[mike nixon]

3rd part

Doraville was a B-O-P controlled Plant, but Chevys were also built there at least in '64 (model production shifted from Plant to Plant as GM needed). Oldsmobiles for sure were being built at Doraville in '62.

In '64, Doraville used GMs UPC system for identifying Options on the Manifest. The UPC system was also used by the B-O-P Plant at Fremont in '64.

But in '62, Doraville continued to Code the older style 1 & 2 alpha/numeric Option codes, but the Manifests actually translated these Order codes to a 3 digit numeric code. Oldsmobile had their own set of 3 digit codes, Pontiac theirs.

I have yet to find the '62 Pontiac numeric Codes in any reference. Fortunately, they appear on the Manifest to be little changed from '64 which I do have. That helps.

The layout of the Doraville Manifest is pretty straightforward. It is even easier to translate than the '62 Manifest used at the Pontiac Plant. At the Pontiac Plant, each numbered Box had just one spot for a Code. As many as 3 Options were coded in a single Box (a 4th option would have meant the possibility of a double digit code in the Box which Pontiac intentionally avoided).

At Doraville, each Option had its own Code Box. For example, Option Codes 481, 482, and 484 are all individually coded on your Doraville Manifest. And each Code is identified in words and the corresponding old format alpha code for that option is also identified. If the code numeral is typed in the box for that option, the car was built with it. No brainer.

But at the Pontiac Plant, there is only one Box labeled 48. There is no verbiage associated with the Box and there is no old style alpha Code associated with the Box.

If the Box is Blank, the car had none of the 3 Lamp options. If there was a "1" in the Box, the car was built with only the Luggage & Utility Lamp.

If it had a "2" in the Box, it was built with only the Glove Box Lamp. A "4" meant it had only the Dome & Reading Lamp.

In order to code combinations of these 3 options, the codes were additive. A "3" meant you got "1" & "2". A "5" meant you got "1" & "4". A "6" meant you got "2" & "4". A "7" meant you got all 3 options.

The basic Doraville Manifest was organized with the Options that were listed on the Regular big Pontiac Order Form.

But you could also specify some special things such as an Axle Ratio preference or a Special Paint Color.

Now I can't tell you exactly how this was done in '62, but I assume it was done in a similar way to how it was done in '64.

In '64, these things would be ordered by handwritten instructions in a Special Instructions Box for that purpose on a separate Form called the "All Series Special Equipment Order" form. There was most likely a check off box on the Regular Order Form that indicated that a Special Equipment Order was included.

The ASSE Order Form didn't just allow you to specify axle ratios and special paint colors.

On this Form was a long list of Special Equipment Options, each with their own 3 digit numeric Order Code and presumably each that could be translated to the older alpha/numeric code format.

Some of the available Special Equipment Options included special Group options like Trailer Group option, Taxi Group option, and Police Group option.

Individual Special Equipment Options included HD Radiator, HD Frame, HD Alternator, special Tire Options, and Special Engine Options such as the Economy Engine Option.

The oldest example of an ASSE Order Form that exists to my knowledge is the '65 Form.

In '62, a whole string of Additional Options were coded in the open ****e at the end of the second line on the Doraville Manifests, where SY is typed on your Manifest. Whether these were considered Special Equipment Options or just were regular options for which there was no place for in the pre-printed portion of the Manifest, I do not know.

Where you see the SY, you find 60 typed below it. Same thing for all the other additional Codes found on the Doraville Manifest.

The numeric code is not unrelated.

What that is telling you is that the Equipment Option that is identified by SY was given a numeric Sales Code by Pontiac that would have been coded in Box 60.

Unfortunately, the 3rd digit is not given and of course they didn't bother to type out the full option description such as is conveniently pre-printed for all of the regular options.

On the Window Sticker you would find verbiage something to the effect that "Equipment & Options that are extra cost on some models are standard on this model" followed by a list of those items. For the Grand Prix, these items include Electric Clock, Bucket Seats, etc.

Even though these items are not extra cost, the Manifest has still identified them.

For instance the Bucket Seats are called out with an "*" typed in the Box for Sales Code 562, Code SZ in that Box instead of a "2" for a Model where Bucket Seats were an extra cost option.

The asterisk was used to code the inclusion while indicating at the same time that this was not an Extra Cost option to be itemized on the Window Sticker or added to the Dealer Invoice.

Doraville used the asterisks to indicate standard content options on the '62, consequently the GP shows asterisks for Sales Code 402/K Dual Speed Wipers, Sales Code 411/KK Rear Foam Cushion (most likely indicating the Rear Arm Rest), Sales Code 424/JX Instrument Panel Pad, Sales Code 461/H Deluxe Steering Wheel, Sales Code 464/DM Decor Moldings, Sales Code 511/LL Dual Exhaust, Sales Code 562/SZ Bucket Seats, Sales Code 572/QC Spare Wheel & Tire Cover, and Sales Code 604/M Electric Clock. And of course, Sales Code 601/SY Floor Console with Tach that was the subject of the study.

In the '62 GP, the Tach was mounted to the Top Front Molding of the Floor Console and apparently used with the Man Trans and Auto Trans applications.

This is anticlimatic, but I do believe the Equipment Option identified on your Doraville Manifest by Code SY/60 is the Floor Console.

The Console was standard equipment in the GP, so would not have been listed as an Extra Cost option on the Window Sticker, rather as a standard content item for the Model.

The Floor Console was identified by Sales Code 601 in '64, I believe that like the other Sales Codes you have listed for '62 which match the Codes used in '64, it also would have been Code 601 in '62.

The Console is NOT listed as an identified pre-printed option on the Doraville Manifest.

I am fairly confident it must have been considered a Special Equipment option. And since I know it was Code 601 in '64, I am fairly confident that it is the option indicated by the SY/60 Special Equipment Option coded on your Manifest.

That's it, hopefully accurate.

Best regards,
John V.