There are now three different topics being discussed.
This car:
Looking at the tag, it's amazingly straight for having the firewall behind it twisted.
I don't understand how you are saying this is possible - body # or build date.
The Chevrolet Central Data Systems (basically the Central Office) "tele-processed" the orders to the plant. Orders were tracked by the order #.
When the body came through the wall to the body bank, the clerk would pull up the order via the number on the trim tag (which is the same as the order # in 69) and input the VIN (which had just been assigned). The data from the order was used to generate the Chassis and Body Broadcast Sheets that were printed throughout the plant.
Without the correct order #, the order couldn't be pulled up and the broadcast sheets could not be generated.
http://www.camaros.org/assemblyprocess.shtml#chev
Marlin,
That's normal - body # to VIN vary a little. Same with the 69 COPOs.
The build date of this car is a month early and the body # is 50,000 units - months of production - late.
Mark,
Tag and VIN match on that COPO - just looks like it was held (for a repair?) at the plant.
X77,
No. There are no other anomalies like this. 20,000 cars in the database - none have a trim tag a month early nor a body # off like this. That's why the tag caught my eye.