When a new 65 442 left the factory, it had a lot of stuff on it that didnt last long.  Things like paper tags, paint dabs, and code stickers. I found some of these things on my car when I took it apart.  Some I took pictures of, some I didnt. I preceded to make replicate tags and stickers that were originally on certain parts. The original part tags usually disolved when they got wet and fell off.  Sometimes they hung around and survived so we could see them.  I also redid the paint inspection marks that were applied when a part or assembly was checked before going to the next line station. I only did marks that I found or were already documented.  The dabs are sometimes hard to find.

After blasting the front backing plates, you can see the bronze look to them. They were plated gold cad like the power booster. I found traces of yellow paint on the backs of them, evidence of a paint dab.  I also found the yellow on the steering knuckle. I redid both using an original paint marker bottle.

I found green on the upper shafts for the front control arms. I didnt have my camera in the garage so I failed to photo document this mark. It was on both shafts.

The driveshaft had the gold ring that I showed already. I got that info from the Assembly manual.  But there was another color on the shaft, orange.  Orange was applied by the U-joint inspector.  I also found green on the shaft from my parts car.  It was built in Lansing, so this may be a Lansing only or both Lansing and Fremont.

Factory stripes on an automatic equipped Cutlass

Factory stripe on an automatic equipped 442

The clips that hold the brake and fuel lines to the frame were green phosphate.

Most of the time these spring tags fell off after getting wet. They were not meant to withstand the elements. They were used so the line workers knew what parts went where. The front tags were green, the rear tags were orange.  The part numbers vary.  Cars with air conditioning for example, got different front springs. There were also low range and high range springs.  Low range springs had a circle around the letter code on the tag.  My parts car had low range springs in the front.  The tags below were found on a Lansing built automatic car without A/C.

The front and rear shocks had I.D. tags also.  The photo below shows a NOS Vista Cruiser shock with the tag still intact.  The codes for the shocks are in the Cutlass Assembly Manual. They are also on the buildsheet.

This shot shows the shock and spring tags and the rear end code sticker.  Sorry for the gas shocks but they ride so much better than those old oil filled spiral shocks.

This was applied in the spindle shop at the assembly plant. It was located on the front drums. Each side had one but had a different part number for each.

The buildsheet will have boxes that have codes for everything your car came with. The spring codes, shock codes, alternator code, axle code, trans code, engine code, etc.Finding a build sheet is almost impossible unless you have an unmolested original car. And even then it might not be there.                                                The top half of a Fremont CA built 65 442 buildsheet

The serial number for a 65 442 frame. Its located behind the tail pipe hanger holes on the drivers side.

The upper control arm mounting plate has 4 attaching holes, a Cutlass will not have 4 holes in this plate.

The rear crossmember has this tongue above the rear end.  This is only on 442 frames.

On the drivers side, top of frame, is a stamping that matches the VIN number of the car.

This is the top of the passenger side axle tube.  The code is read backwards as SJ, a 3.55 ratio with posi-traction.  The Lansing axle housing I replaced this one with had the letters right next to each other and in a different font.

The lower control arms are boxed, but only where the sway bar attaches to them.

Mr Szerek told me that the original steel wheels will have an R stamped next to the valve stem.  My parts car had these wheels. They also have GM stamped on a pad in between the lug stud holes.

This was found on the bellhousing of a Lansing built, automatic 65 442.

I am not sure what these codes mean.  The first is from a V-6 F85 and the other is from a V-8 Cutlass.  These were located next to the latch hole on the underside of the hood

Ive had this F85 hood (short hood spear) laying around for years.   Looks like the same guy wrote this and the one on the above right.

Yet another hood marking

At first I didnt think that 65 Cutlasses and 442 had chalk marks on the firewall. After I saw the first photo I went back and looked at the pictures I took of mine.  In the second pic you can see an X above the brake booster mounting area and TL in the center of the firewall.

Here is another firewall marking.  This one is a stamp that was applied to the voltage regulator mounting location.  The voltage regulator covers this up when bolted on.  No idea what this one meant.

Body mounts are not generic GM parts.  My original pieces had CHEVROLET on them. If you try and use a new reproduction Chevelle mount, it will not match your O.E. piece.   I got the right ones from Fusick Automotive.  They are for 66-72 Cutlasses, but with some trimming on the two mid frame mounts will work on a 65 Cutlass/442.  According to the assembly manual, those two mounts were color coded orange.  They are the only upper mounts that had a color code, the others were plain rubber.  The orange ones had a different part number, different metal sleeve, and mounted in a smaller frame hole than the others.  Thats why I had to trim the new mounts to make them fit.

The lower mounts were all color coded green.  I used inspection paint to color them

All 65 Cutlasses and 442s built and sold for use in CA used a closed PCV system. The system used a PCV valve in the driver side valve cover, an oil cap on the filler tube, and a unique breather on the passenger side valve cover. All other cars made at Fremont but sold outstate used the 49 state style breather and AC OIL open element breather on the oil tube. The hole in the other valve cover was sealed with a rubber grommet.  Photo is of the 49 state breather, the California breather, and the rubber plug on a Washington state based 442.

Below are examples of 65 442 "build sheets". Having never seen the big Fremont style sheets in a Lansing car this is the only paperwork thats been found, so far, that has the option codes the car came with.  28528 is  the production number as on the cowl tag, 955 Interior Code (Red), 2K Kick panels (A/C panels), 4V dash emblem, 3837 Body Style (V8 Cutlass Coupe), 4-342-29-8 unknown.  These paper cards were attached to the spring frame of the rear seat bottom, center spring in the rear.

3837-V8 Cutlass Coupe, 953-Blue interior, 2X-Floor mounted transmission, G-Floor brackets and hole for console, R-rear speaker, 4V-W29 trim package, 5Y deluxe seat belts.  20906 is the body sequence number.  4-279-23-6 is unknown.

One of the hardest things to get right on a 65 442 is the engine color.  Most people, myself included, paint their 400s the wrong shade of bronze.  Its not our fault, no one makes the correct engine paint color. The picture below is of a NOS 65 400 A head. You can see that the color is a deep metallic bronze. The whole engine was painted this exact color, a color that you cannot find today. I do know a secret PPG code for it, but it isnt engine paint.

Starter to relay block cable.  Note the green tape around the end that bolts on the relay block.

Factory fuel usage tag.  This was hung from either the turn signal stalk or the wiper switch.  Assembly manual calls for it to be hung on the wiper switch but its easier to hang it on the turn signal arm.  Original tag was found under the carpet of a 65 442.

These very small parts are very easy to overlook but are specific to 442 power brake cars.  The red circled parts were used only on 442 cars with power brakes.  The first part is a bracket that bolts to the drivers side rocker cover and holds the booster vacuum hose in place.  The second part is the 45 degree intake fitting for the hose to clamp to.  The Cutlass parts are next to the 442 parts for comparison.

New Old Stock brake booster for 64-66 Cutlasses and 442s.  Note the master cylinder is black not bare metal.  And the booster has a green paint daub at 1:00.

Key from a 65 442.  This key is different from the Briggs and Stratton keys you buy today.  It has RP, Rochester Products Division on one side.  This key is stamped 8242 so I am going to assume its the original key.  All original keys have a code stamped on them from the factory.