parts and vin decoding for 1981 Bonneville

[gujjl1]

Hello, I'm in the process of beginning to restore a 1981 Bonneville Brogham Diesel, and would like to know about parts sources for this car (especially body parts and parts unique to the Diesel - most other mechanicals have been fairly easy at this point - and hopefully in or near PA).

I would also like to find out where in the production sequence my car was. It has a build date of 6/81, which should make it late in the model year (and 81 was the last of the RWD Bonnevilles if I recall correctly). Does anyone have a listing of the VIN range for the year, and would you happen to know what VIN the last '81 Diesel may have been assigned?

Thanks!

[64catdroptop]

Unfortunatley, your car is a bit too new to have a lot of documentation on it yet. I'll do some research and see what I can dig up.

Your best parts sources right now are going to be your local part house. NAPA, Autozone, etc. Check with several as not all will have all the parts you need (one may have a part, while the other may not have a listing... although Autozone is getting better).

Body parts are probably going to be strickly used, or if you can still find some NOS parts laying around. I'd be curious to see if you can still get after market body parts for your car.

I'll let you know what I can dig up.

-r-

[gujjl1]

Thanks, that's what I've found so far. Mechanical parts are fairly easy, except for some of the Diesel electrical components (was very difficult to find the alternator diode that goes in the circuit between the alternator warning lamp and the fuel cutoff solenoid - and you can't bypass it or the cutoff solenoid keeps getting power! - fortunately a dealer near Chicago still had a NOS one). Napa, Carquest, and several online sites have many parts on the shelf still, and brakes, etc. that are shared with many other full size GM's are very cheap.

Body parts have been the difficult part so far, I'm still working the salvage yard circuit - but many full size cars from the late 70's to early 80's have been crushed due to the high steel prices . I'm looking for a right front inner fender, and a good rear bumper without much rust (mine is rusted through). Fortunately most of my car was undercoated, so the rest survived fairly well, except for the usual beating from the elements.

If anyone has documentation sources I would of course be interested, I know my car was near the end of the production run, but it would of course be interesting to see how close!

Thanks for your help.