What Is A General Motors Protect-O-Plate?
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If you are a vintage GM fan, you have seen ads or auction listings that tout the car is accompanied by documentation including a Protect-O-Plate, or a P-O-P. Hardcore GM fans know what this is, but the rest of us may need some enlightenment. So what is a Protect-O-Plate?
According to the National Corvette Restorers Society, beginning in 1965, General Motors automobiles came with an Owners Protection Plan warranty booklet that had a thin metal plate or plastic card attached called a Protect-O-Plate. It was issued to new car owners when the vehicle was delivered, dealers used these to track warranty work. A Pontiac Dealer Service Bulletin from September of 1966 states that owner plates called Ident-O-Plates were issued from 1963 to 1965.
1965 Chevrolet El Camino Protect-O-Plate
The Protect-O-Plate was embossed with information specific to that particular car. Some P-O-Ps were embossed backwards, some in regular print (the Dymo Model M-14 Tapewriter printed mirror or reverse font, others normally). The P-O-P looked similar to a credit card. A series of numbers and letters included on the P-O-P would indicate the car’s serial number or VIN, engine assembly date, type of engine and horsepower, transmission and assembly date, rear axle ratio and date, exterior color, interior color and trim, month the car was built, type of carburetor, and any options. When the car was sold, the selling dealer would use a DYMO labeler (some would print in mirror to match the plate) to add the original buyer’s (or subsequent buyer, if the car was resold while still under warranty) name, address, state, and date of original sale to the plate.
1968 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Protect-O-Plate
The purpose of the embossing is so the plate could be used to imprint the information on service paperwork at the dealership. It was done with an old-fashioned “click-clack” machine, similar to what was once used for embossing credit card receipts.
1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS Protect-O-Plate
If you find a car for sale with its Protect-O-Plate, you have a genetic code for that car. With a little decoding, you can find out all the particulars of the car when new. For those who are claiming original condition or components, a P-O-P can be a boon in backing up that claim, possibly adding value to the sale.
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Never heard or seen this before. A great story contributing to our community’s knowledge base.
This card seems to be a precursor to the Service Parts Identification Decal (SPID). Does anyone know when the SPID was introduced? My 1984 had one. But I don’t think my father’s 1978 did.
It’s a different purpose from the SPID. From the pre-computer era, the idea here was to minimize errors in transcribing VIN and customer data onto warranty claims. It also provided some build data to GM so they could validate claims without having to look up the car. Like a credit card, it also minimized fraud by proving that the dealer was in possession of the car (or at least the card).
Ford did something similar, and in fact, kept shipping cards until the mid-90s.
GM first started putting the SPID labels on cars in 84, but pick-ups and other GM trucks had been getting Service Parts Identification labels since the late 60’s. I always assumed this was because trucks didn’t get window stickers till the mid 70’s.
I have a 71 El Camino that I’ve owned since new, and still have the P-O-P for it, but I don’t have a window sticker. Even though the El Camino was considered part of the Chevelle line, and built on the same assembly line as the Chevelle and other GM A-bodies, GM considered them light trucks, and didn’t put window stickers on them. Though El Camino’s didn’t get a SPID either.
I remember all my dads cars having these. Today if the car is still around it still brands the original owner.
I still have one from a crashed 68 Camaro RS with a folding back seat. I wish I had taken the rear seat out too.
My GMC Sprint SP still had one. It originally sold to someone in Brentwood TN in 72.
Paper work broadcast sheet as muscle cars are easy to fake
A couple of further explanations. The reason that shows backward is that the end of the warranty book was inserted into a machine at the dealership to imprint the warranty repair order with all the necessary info. And, yes, the main reasons were accuracy and fraud prevention. The warranty required transfer to a second owner. When that was done, the application went to the manufacturer and they created a plate with no dymo sticker. That one was all metal with the second owner’s name typed into the metal. There was also “2” on this plate to inform the dealer to collect a deductible charge applicable to 2nd owners.