Ordering Information Preperation
For more information details, click on the tabs below:
Careful preparation and planning is required
We strove to make our order entry system as simple as possible for you
to easily create your customized labels, and it is easy to do, but,
no matter which is label chosen, it does require you to know what exactly
what information is present on that label and what information is
applicable to your vehicle build.
If you are duplicating an existing known label, then your work is already done.
Otherwise, you must do some research to be prepared. The level of accuracy
and authenticity on the finished label is solely at your discretion. Most labels
are very easy and simple to do, but it is the Window Sticker that is the most
tedious in content, details, and accuracy which requires it to be planned out in
advance of ordering. Good sources for information are Google image searches and
consulting the Forums and Bulletin Board groups for your vehicle. In every forum
there are usually a few knowledgeable people who have manuals, literature,
experience and information pertaining to your vehicle and its labels.
For GM vehicles you can consult the GM Heritage Center Vehicle Information Kits which has online Dealer Data books (selected sections) in PDF format for most vehicles that list the available options, option groups and MSRP of each. For specific vehicle information, GM Media Archive provides a paid service to obtain the actual Dealer Invoice for a specific vehicle that will list amongst other things, the RPO Option/Description/MSRP prices as originally ordered. If you are missing any documentation for your vehicle this is the best way to obtain that information.
All our labels have a WYSIWYG image preview during the ordering process
What does this mean? WYSIWYG is short for "What You See Is What You Get". It means that during order entry, you can see in real-time what your label will look like with your current information on it. We take the information that you have entered, position it onto an image of the label and present it to you so you can see visually what the finished label will look like. You can proof read it, make corrections, erase data, view it again until you have it looking like you want it to look. Also, some labels, if the label permits it, allows you to move and position the information incrementally on the form up, down, left or right giving you have full control over how you want it to look and print. Rarely did the factory print with perfectly aligned labels or forms in the printer. We then take your finished settings and duplicate it as close as possible using our equipment to print it out.
We can customize further at no charge
If you have a label or form with an idiosyncrasy in it that our order entry cannot generate a correct preview image of, don't worry. We can change any aspect of the print job before it goes to the printer or is worked on at no additional charge or cost. Please notify us when placing the order by filling in the Order Notes comment area and upload any pertinent images or scans.
Special effect customization's that we do charge for
Since the impact printing process involves mixing paper, inked ribbons and
metal band characters producing the impact look on paper, no two print jobs
ever look the same and we can further vary that look on paper.
Before your label is printed, we can setup the printer to alter the finished
look on the paper label by using an ink ribbon that is dark, medium, or light
in combination with a character band condition that is new, used, or worn
and together this yields 9 different combinations of effects that can be
achieved in the finished print job!
The default look included in the initial label price is to print the label
using a used character print band with a medium-dark inked ribbon giving a
good all around everyday look to it.
If you optionally choose for a ribbon or character band change from the defaults,
we charge a setup fee of $4.99
for a ribbon change and $4.99 for a band change.
GM Manufacturers Vehicle Certification Label
Impact printer printed vehicle Certification labels
Information typically needed:
- Vehicle manufactured month & year (all years)
- Vehicle GVWR, GAWR Front, GAWR Rear (mid December 1971 and later; check your Serial Plate for the numbers)
- "Consumer Information Tables" 3 character code, ie CDE, EFI, etc. (white labels)
GM Service Parts Identification Label (SPID), Pickups
Impact printer printed Service Parts Identification labels
You can find more information about our quality made Service Parts Identification labels and our WYSIWYG Online Service Parts Identification label Order Entry System features here: Click here to read about our quality SPID details and WYSIWYG Order Entry! .
Information typically needed for pickup trucks:
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6 digit Identification/Sequence Number:The 6 digit numeric Identification/Sequence (sometimes known as Manifest) number is printed on and when the white top is present and not removed or cut-off from the label top like the factory liked to do on pre-1970 usage and sporadically in 1970 through 1972, and always present on 1973+ labels. This number is a unique internal production identification number used to identify your truck before the VIN number was assigned to it.The Identification/Sequence number can be found on theBuild Sheet. or for 1972 Blazers and Suburbans, on theWindow Sticker. If during order entry, it is determined that your Service Parts Identification label is suppose to have the white top-line present that contains this 6 digit number and you do not know that number, you will have to make one up for your truck. It cannot be left off the label and it is a required field to enter. Our order entry will suggest a value that is calculated based on your plant and year when possible.
- VIN Number
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"SE" Special Equipment Numberis almost always blank for US trucks, but Canadian trucks it is generally filled in with the Factory Truck Order number, also a 6 digit number, which is different from the Identification/Sequence No.
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Model number(CS10704, CE20934, KE10514 etc.)
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List of applicable RPO Codes and Descriptions.We can help you here as much or as little as you want us to in order to get an accurate as possible label as the factory would have listed your options on your truck. We have enough 1967-1972 manuals and a large label collection that we can consult for your truck as to what the factory would have done. For the popular plant & year combinations, we can even get it down to correct option description spellings used and sometimes down into the serial number range usage oddities. Need to create a label from scratch? We can do that also with your input.
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Dealer Order Number: Order Numbers appeared on SPID labels starting in 1972 all the way through the 1980's. Not all SPID labels had the Order Number printed on them. The Order Number was printed on the Dealer Order form that the dealer submitted to the factory. The Order Number format used for 1972 would look like "ABC123" for Chevrolet and for GMC it would look like "J12345".
The 1972+Order Number can be found on the Build Sheet. oron the Window Sticker for Pickups. oron the 1972 Window Sticker for Blazer/Suburban. If your SPID label is determined to have an Order Number present and you do not know that number, you will have to make one up during order entry. It cannot be left off the label and it is a required field to enter.
Click here to read about our quality SPID details and WYSIWYG Order Entry! .
GM Service Parts Identification Label, Cars & Pickups
Impact printer printed Service Parts Identification labels
Information typically needed for Passenger Cars:
- VIN, Model Number
- List of applicable 3 character RPO Codes
- Paint: Base Coat/Clear Coat/Enamel codes, Interior color/trim code
Information typically needed for Pickup Trucks:
- 6 digit Identification number (1987 Flint)
- VIN, Wheelbase, Model Number
- List of applicable 3 character RPO Codes
- Paint: Base Coat/Clear Coat/Enamel codes, Interior color/trim code
- Order Number
Window Stickers
Impact printer printed Window Stickers
Information typically needed:
This list here pertains to General Motors specifically, but the same idea
pertains to the other manufacturers of Chrysler/Dodge, Ford, AMC, and others.
It is not all inclusive nor all applicable at the same time and varies
for 1960-1980's Window Stickers.
Without an original Window Sticker, Car Shipper, or Dealer Invoice copy
showing the original label details, it is a difficult task to create an
accurate Window Sticker from scratch as there are many details affecting
its accuracy and are at best are just facsimiles of the original. If you
have no place to start, Google image searches will get you in the ballpark
quickly.
Details to keep in mind are:
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Dealer Zone & Dealer Number
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Dealer Sold and Ship To(usually blank)as addressed and spelled in that time period.
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Identification/Sequence Number.
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Dealer Order Number.
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Routing Code.
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Assembly Plant Name(and how it was spelled out or abbreviated).
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Other Codes or Markingsused on the Window Sticker.
- Model Number and how it was spelled out, i.e. "16437 IMPALA 8 2D SPT CPE"
- Destination or Shipping Charges
- RPO Code and ECL (if used) format (as used on the Window Sticker) was it 1J70AB, 1J7010 or just J70?
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RPO Description spelling (as used on the Window Sticker). The
Window Sticker may be spelled differently from any Dealer
Invoices, Build Sheets, and Service Parts Identification labels or
it may be a longer spelling.
For example: A 1974 St. Louis pickup HD Front & Rear Shock Absorbers are listed...on the Build Sheet as F51 ABS-FT&RR SHK on the Service Parts Identification label as F51 HEAVY-DUTY FRT/RR S on the Window Sticker as F51 HEAVY-DUTY FRT/RR SHOCK ABSORBER - RPO Option prices. There may be price increases and updated price lists
used during the year that may affect your vehicle depending on its manufacture
date. If you are able to obtain the
Dealer Invoice (GM Media Archive)
copy for your vehicle use that, otherwise in most cases you can find prices in the
GM Heritage Center Vehicle Information Kits .
Example: 1974 Janesville Pickup option A01 SOFT RAY GLASS is priced at $18.00 (Dec. 73), $20.00 (Feb. 74), and $21.00 (Apr. 74), possibly more ... -
Indenting of Descriptionsin the body, if any.
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Any included standard equipmentthat is pertinent to your specific model listed.
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Any extra model selling featuresthat was printed in the body that is pertinent to your specific model listed.
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Ramp Codesif any.
Our templates are formatted and duplicated from real Window Stickers
Our Window Sticker Order Entry all start out pre-loaded with a Window Sticker template. This takes the burden out of formatting your Window Sticker data in the right column and on the right lines. Our templates are based on actual Window Stickers and we created our template over the original so all the vertical and horizontal, body spacing, indenting, and column data all line up correctly as the factory had done it for that specific Window Sticker. All that's left for you to do is change the template Window Sticker information to that which is specific to your vehicle, while keeping the same formatting.
Our template objective is to first, provide a specific model/plant/year template based on your VIN when it is a General Motors vehicle. For example a 1970 Camaro Window Sticker from Norwood and Van Nuys are very similar but has slight nuances in the positioning of the data on the form and each plant has a different RPO Code format ("5Z23AA" and "Z23" respectively). Our order entry knows this and loads the correct template for your vehicle in this case. Our second objective is that if a specific car model/plant/year template cannot be matched to your VIN, we can at least provide a template of a Window sticker that was used on that form to be used as a starting point so you do not start with a blank Window Sticker. We have templates for the popular models due to their popularity and we do not claim to have every model/plant/year template possible. Before ordering and getting hung up in creating your Window Sticker, you must know exactly what you want to put on it and how you want it to be laid out on the Window Sticker form when it is finished. It is a self-serve process and you need to know exactly what you want on it allowing you to create it to the degree of accuracy you wish.
Special Effects, Customization
We can at no additional charge or cost make the following tweaks to obtain the effect needed. Please Contact Us before hand if you have an concerns about customization tweaks below:
- Add additional typewriter typed data to label (like some early 1960's may, typewriter dependent)
- Change the stamped serial number typeface (if available) or type it via typewriter
- Change the serial number ink colors, we have blue and black
- Adjust the form so that the printed text is positioned to something different from the order entry previews
- Print the page using carbon paper giving the effect a multi-part manifold form, when applicable
Two page Window Stickers: 2nd page FREE!
That's right, if you have a 2 page Window Sticker the second page is included in the price. Add the second page on the same order entry screen, full two-page image previews shown!
GM DYMO® Protect-O-Plate Tape Label
Embossed DYMO® Protect-O-Plate Tape NOS, Red, Green, Blue & Black
Information typically needed:
- First name, last name, middle initial optional - sometimes used/sometimes not, or company name listed
- Street address or rural route and box number (ROUTE, RT, RTE, RFD)
- City & State. Zip code rarely used
- Vehicle delivery date to customer - seems fairly common, esp. towards 1970+
- Miles on vehicle when delivered to customer (4 or 5 digits w/leading zeros) (applies more to pickups around '71 and '72) and is usually less then 10 miles (although we have seen 28 miles listed)
One redeeming thing about the Protect-O-Plate tape is that there is no standard look to how the tape is or was applied to the Protect-O-Plate, so almost anything goes.
Observed characteristics are:
- Customer name may or may not have the middle initial shown
- Due to limited space streets are (usually) abbreviated: ROAD = RD, AVENUE = AVE, PLACE = PL, DRIVE = DR, etc.
- Periods and commas may or may not be used. Usually a comma appears after the city
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State names are abbreviated unless it is a short name like OHIO, UTAH, IDAHO, etc. When
it is abbreviated, the abbreviated name is not the abbreviated name as it is used
today: AZ, ND, OK, CA, AL etc. but rather a longer spelling is used.
Examples used are as shown below:
WASH, N.DAK., ARIZ, OKLA, ILL, N.Y., CALIF, IND, MINN, ALA, COLO
For further information on the 1960's era US Government state abbreviations used in that time period, see Wikipedia List of U.S. State Abbreviations and refer to the abbreviations listed under the GPO column in that table. - Periods may or may not be present after the state as in "ARIZ" or "ARIZ."
- Date separator can be a slash or dash: 1/5/70 or 1-5-70 and seems equally used. Sometimes no separator is used but spaces: 1  5  70 (pretty uncommon)
Protect-O-Plate Tape Layouts
Listed here are fairly Common Protect-O-Plate tape layouts, common to both Trucks and Cars:Here [ DATE ] = 3/7/71 or 3-7-71 or 3 7 71, one of the Date formats, and [ MILES ] = 00004 for example. [ MILES ] and [ DATE ] may or may not be cut off from the rest of the line and applied separately when applicable. Also [ NAME ] and [ CITY STATE ] could really be [ NAME ] and [ CITY STATE ] where they used waaay more tape than what was necessary giving a excess look, or it could be cut just long enough to spell out what was needed giving a clean trimmed look. 2 line address examples: [ NAME ] [ NAME ] [ NAME ] [ NAME ] [ NAME ] [ CITY STATE ] [ CITY STATE DATE ] [ CITY STATE ] [ CITY STATE ] [ CITY STATE ] [ DATE ] [ DATE ] [ MILES ] [ MILES ] [ DATE ] 3 line address example: [ NAME ] [ NAME ] [ NAME ] [ NAME ] [ NAME ] [ STREET ADDRESS ] [ STREET ADDRESS ] [ STREET ADDRESS ] [ STREET ADDRESS ] [ STREET ADDRESS ] [ CITY STATE ] [ CITY STATE DATE ] [ CITY STATE ] [ CITY STATE ] [ CITY STATE ] [ MILES ] [ DATE ] [ DATE ] A couple of customer Date Delivered dates seen instead of the usual [ DATE ] are these here on the last line all by themselves: [ D DATE 6/7/67 ] or [ DD 8- 16 -68 ]
Our Protect-O-Plate tape order entry can handle any case given it and provides you with an image preview of your order.