24 replies to this topic

[skap]

I know there is a few that keep records of VIN and identifiers for particular models. 

 

I was surprised recently to find that it is difficult to find details on build details on more modern GMH variants. 

 

Just wondering if anyone has or knows a good source for details particularly on the VN range?

 

I rang Holden and they were able to advise they have VIN details, but no other information on variant, engine numbers, any service records etc.  They suggested contacting HHS.  But they do not provide details on vehicles of that era. 

 

Any help appreciated. 

 

[yel327]

Try asking your nearest Holden service branch before they are gone. I'm not sure if their electronic records go back that far but they do have ISOVIN search available for some cars, where you gave them the ISOVIN and they could look up the required parts for you. VL was the last to have a VIN, its ISOVIN from VN onwards.

[Shiney005]

I will give Station Motors a ring when they open Skap. They are in a quiet country town and are probably still using the same computer from the 90's.  Do HHS go as far as VL?

Edited by Shiney005, 09 May 2025 - 09:36 AM.

[yel327]

I will give Station Motors a ring when they open Skap. They are in a quiet country town and are probably still using the same computer from the 90's.  Do HHS go as far as VL?

 

No. Microfiche records finish for Holden about when GMH went to the new Oneline Warranty System mid 1978 (basically the start of VB Commodore production) - that's when HZ records finish. So the only Holden records are HQ to mid 1978. Plus LC-LX of course for Torana and Sunbird. No Commodore.

 

It took us a long time to figure out why GMH stopped printing reports out for Service and Warranty (later microfiched), but an obscure article in I think Pointers Magazine solved it, it described the new Warranty system which I think was from a 3rd party provider.

[skap]

I will give Station Motors a ring when they open Skap. They are in a quiet country town and are probably still using the same computer from the 90's.  Do HHS go as far as VL?

 

Thanks mate, 

 

I believe HHS only go as far as HZ.  Which is why i found it strange that GMH provide their details for later models. 

No. Microfiche records finish for Holden about when GMH went to the new Oneline Warranty System mid 1978 (basically the start of VB Commodore production) - that's when HZ records finish. So the only Holden records are HQ to mid 1978. Plus LC-LX of course for Torana and Sunbird. No Commodore.

 

It took us a long time to figure out why GMH stopped printing reports out for Service and Warranty (later microfiched), but an obscure article in I think Pointers Magazine solved it, it described the new Warranty system which I think was from a 3rd party provider.

 

Interesting, happen to know whom that third party provider was/is ?

[yel327]

It was called One Line. I do know the Company that ran it in Australia but to date have had no way in to find out what info they kept.

[skap]

It was called One Line. I do know the Company that ran it in Australia but to date have had no way in to find out what info they kept.

 

What company was that?  Be interesting to see what agreement GMH had in regard to retaining records. 

[yel327]

What company was that?  Be interesting to see what agreement GMH had in regard to retaining records. 

 

I've recently tried to contact them again, been waiting on a reply so I can ask them more about it. I don't think they would have had much info though, at least at the start. The system developed back then has become a global Automotive DMS and spare parts management system. It was Warranty claim system back then though, that replaced individual manual warranty claim forms. Big dealers had a computer terminal, and all warranty claim info went into 66 characters or digits. Smaller dealers had special forms that were sent in. All info was collected in Melbourne and transcribed onto tape by computer operators, and combined with the tape already created by the bigger dealers. It was all sent to GMH and twice monthly it was all sent to Detroit where the coded tape was converted into computer printouts and sent back. It would also auto generate credit statements, correction forms etc. And allow cheques to be posted once a month. This was all about streamlining the process, but more so about freeing up labour, reducing the large amount of warranty processing staff, and moving those staff in most cases to the actual dealers where most of the grunt work would be done rather than relying upon zone offices and head office.

Below is an image of a TCS Tape entry terminal at a trial dealer. Think of the 66 character "One Line" like a BETSBAC code, lots of info in not many characters.

 

 TCS terminal.jpg   184.53K   7 downloads

[skap]

I never considered it would be difficult to find details on later model vehicles!! 

 

I did have a contact several years ago that worked at holden service and was able to look up VIN details on VN models.  I am sure i got some screen shots of info he sent me, but would have to dig around to find them. it showed engine number amongst other details. 

 

Surely they still have the records somewhere... 

[yel327]

I never considered it would be difficult to find details on later model vehicles!!

I did have a contact several years ago that worked at holden service and was able to look up VIN details on VN models. I am sure i got some screen shots of info he sent me, but would have to dig around to find them. it showed engine number amongst other details.

Surely they still have the records somewhere...

They will. GMH did have HK-HG too but there was no BETSBAC decoding for the ‘fiche so they always said it was not accessible. It’ll all either have gone to Birdwood or been dumped or kept by someone. What has happened to their electronic records, who knows??

[claysummers]

frOck me, that’s John Hungry Ellers. His face was plastered all over Adelaide TV back in my youth, and some of my dad’s mates started in the used car game with him.

“John H Ellers is my name! Used car dealing is my game!”

I’ve never trusted a speedo reading after the stories they used to tell me.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Shiney005]

I had Todd Lewis from Moora Toyota drop in on the weekend. The dealership was Moora Holden and when his old man was running it he used to stash away Holden stuff all the time.  He was the one who ordered the (still) brand new A9X that now resides in Sydney.

Todd doesn't know anything about the computer at the shop.  He can type in a VIN and he can get all of the details on any late-ish model Holden, but he has no idea where the info is coming from. He said I am welcome to drop in and have a look, but I don't know anything about them either.

I will drop in regardless, as they have quite a collection of Holdens and Toranas by the sounds of things. 

[yel327]

I had Todd Lewis from Moora Toyota drop in on the weekend. The dealership was Moora Holden and when his old man was running it he used to stash away Holden stuff all the time.  He was the one who ordered the (still) brand new A9X that now resides in Sydney.

Todd doesn't know anything about the computer at the shop.  He can type in a VIN and he can get all of the details on any late-ish model Holden, but he has no idea where the info is coming from. He said I am welcome to drop in and have a look, but I don't know anything about them either.

I will drop in regardless, as they have quite a collection of Holdens and Toranas by the sounds of things. 

 

GM must still be maintaining a database somewhere until the last warranties run out. I'm not sure exactly when the upgraded from the IBM mainframe but it'll be 80's at some stage, possibly early 90's. After that it'll have to have moved into more modern setups. It'd be interesting to see how far back they can search ISOVINs, I can't see it much further than 15-20 years though but you never know.

[skap]

I had Todd Lewis from Moora Toyota drop in on the weekend. The dealership was Moora Holden and when his old man was running it he used to stash away Holden stuff all the time.  He was the one who ordered the (still) brand new A9X that now resides in Sydney.

Todd doesn't know anything about the computer at the shop.  He can type in a VIN and he can get all of the details on any late-ish model Holden, but he has no idea where the info is coming from. He said I am welcome to drop in and have a look, but I don't know anything about them either.

I will drop in regardless, as they have quite a collection of Holdens and Toranas by the sounds of things. 

 

Sent you a facebook message mate

[Shiney005]

I haven't heard back Skap. I might try Station Motors in Collie.

[skap]

I haven't heard back Skap. I might try Station Motors in Collie.

Thanks mate, appreciate the help.

[meanmachine72]

I haven't heard back Skap. I might try Station Motors in Collie.

Had a huge long weekend at Collie back in the 90s

did the skimpy tour and went and even caught a few

Marron..great town

[Shiney005]

With a population of 9000 back in the '90s, the 7 pubs had a skimpy to punter ratio of about 150 to 1. (Most pubs had 3 skimpys) Good times!

Edited by Shiney005, 22 May 2025 - 09:41 AM.

[Shiney005]

Just to follow up.......... Lewis Motors wasn't a help at all in the end, so I went to Station Motors in Collie and the owner there fired up the computer to see what we could find.  Unfortunately, no VIN numbers prior to VT came up on the system at all.

[skap]

Just to follow up.......... Lewis Motors wasn't a help at all in the end, so I went to Station Motors in Collie and the owner there fired up the computer to see what we could find.  Unfortunately, no VIN numbers prior to VT came up on the system at all.

 

Thanks Laurie, appreciate the effort.  Really didnt expect this to be a thing with the later model vehicles.  Leaves the door wide open to the rebirth brigade. 

[neglectedtorana]

Would GMH in the States have records?

I don't know where to start but if all the tape data was sent over and then returned it could be recorded somewhere over there

[yel327]

Would GMH in the States have records?
I don't know where to start but if all the tape data was sent over and then returned it could be recorded somewhere over there

GM have a lot of GMH archival stuff but I doubt they’d have old IBM360 Main Frame data. If it still existed it’d fit on a small USB stick. A standard reel only held as little as 20Mb of data, they were from memory only 9 track tapes, 8 data and one parity on 2400 feet reels. If those reels existed today you’d be hard pressed to find a working machine to read it, assuming it hasn’t degraded.

Edited by yel327, 30 July 2025 - 07:50 PM.

[Shiney005]

Send GM an email with your VIN Skap and see if they come up with anything. The address is in the link below.  If they do, then we know an effort could be made to make them all available in Australia.

https://www.gm.com/heritage/archive

[skap]

Send GM an email with your VIN Skap and see if they come up with anything. The address is in the link below.  If they do, then we know an effort could be made to make them all available in Australia.

https://www.gm.com/heritage/archive

 

Thanks mate, 

 

i have emailed them. 

[skap]

unfortunately not too much help. 

 

I emailed both the addresses on that website. 

 

this response came from the vehicle invoice email:

 

Good afternoon Adam,

I am sorry, but we were not able to locate a copy of your vehicle invoice. We believe your vehicle was not invoiced in the US.   Those invoices were not archived in our collection.

 

 

Vehicle Invoice Team Part of the GM Archives
Allied Vaughn | Content Management Services
email:[email protected]
direct: 734.261.5086 | Fax: 734.524.0537
www.alliedvaughn.com

 

So would seem they have no records on Australian invoiced cars. 

 

The archives team were also not able to supply any info, other than a copy of a single sales brochure.