Decode my 78 Malibu

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Ernest

G-Body Guru
Apr 28, 2016
720
963
93
Texas
I recently went hunting for the cowl tag info myself only because i wanted to find the paint code to fix some minor imperfections in the paint, mine looks to match the original "LIGHT BLUE METALLIC(22)" paint.

As im sure with any 40+ year old car, it wont matter much because things(interor/body paint/parts) have changed though prior hands unless you happen to be extremely lucky(rare) and bought the car from the original owner thats completely original and unmolested.

Im somewhat perplexed(not that i'll lose any sleep over), the cowl tag looks to have been removed prior(why, i havent a clue), it had socket score marks on the mounting screw heads, but i did take it off myself so i could read the info on it as it was hard to read completely with it mounted in place.

So upon further decoding, information stamped on the plate doesnt quite jive going by what the car has, like "A52"(bench seat), full bench, not a 50/50 bench like mine where both driver and passenger backs fold forward equal in size, "24D"(cloth), my front and rear seats are vinyl and should be light blue, but the entire interior is dark blue, right color, but different shade. Finally, the "22L"(lower body paint) and "22T"(vinyl roof), no sign of it ever being a vinyl roof, again, my car is currently painted what seems to match the factory light blue metallic(22), inside the door jams and trunk lid, all perfectly match the exterior.

I cannot fathom why GM did away with riveting the plate to the cowl in the past to using self tapping screws, it can be removed for whatever purpose or swapped onto another like vehicle if someone felt malicious enough, i dunno. Oh, and the dash emblem on the passenger side next to the far AC vent says "Monte Carlo", so i guess the dash, along with the rest of the interior got swapped in with a much cleaner one. Dont get me wrong, im as giddy as a pair of spanx holding on tightly for dear life to a super fine girl's buttox to be owning this fine piece of machinery, im not at all concerned that its not all original because of its age, but this is just from a curiousity stand point. Its mine now, so i can change whatever i want, but it looks great, complete as its going to get for now, and thats all that matters. The rest of the info looks good, but if someone cares to chime in, feel free, and to correct me if im wrong with any of this.

Tag Info...
79 074 1AW27 K 225460
24D 22L 22T L
A52 03 0331
 

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pagrunt

Geezer
Sep 14, 2014
9,127
15,257
113
Elderton, Pa
Thats a '79 Fisher plate ("79" in the upper left corner denotes year built), tail lights not '78 lights as they would be angled at the quarter panel, dash pad is a '81 up one with a mid '80's wood grain trim panel.
 
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scoti

Royal Smart Person
Sep 5, 2019
1,959
3,365
113
Texas
I recently went hunting for the cowl tag info myself only because i wanted to find the paint code to fix some minor imperfections in the paint, mine looks to match the original "LIGHT BLUE METALLIC(22)" paint.

As im sure with any 40+ year old car, it wont matter much because things(interor/body paint/parts) have changed though prior hands unless you happen to be extremely lucky(rare) and bought the car from the original owner thats completely original and unmolested.

Im somewhat perplexed(not that i'll lose any sleep over), the cowl tag looks to have been removed prior(why, i havent a clue), it had socket score marks on the mounting screw heads, but i did take it off myself so i could read the info on it as it was hard to read completely with it mounted in place.

So upon further decoding, information stamped on the plate doesnt quite jive going by what the car has, like "A52"(bench seat), full bench, not a 50/50 bench like mine where both driver and passenger backs fold forward equal in size, "24D"(cloth), my front and rear seats are vinyl and should be light blue, but the entire interior is dark blue, right color, but different shade. Finally, the "22L"(lower body paint) and "22T"(vinyl roof), no sign of it ever being a vinyl roof, again, my car is currently painted what seems to match the factory light blue metallic(22), inside the door jams and trunk lid, all perfectly match the exterior.

I cannot fathom why GM did away with riveting the plate to the cowl in the past to using self tapping screws, it can be removed for whatever purpose or swapped onto another like vehicle if someone felt malicious enough, i dunno. Oh, and the dash emblem on the passenger side next to the far AC vent says "Monte Carlo", so i guess the dash, along with the rest of the interior got swapped in with a much cleaner one. Dont get me wrong, im as giddy as a pair of spanx holding on tightly for dear life to a super fine girl's buttox to be owning this fine piece of machinery, im not at all concerned that its not all original because of its age, but this is just from a curiousity stand point. Its mine now, so i can change whatever i want, but it looks great, complete as its going to get for now, and thats all that matters. The rest of the info looks good, but if someone cares to chime in, feel free, and to correct me if im wrong with any of this.

Tag Info...
79 074 1AW27 K 225460
24D 22L 22T L
A52 03 0331
That car has definitely had changes within the interior. Clean car BTW :cool: (y)
 
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Reactions: 1 user

Ernest

G-Body Guru
Apr 28, 2016
720
963
93
Texas
Thanks for the input(pagrunt) and compliment(scoti).

The last owner of this car only had it for just over 4yrs and hadnt done anything to it but replaced the dizzy(it went bad), he bought it from some used car lot in New Braunfels, TX, i actually saw it in craigslist at the time, but didnt have the cash then to buy it.

In my haste, i didnt write down nor did i take a picture of the name that was stamped on the old title before handing it over to the title renewal place, or else i could have called them, granted if they were still around and see if it was someone there that did the change over and why, so its off to do a search for every used car lot in NB to see if any of them ring a bell.
 
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