5.0L 305 V8 engine owners!

[92turbogtz]

Have you ever had the drivers side door panel off? That's where I found my build sheet.
my number ends 552578.Does that mean 92turbogtz's car was 21,390 units after mine? How many days is that?

I've had the drivers door panel off in the past to repair the lock and door handles. I dont recall seeing any build sheet in the door panel. I will take a pic of the trim tag and post it tomorrow.

[patrick1151]

passenger side door panel is another hiding place.

[marco_1978_spyder]

It should also be behind the passenger side seat back, if your sunbird seats came with the plastic backing. -most did in '78.

[marco_1978_spyder]

All though I bought my bird brand new in 78, I don't have the build sheet and I don't know where my trim tag is located, but the serial # is 2 MO7U 8U573968 if that's helpful.

Have you ever had the drivers side door panel off? That's where I found my build sheet.
my number ends 552578.Does that mean 92turbogtz's car was 21,390 units after mine? How many days is that?

Probably a month later. The trim tag or buildsheet will tell you exactly.

I have a buildsheet from an identical looking black Formula, but it was a V6 5speed. That one was 562723.

It was build close to my white Formula 550620, probably the same week.

I also have a trim tag from another 78 sunbird, 549374. This one was a turquoise (#48) coupe with a Tan vinyl top.

[92turbogtz]

Alrighty. Here's a pic of my trim tag.



so what's the lowdown?

[marco_1978_spyder]

Cool, its a real formula '66'

Final assembly occurred on the 217th production cycle day. Which was during the 3rd week of July 1978.
(thats interesting info- V8's were installed in sunbirds all through the year, not just through a certain period, which has been previously assumed since only 129 total were said to have been installed).

Somethings a little different about your 'big 4' interior items....I've never seen a 'B' right after the 19X...
Did yours come with a full size spare? Or the Pontiac 'Deluxe' interior? (shaggy carpet)

Big 4 is the Carpet's and Dashboard.

[fyrftr50]

That is unique, the X is standard for Big 4 but the B is an oddity. I only have found a few (2 or 3) B codes for interior colours and they just state tan cloth, etc, nothing descriptive. Must have something to do with the original colour, you could be onto something marco, because I do recall the full-sized spare tire having an interior coloured carpetting cover over it? They came with a shaggy carpet (what a poor choice for an interior carpet style though, imagine how that traps dirt, grease, salt, etc, etc), WOW, that is straight out of the 70's lol, I had it in my TV room growing up, holy shag batman.

[Monzsta]

My VIN also has a "U" in the fifth digit.

1978 Chevy Monza Hatch, single round headlights, 5.0, 4 speed, 3.08 posi from the factory.

[marco_1978_spyder]

Yeah, sunbirds had this 'deluxe' interior option, and the carpet wasnt the standard cut pile.

It was indeed shaggy. not a real thick obvious shag, but a little more funky than the standard version.
(I like to proclain, we're shaggin' baby yeah! every time I see it.)

That may have been it.

The full size spare would have also used a different carpet with a cut in it to access the attaching point underneath.

Maybe that too.

[marco_1978_spyder]

My VIN also has a "U" in the fifth digit.

1978 Chevy Monza Hatch, single round headlights, 5.0, 4 speed, 3.08 posi from the factory.

Hey Monsta, post the trim tag..

[92turbogtz]

Somethings a little different about your 'big 4' interior items....I've never seen a 'B' right after the 19X...
Did yours come with a full size spare? Or the Pontiac 'Deluxe' interior? (shaggy carpet)

Big 4 is the Carpet's and Dashboard.

The spare was just one of those funky space saver types that came with a canister of air. It had a carpeted cover, but I don't think it's "shag". I'll have to take a closer look. Nothing special about the dash other than the plastic "wood" trim, factory tach and crappy looking stock steering wheel which I replaced. It also has a factory sunroof.

[Monzsta]

My VIN also has a "U" in the fifth digit.

1978 Chevy Monza Hatch, single round headlights, 5.0, 4 speed, 3.08 posi from the factory.

Hey Monsta, post the trim tag..

ST 78 1HMO7 U 132772 BDY
TR 62Y A51 48L 48U PNT
11C. 62X. 64-9030
120574

[marco_1978_spyder]

Hey cool, I owned a car built right up the line from yours monzsta, on day 64. 11-18-77.

Mine was a 2+2 also a V8. It was 121025...some 451 monza's away from yours.

Yours was in line at 9030, mine was 935 units later in line at 9965

My body # was 141838 9066 bodies after yours.

[92turbogtz]

So I found the build sheet in the back of the passenger seat like Marco suggested. It's in pretty rough shape with rust marks all over it and it came out in two pieces. I managed to tape it back together and scanned it at 1200dpi. It's a huge file so you'll have to download it to view it.

Right click / save target as:

http://members.shaw.ca/alex.m.s/buildsheet.jpg

It's quite interesting.

[SunbirdMan]

Marco and I have discussed the meaning of the the article that says there were 63 1978 v8 notchback sunbirds and 66 1978 v8 hatchbacks. I believe it is only talking about v8 manual transmissions. Regardless, yours would be in the "only 66 made" category. Add a Vista Vent and Formula package and you got to have the rarest Sunbird on the planet. Like mine you also have the large anti-swaybars.(but yours doesn't have all the cool California emissions stuff)
Marco is probably sacked out for the night.He's going to get a kick out of your buildsheet when he has his morning coffee.