1964 Chevelle
1965 Chevelle
1966 Chevelle
1967 Chevelle
1968 Chevelle
1969 Chevelle
1970 Chevelle
1971 Chevelle
1972 ChevelleWarranty Card Protect-O-late Decode
If you have ANY 1964 through 1972 Chevelle Protect-O-Plates with something that doesn't match what is shown here, please email me a readable image of the card and what your question(s) is/are.
The Warranty Card, or Protecto-O-Plate (P-O-P or POP for short), was stamped at the assembly plant when the car was completed. The Chevelle's vehicle identification number (VIN), the engine build date and suffix code, transmission code and date, the rear end code and date, the month (indicated by a letter or single-digit number), and specific options were stamped on the card. The information was 'mirror-stamped' (backwards) due to the imprint machines dealers used then. Where today our credit/debit card information is read via a magnetic strip on the card or an electronic chip, credit cards back-in-the-day had to be physically stamped onto a paper receipt with a device much like this. When the car was sold to the original buyer the selling dealer would put the owner's name, addresses, and often the date on a label tape and affix it to the warranty card and typically glued to the warranty book itself.
The warranty card was used much the same way. When your Chevelle
was at a dealer for service, the card was stamped onto the work order
to identify the vehicle and its pertinent information. These cards were
never meant to 'document' a vehicle, but were meant for service only.
When the warranty period for the vehicle expired these were usually
tossed in the trash as they were no longer relevant to the car. Now,
40, 50, and almost 60 years later, enthusiast have discovered these
are invaluable in documenting their car since so much original, vital
information is shown on them.
Sadly, because of their value today, especially in documenting true
SS-optioned Chevelles, many unscrupulous individuals are reproducing
them in an effort to document their fake or marginally correct Chevelle
or to make and sell to others. Blank cards are readily available along
with GM label tape and even the printing machines themselves making
it easy (and profitable) for someone to reproduce them. Some are getting
so good with the ability to add patina to the card and affix it to an
appropriate warranty book making it difficult to tell an real warranty
card and book from a reproduction.
If you have ANY 1965 through 1972 Chevelle warranty card with something
that doesn't match what is shown here, please email me a readable image
of the tag and what your question(s) is/are.
Select a year below then select the appropriate assembly plant for that year.
| Year | Year |
 1964 |
 1965 |
 1966 |
 1967 |
 1968 |
 1969 |
 1970 |
 1971 |
 1972 |
 Comprehensive Trim Tag/Warranty Card Decoder |
