Body Tag Question

[crusinsusin]

I have begun exploring my '64 Cruiser and am a bit dismayed at the condition of the body tag. I hope the picture shows up well enough to see what I'm talking about. I'm guessing it became detached & someone screwed the two pieces back together. The left end (V-Y9) is bent into the hood bracket and the right half is missing the info I was looking for. The only lettering that shows now is EXT tm. The left end probably is really 64V, but I didn't want to bend the tag or lay up on the firewall to read it.

So my question is what would the missing code tell me? Can I get the same info when I send for the production order? Thanks a lot.

[studegary]

I think that you have a 1964 built at the Hamilton (Canada) plant. You are missing the body number. This is the sequential number of the build up of that particular type of body, not the sequense of the finished car. The production order will have this body number information. Does your Serial Number start with 64VC, indicating Canadian, rather than 64V, or, more likely, a late 1964 model (all built in Canada) with a S/N starting with C-5?

[avantilover]

There should be a plate on the lh front door pillar visible with the door open - this is what's required by the museum to obtain your production order. My 62 Lark Regal 4-door sedan is 62V - 45464 yours will be similar, the body number doesn't mean any more than that it was the 200th of those bodies to be made for example, Studebaker took bodies at random so it wouldn't mean that car was the 200th one of those built.

[crusinsusin]

Thanks, guys, I appreciate it. Yes, it's a Canadian-built car, with a much better looking serial number tag.

[avantilover]

You're welcome Susan, BTW the "I" in the serial number is actually a "1" for some reason Studebaker used the letter rather than number. Apparently you have a 1964 1/2 Cruiser meaning it was built between Jan and Aug 1964 after the South Bend factory shut down.

[qsanford]

Does your Cruiser have a Broadcloth interior. There was a 1964 Cruiser discussed here recently that had the tag EXT TM and the only unusual equipment was a Broadcloth interior. Just wondering. Good luck with your Cruiser-it is a nice model!

[crusinsusin]

Does your Cruiser have a Broadcloth interior. There was a 1964 Cruiser discussed here recently that had the tag EXT TM and the only unusual equipment was a Broadcloth interior. Just wondering. Good luck with your Cruiser-it is a nice model!

I don't know if it's broadcloth, which I always thought was kind of soft. This has textured cloth with a design that looks like a weave, but it's not woven and has a stiff feel. I'll have to investigate further. Thanks!

[studegary]

It was the 1736th V8 made after Studebaker production was consolidated in Canada.