The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Protect O Plate

Is there a way to decode a POP for 65 C10? The manuals I have found are for cars. Thanks!

They sell decoders online for about $25 but maybe someone has one on here.

Post a picture of the POP or copy the data here.

KWIG61 - First off, Welcome to Stovebolt!

I was unable to find any history of Protect-O-Plate decoding in Stovebolt threads of the past, but did find a couple of thing that might be of help from the web.

Below is a zoomed in view of a pic of a 1965 C10 Protect-O-Plate I found on ebay. If you squint a little, you can see the lighter shaded printing just below each of the typed character sets. The upper left is for the vehicle paint code, then upper right is the VIN. The center section is the owners name and address (at least City and State). The two lower left characters sets are the engine ID code (1 letter for the assembly plant followed by a 4 digit number which is the month and day built and the engine 2 letter ID code, followed by another letter which I'm not yet sure of what it indicates) and below that the rear axle ID code (2 letters for the axle ID code followed by the 4 digit month and day built and the single letter for the plant where the axle was built, also followed by another letter which I'm not sure what it indicates). The lower right spot is for the transmission ID code (one letter which indicates the model of transmission followed by the 4 digit month and day assembled).

I haven't yet found what the transmission letter designation indicates. Still searching on that. I have found the 1965 codes for the engine and rear axle, but will have to wait until tomorrow to add those info sources.

One added source for some details on the Protect-O-Plate decoding where found in this same subject thread in the 67-72chevytrucks.com forum.

If you post a picture of your plate or the stamped details we can take a stab at decoding it for you.

Never heard of protect o plate but are you trying to decode your truck by the vin number.

Kevin - The GM Protect-O-Plate was kinda like a coded stamped new vehicle warranty ID card. When you took your new vehicle in to the dealership for service or warranty work, the Service Manager would put that into an old card swiping machine to imprint the service paperwork. Saved them time in filling out paperwork (pre-computer) and the data from the card was used to confirm major equipment info (engines, transmissions, rear axle and paint codes) to help in searching for correct parts and materials for service/repair work. They were normally found attached to inside back cover pages of the Owners Manuals when new vehicles were handed off to customers.

I know they were used throughout GM product lines in the US, but not sure if used on GM Canadian vehicles???

PS - The card did include the VIN, but the equipment codes were not part of the VIN itself.

Thank you for the responses. Here is a picture of it.

Thanks always learning ,l have never seen one so i don’t think they were used in Canada.

Sorry to take a bit to get back to your thread KWIG61. I did some more research earlier based on your plate info, but then it was dinner time so just now getting back to it.

Here's what I gathered so far from the data on your Protect-O-Plate:

VIN = C1545S227527 - decodes as:

C = 2 Wheel Drive

15 = C10 Long Bed

4 = Pickup

5 = 1965 model year

S = St. Louis Assembly Plant

227527 = Sequential Serial Number

Paint Code = 555 - Two tone paint with primary color "Fawn" and secondary color "Off-White"

Engine = F0802WE - F = Flint Plant 0802 = 8 February build date WE = regular production 283 V8 175hp 2G carb with Powerglide Transmission

Rear Axle = HE0708W = HE = 3.73 ratio 0708 = 7 August build date W = Warren, MI Plant

Transmission = C0805 - C = Cleveland Plant Powerglide for 250" L-6 or 283" V-8 0805 = 8 May build date.

Below are some screenshots of the resources I pulled this info from, except the VIN decoding which came from this LMC resource PDF, which also includes the basic engine two letter identifier.

I think this pretty much covers your info.

That's great! I was most interested in the transmission. It has been swapped out with an overdrive unit.

Thanks for finding this information, I appreciate your help!

Thanks Gdads51 for posting this info!

Always glad to help out fellow Bolters Frank.

PS - I have a PDF copy of the original Chevrolet Service Bulletin for 1966 that I could share with you if interested. It covers your truck. Send me a PM. It's only a few electrons away.

Thank you!