Northwest Nova

Introduction

Right out of the gate, yes, this number is present in all 1962 - 79 Chevy II / Nova VIN codes. There are ample VIN "decoders" out there on the 'Net, so we are not going to rehash identifying this number in a VIN. Just be aware that yes, this number is present in your vehicle's VIN and its meaning is the same as we present here. Now onto business...

If you ever browse original GM references, such as service or body manuals, you will often see the cars referenced by number codes, not by their common names such as "Nova" or "Chevy II". These codes are normally a sequence of two to five seemingly random numbers that make no sense and are sparsely defined. Real examples straight out of a GM service manual are, "Fits all except `4067`" or "Front Door Ventilator Assembly `37` and `67` Styles". Well what the heck is "4067" or style "37"? Let's first define what these numbers are then we will go over how they are applied to the Chevy II.

What Are These Numbers?

GM referred to these numeric codes as Body Style or Body Series Numbers. They were used to define the vehicle's make, model (series) and body style. Sometimes one can also infer the engine type (L4, L6 or V8), but that is not an absolute. The codes were applied to all GM passenger cars with some variation through the 1960s & '70s. General patterns or "rules of thumb" can be deduced, such as "37" normally indicates a 2-door coupe or "118" is 1965 - 67 V8 equipped Nova Super Sport.

There were three main versions of these codes used with the Chevy II—the three digit 1962 - 64 version, the 1965 - 71 five digit sequence and the revised 1972 - 79 five digit sequence. These revisions also corresponded with a change in the data presention on the cowl tag and VIN.

WARNING: these number codes can be condensed in the later GM parts books leaving detail out or actually being flat out wrong. We have sourced the following information from the specific model year books whenever possible.

GM Terminology Review

GM used multiple terms for the same subject (i.e. model) and often interchangeably with different subjects (entire car vs. individual car part). Which terms were used also varied through the years. One book will call it a Body Series Number, another book a Body Style Number. Same goes for Body Style Suffix vs. Body Type Suffix. It can often lead to confusion. Here we provide general definitions of key terms you will run into the most.

• Body Style (Series) Number – the style group number plus the body style suffix. The number you find in your VIN. Also called the Body Series Number in some 1970s books.
  
• Body Style – what the car physically is, a convertible, wagon, 4-door, etc.
  
• Body Style (Type) Suffix – two digit numeric code that identifies the body style.
  
• Style Group – what the hobby normally refers to as "model" – 100 Series, Super Sport, Custom, etc. Used with the 1962 - 71 Chevy Nova it refers to both the model and engine type (L4, L6, V8). This is the infamous "118" number people throw around which translates to V8 Super Sport.
  
• Series – basically the same as style group above. Usually this term is not used with an engine in mind. The 1962 - 67 Chevy II had the 100, 300, 400 & SS series (there was not a 200 series). For all practical purposes the use of "Series" was dropped in 1968 when everything became a "Nova".
  
• Coupe – what the hobby refers to as a "hardtop".
  
• Sedan – what the hobby refers to as a "post". 4-doors are also a sedan.

Body Style Number Examples

Here we will provide examples of the three different Body Style Number formats GM used, breaking out their component parts and how they apply to the Nova. We will then dissect each year or period for when the codes were unique or model changes occurred impacting the codes.

This period has the most changes and abnormalities of the three versions. With changes each model year, GM seemed to still be trying to figure out what they were doing with the Chevy II. As an example, GM redid the RPO code system going into the 1963 model year. We have an article on that.

EXAMPLE 

Our vehicle is a 1962 with VIN 20445W100001 and a corresponding body style number 0445. This indicates a Chevy II 300 Series or "Deluxe", 3-seat 9-passenger station wagon with the inline six cylinder engine.

To add another layer of complexity, in this period GM also used a four digit body style number, prepending a "0" to the number, i.e. "0345" instead of "345". This fourth digit probably had significance to some process or other vehicle line, it does not seem to impact the decoding of a Chevy II. You will see the leading "0" in the VIN number.

1962 Body Style Numbers & Series

In this year one can determine both the engine type AND displacement by these codes, since there were only two engines available—the 153 L4 & 194 L6.

Key Items

 Two and four door sedan body style numbering is screwy in 1962, with four codes for two body styles—one code for each body style AND one code for each related series, not just a code for each sedan body style. The 400 Series sedans were introduced months AFTER model year production had begun, so these body style number codes were apparently not planned for and added after the fact. They do not match the existing numbering convention. The logical "411" and "469" numbers were already being used for 300 Series sedan models, so GM added two new body style numbers "41" and "49", thus creating body style numbers that indicated model series as well as body style. Confused? So was GM...

 There WAS NOT a "Super Sport" model option in 1962 (your friends are wrong).

 There WAS NOT a factory V8 option in 1962 (this apparently cannot be stated enough).

 What models and body styles the 153 inline 4 engine was actually installed in is a grey area. Style group codes do not exist for 4 cyl 400 Series models, indicating the 153 L4 was NOT available. However examples of "thought to be original" L4 400 Series cars do exist. Oddly they have all been Canadian market cars. Conversely, style group codes do exist for inline 4 wagons (135 & 345), but there is debate on whether L4 wagons of any series were actually produced. The general consensus is they were not and we have never seen one. However, GM went to the trouble of creating the model codes AND add them to period literature, so it is plausible.

Engine	100 Series	300 Series	400 Series
4-cylinder	111 | 135 | 169	311 | 345 | 369	---
6-cylinder	211 | 235 | 269	411 | 445 | 469	435 | 437 | 441 | 449 | 467

 

1963 Body Style Numbers & Series

In this year one can determine both the engine type AND displacement by these codes, since there were only two engines available—the 153 L4 & 194 L6.

Key Items

 The Nova "Super Sport" model debuted with the 2-door coupe (437) and convertible (467) body styles ONLY. It did not have a unique style group (model) code, instead using the 400 Series one. The SS package can be identified by an "X" or "Z" in the Acc. portion of the cowl tag (this may not be an absolute).

 The Nova "400 Series" 2-door sedan was removed from the model lineup. The 4-door sedan still had two body style suffix codes.

 There WAS NOT a factory V8 option in 1963 (your friends are still wrong).

Engine	100 Series	300 Series	400 Series
4-cylinder	111 | 135 | 169	311 | 345 | 369	---
6-cylinder	211 | 235 | 269	411 | 445 | 469	435 | 437* | 449 | 467*

* Body styles that could be ordered (upgraded) as Super Sport models.

 

1964 Body Style Numbers & Series

The Chevy II body style number in this year is defined by the body style, style group and engine type.  In this year one can determine the engine type, not displacement, by these codes.

Key Items

 A revised cowl tag design was implemented that was used through 1967. Minor changes were made to how the data was presented.

 The sport coupe body style (37) was not available at the beginning of the model year. When exactly is was brought back is currently TBD, but our research points to around December 1963.

 The convertible body style (67) was permanently dropped.

 The Super Sport option was not available at the beginning of the model year. It was reintroduced later in model year production, probably the same time as the sport coupe (37), and given a unique body style suffix "47". This number was used in 1964 ONLY!

 The Chevy II 300 "Deluxe" Series was dropped, along with it the 9 passenger wagon. Neither would return.

 The Nova 400 Series 2-door sedan (411) returned to the model lineup for one final year.

 The 283 V8 debuted in this year, it did not get a corresponding model number.

 The 153 CID L4 motor was not available in US market 400 Series models. Canadian examples are not known to exist by this point. Probably no L4 wagons of any type either.

Engine	100 Series	400 Series	Super Sport
4-cylinder	111 | 169	---	---
6-cylinder	211 | 235 | 269	411 | 435 | 437 | 469	447

At this point the numbers finally become standardized across both production years and other GM vehicles. There tends not to be model numbers added after the fact, engine types without codes or conflicting model / engine designations. The general numbering convention introduced in 1965 will stay in use through the classic Nova's last year of production in 1979.

It is worth mentioning that starting in 1965 and the implementation of V8 specific model codes, there are numerous instances where the cowl tag states a V8 model for a in reality non-V8 car. Fisher Body not knowing what engine the vehicle was to receive, would stamp the cowl tag as a V8 model, why we have never seen explained. This will not match the VIN tag, which is the authoritative source for the engine type the vehicle was born with. Go by the VIN for engine type ID, NOT the cowl tag.

EXAMPLE 

Our example vehicle is a 1965 with VIN 114115N100001 and a corresponding body style number 11411. This indicates a Chevy II 100 Series, 2-door sedan with a V8 engine (not which V8 engine, very important!).

1965 – 67 Body Style Numbers & Series

GM revised the overall model identification numbering convention, as well as the cowl tag, standardizing things with other vehicles.  In this period one can determine the engine type, not displacement. All the various V8 motors were lumped into model specific codes. You cannot discern through the codes which V8 engine was originally ordered with the vehicle. This has led to endless shenanigans over the years with fake cars and clones, especially with L79s. As the saying goes, there are more L79s on the road today than GM ever built.

Key Items

 Super Sports finally received their own model code, as did V8 cars.

 As stated previously, there are original L6 cars stamped "118" on the cowl tag. The cowl tag is not the authoritative source for this particular code.

 The hi performance 327 V8 debuted in 1965, but it did not get a corresponding model number nor would it. These codes cannot identify a hi performance 283 / 327 application.

 The Nova 400 Series 2-door sedan was dropped permanently from the model lineup in 1965.

 Only 100 Series sedans had a 153 CID 4 cylinder model code in these years.

Engine	100 Series	400 Series	Super Sport
4-cylinder	11111 | 11169	---	---
6-cylinder	11311 | 11335 | 11369	11535 | 11537 | 11569	11737
8-cylinder	11411 | 11435 | 11469	11635 | 11637 | 11669	11837

 

1968 – 71 Body Style Numbers & Series

Body style number changes occurred in this period due to the dropping of both models and body styles, including eventually the "Chevy II" name. The "Series" designation for models disappeared and everything was now a "Nova". This is why we go from seven body style codes in 1967 to three in 1968. Beyond this major change, the codes remain quite similar to the 1965 - 67 codes and the same across Chevrolet passenger cars. These codes continue to designate engine type, not displacement.

EXAMPLE 

Our example vehicle is a 1969 with VIN 114699W100001 and a corresponding body style number 11469. This indicates a Chevy Nova 4-door sedan with a V8 engine (not which V8 engine).

Key Items

 Car platform designations using the familiar letters (A, F, X) became widely used in the GM books.

 For 1968 the cars were known as Chevy II Nova. The "Chevy II" model and moniker was permanently dropped after the 1968 production year. All cars then became "Nova".

 The wagon and "pillarless" 2-door coupe were permanently discontinued. All 2-doors now had the B-pillar post (a.k.a. sedans), but were still called coupes.

 The Super Sport LOSES its unique model identifier code. Translated, the VIN and body style code will NOT indicate if the car was ordered with the SS package. This has led to countless fake Super Sports (often only having the emblems).

 The big block V8 debuted in 1968 and would run through 1970. Like the 327 previously, it did not receive a unique style or model code.

 The inline four cylinder engine was discontinued after the 1970 production year and related style group codes discontinued.

 The Nova "Custom" model was introduced but did not receive a unique body style number, it can be thought of as an option package.

 The Acadian used a body style number starting with a "7" for the "70000" GM Canada division code.

Engine	Nova	Nova Super Sport
4-cylinder	11127 | 11169	---
6-cylinder	11327 | 11369	11327
8-cylinder	11427 | 11469	11427

The final model and body style code changes for the Nova occurred in this period. The body style (type) field was changed to reflect the vehicles platform—"X" for the Nova. Engines now got a dedicated identifier code as the 5th character in the VIN. Engine is no longer reflected in the body style number.

EXAMPLE 

Our vehicle is a 1975 with VIN 1XY17DL100001 and a corresponding body style number 1XY17. This indicates a Chevrolet Nova Custom Hatchback.

Key Items

 The hatchback body style is introduced in 1973.

 Starting in 1972 the specific "born with" engine displacement can be determined by the 5th character of the VIN.

 The Nova "Custom" received its own series code.

 The Super Sport and LN models did not receive unique identifiers and can be thought of as an option packages.

 

A note about our data. This information has been compiled directly from period General Motors literature and references; not taken from 3rd party manuals or random websites.The key component of our ongoing resource project is presenting data from GM source material.  The goal is to provide the Chevy II owner with the proper information for the maintenance and repair of their vehicle.