the firewall or top of the cowl. However many times were were not applied. Depended on the guys on the line. They could call out the options codes or something someone wanted note.

So neither would be a sure fire clue to engine installed in the car.

BTW there is a V78 box on the fisher body broadcast sheet. However I have never seen it checked.

Greg

[CDNL-78]

Have any of these codes been found on the 69's ?? Your discussion is about 70's, but though I'd check. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[WILMASBOYL78]

On the cowl of our 69 Cortez Silver L78 there was A69....this was a January 69 built vehicle. Perhaps it was for black interior with the silver paint(69) or for Jan/69...I am inclined to think it's the colors.

wilma

[m22mike]

Tom
Grady's Burgandy 69 Nova had "A67" on the fire wall.
#67 pnt code for Burgandy

[bkhpah]

Both Joe's DANA and my 69 Yenko Nova had LARGE VT in the center...Vinyl Top would be my thoughts...I never saw any special Sheetmetel codes, but I have a Canadian 69 375 on the rotisserie right now..I can give it a good look..BKH

[JRSully]

The marks that were on both my 70 L78 Fathom Blue Nova and Wilma's were probably VT28 (sloppily written, 2 may look a 7) instead of 78. This would indicate Fathom blue paint with vinyl top which his car and mine both have. Makes sense seeing that a few other cars here have indicated the paint code in those markings.

[ORIGLS6]

Since there's nothing to indicate what color vinyl covering the roof got, can we assume the VT just means "don't paint the roof"? http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

I'm inclined to agree with Sully on the VT28, very rare to have the engine code of L78 written on the f/wall - this space was primarily reserved for body/interior specific stuff, not drivetrain. I know the Camaro's are different, but the W.Run Novas are pretty consistent.

I have wet sanded the f/wall of my '69 and what I thought might be a sloppy L 78 appears to really be a larger 'A' and a '79' instead. This makes sense since the car has a black interior and a paint code of '79'.

[WILMASBOYL78]

[ QUOTE ]
The marks that were on both my 70 L78 Fathom Blue Nova and Wilma's were probably VT28 (sloppily written, 2 may look a 7) instead of 78. This would indicate Fathom blue paint with vinyl top which his car and mine both have. Makes sense seeing that a few other cars here have indicated the paint code in those markings.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't agree with that theory...the lettering was very clear on the blue car. For this theory to be correct 2 of the letters/numbers would have to be wrong.

wilma

[Mr70]

Tom
Do you have any original as found pics of your firewall showing this code?..isn't this newly done?
Could it actually be VT28,and was transpired incorrectly?

http://www.yenko.net/attachments/427732-MVC-875F.JPG

[WILMASBOYL78]

I will look for the original pics. As for paint codes on the firewall...it is my understanding those codes were written on the bare firewall prior to the body color being applied. The firewall was painted after the body...so it would make sense that you would have to sand off the black paint to see the original markings. I checked with Wayne and the markings on our car were on top of the firewall paint. Perhaps others have different ideas....

wilma

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Mine are indeed under the paint. Regardless, these markings were usually crudely and quickly written and can be easily misinterpreted. I was thrilled to see what appeared to be an L 78, but knowing that the f/wall markings are very consistently that of the trim tag kept sanding. Alas, it was the A 79 codes, not L 78. I will have to look harder for the V code since the car has a v/t.

[Nova Research Project]

Do not go crazy trying to analyze these codes. The codes are indeed random. Most had Upper/Lower paint code plus interior paint code on the firewall. (e.g. 50M of 10A) However there were many other things written there (or not)

1. Paint codes on body-in-white before the paint.
2. Paint codes over paint but under firewall blackout. As this was paint crayon it usually bled and the firewall black flaked off to reveal it.
3. GMAD might have wrote a rejection code on the firewall black which sent the body back to Fisher. Sometimes for no reason at all.
4. Option codes written by GMAD like L78 for AC or anything else.
5. GMAD order of build Sequence numbers (1-3 digits)These were also on the frame, inner fenders, and hood but never seen as they were wiped of during dealer prep.
6. Simple numbers like 8 to indicate base 307
7. Messages to other workers like when to take lunch.
8. Dealer stock codes or other dealer related info.

Just take what you find and replace them. I do not recommend adding them if they were not there.

Greg

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Greg is correct, they wrote all kinds of stuff on these cars - somebody actually has 'CAT' written with spray foam in the trunk of his '69 Nova SS! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

[jasonL78]

This is a picture of a 68 nova that I am going to restore. You can see the marker bleeding through the black. It is a Butter Nut Yellow car with black vinyl top. I have a picture on my computer but I just can't find it, my 68 L78 nova had what looked like a 2VV on the firewall.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d189/jasonchale/0037.jpg

[JRSully]

here is a shot of the firewall crayon markings after I started blasting the firewall on the 70 L78 Fathom Blue, tough to see, definitely a V and either 78 or 28, remember it being more like a 7 than a 2.

[Salvatore]

[ QUOTE ]
Greg is correct, they wrote all kinds of stuff on these cars - somebody actually has 'CAT' written with spray foam in the trunk of his '69 Nova SS! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

[/ QUOTE ]Hey, I know that car! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif