Get a build sheet for your Pontiac

If you’re buying, selling, owning, or restoring a Pontiac, the most reliable way to confirm how it was originally built is to use the vehicle’s factory build documentation. A build sheet is the closest thing to an official original configuration blueprint, spelling out factory trim and package content, paint and interior codes, key powertrain details, axle/gear specs, and the production codes assigned during original assembly.

That said, access to Pontiac build information isn’t one-size-fits-all. What you can retrieve depends on the model year and on which General Motors (GM)/Pontiac systems were in use when the car was produced. To remove the uncertainty, we offer a Pontiac Build Sheet by VIN lookup tool. Enter the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and, when manufacturer data is available, you’ll get the vehicle’s documented factory configuration. If a complimentary build sheet isn’t available, the tool automatically tries to pull a free Pontiac window sticker as a secondary source. And if neither document can be retrieved, we can route the request through a vetted provider that reconstructs the build sheet or sticker from VIN-linked official data—giving you the most comprehensive documentation readily available.

The FAQ below explains where Pontiac original build details may come from, what each type of document can verify, and how to use them to confirm a vehicle’s true factory original equipment.

Pontiac Build Sheet FAQ

What is a Pontiac build sheet?

A Pontiac build sheet is an internal production document used to tell the assembly plant (and often Fisher Body, depending on era) exactly how a specific car was to be built. Enthusiasts also call it the “broadcast sheet” because it broadcasts build instructions as the vehicle travels down the assembly line.

What it is not:

Not a consumer document
Not a legal label
Not guaranteed to survive, even when the car is “all original”

It typically represents the factory’s intent for that vehicle at the moment it was scheduled/broadcast — sometimes with late changes noted, sometimes not.

Because Pontiac was a GM division, build sheet formats and practices often mirror broader GM plant practices and can vary materially by model year, assembly plant, and even which version you find.

What names might a Pontiac “build sheet” go by?

Depending on year and plant, you may see terminology such as:

Broadcast sheet / broadcast copy
Build manifest
Trim manifest
Production copy
Chassis broadcast

Those aren’t always distinct documents—sometimes they’re different copies of the same data stream, sometimes they’re genuinely different sheets created for different production areas.

Do all Pontiacs have a build sheet you can find in the car?

No. That’s a common misconception.

Reasons you may never find one:

The sheet was never left in the car (some were thrown away as a normal part of production).
The sheet existed but was removed during upholstery work, restoration, stereo installs, rust repair, or interior replacement.
Time and moisture destroyed it (especially sheets placed low in the body or near the tank/floor).

Even when a build sheet was hidden in the car originally, survival is the exception, not the rule—especially if the car lived in a humid climate or has had interior work. Owners report a wide range of build sheet search results even within the same model line.

What information is typically on a Pontiac build sheet?

Exact fields vary, but common categories include:

Vehicle identifiers: VIN or partial VIN/sequence data, body number, broadcast date/time, plant codes.
Body/trim: paint codes, trim/interior codes, top color, seat type, carpet, console, moldings.
Powertrain: engine and transmission identifiers (often as codes), axle ratio/differential, emissions/calibration references.
Options content: option packages and individual options in code form (RPO/UPC/group codes depending on era).
Routing/inspection: line routing, checkpoints, sometimes handwritten marks or stamps.

Treat it like a manufacturing instruction sheet, not a retail “feature list.”

Why are Pontiac build sheets sometimes found “hidden” in seats, carpet, or the tank area?

Because they weren’t “hidden for collectors.” They were handled by assembly workers on the line and often stuck someplace temporarily:

Placed in or under upholstery during seat assembly.
Tucked under carpet or padding during interior installation.
Occasionally placed in other areas as a convenient way to keep the sheet with the car during production.

Those habits were plant- and era-dependent and were never meant as an official archival method. Reported locations commonly include under seats, under carpet, and (less accessible or likely to survive) above the fuel tank area.

Where should I look for a build sheet on 1960s–1970s U.S.-market Pontiacs?

Use a “least destructive first” approach. Commonly reported GM-era locations include:

Under the rear seat bottom (between springs and padding)
Inside seat backs or between seat foam and frame
Under carpet (front footwells, toe board area)
Behind rear seat back (between cardboard/fiber panels and metal)
Behind door panels / kick panels (less common, but reported)

A frequent “legendary” location is on top of the fuel tank. It does happen, but it’s also one of the most likely placements to be ruined or removed during tank service.

Where should I look for build sheets on 1980s–2000s Pontiacs?

For later Pontiacs, many still had paper production documents at the plant, but the most consistently useful “as-equipped” artifact is often the Service Parts Identification (SPID) label listing RPO codes (when present), not a loose build sheet.

Places owners commonly report finding paper sheets on later GM cars (including F-body Firebirds):

Under/behind rear seat components
Under carpeting
In/under seat upholstery

For RPO/SPID labeling and option verification on many later GM vehicles, see the SPID/RPO sections below.

How do I search for a build sheet without damaging the car?

Do this like a conservator, not like a scavenger:

Photograph before you disturb anything (seat bottoms, hog rings, carpet edges). You want evidence of originality and you want to be able to put it back correctly.
Start with removable items: rear seat bottom cushions are often easiest and lowest-risk.
Avoid tearing upholstery or padding unless you were already going to reupholster.
Use a soft brush and gentle lift—old paper can fragment like ash.
If you suspect a tank-top sheet: do not drop a tank “just to look” unless the tank already needs service; the odds of finding a legible sheet there are not high enough to justify the risk of damaging the fuel system on a high-quality original car.

I found a build sheet. What should I do immediately?

Do not “clean” it with liquids.
Support it fully (slide a thin piece of acid-free card stock underneath before lifting).
Flatten gently only if it relaxes without cracking.
Scan or photograph at high resolution before further handling.
Store it in an acid-free sleeve and keep it dry, dark, and flat.

Lamination is a common well-intentioned mistake—it can destroy fragile paper over time and makes future conservation harder.

If I can’t find a build sheet, what’s the next best proof of how my Pontiac was built?

In most real-world cases, your best “as-built” evidence stack is a combination of:

Factory invoice / billing history (what GM billed to the dealer)
Dealer order documentation (how it was ordered)
RPO/SPID label (later cars)
Physical identifiers on the car (VIN, body tag/cowl tag, drivetrain stampings, date codes)

A single document rarely tells the whole truth across all eras.

What does Pontiac Historical Services (PHS) provide, and what years does it cover?

PHS specializes in Pontiac dealer invoices/billing history for 1961–1986 model years and provides an information packet that can include:

Copy of the factory invoice or billing history
Option decoding letter (when needed)
Dealer order form copy for that year (as available)
Other year/model-specific info (as available)

Two points people get wrong:

PHS is not GM and states its role as an independent company.
A PHS packet is often the gold standard for documentation, but it is not magically the same thing as a surviving assembly-line build sheet.

Does PHS provide an actual Pontiac build sheet?

Sometimes owners use “build sheet” as a catch-all term for any factory paperwork. That’s where confusion starts.

Based on PHS’s own descriptions, the core deliverable is the invoice/billing history and related documentation/decoding—not necessarily the exact paper broadcast sheet that may (or may not) have been stuffed in the car at the plant.

If what you want is the assembly-line broadcast copy, you should assume:

You might never get it unless it physically survived in the car.
Third-party and GM archival records are more likely to yield invoice/build record data than a literal in-car sheet.

What is the GM Heritage Archive / GM Media Archive, and why does it matter for Pontiacs?

GM’s Heritage Archive holds a company collection of vehicle build documentation, dealer invoices and/or build sheets, with coverage for almost all of its vehicles starting with the 1977 model year.

Practical implications:

For many later Pontiacs (especially post-1977, and realistically the late 1980s onward), this may be your best official channel for factory documentation when a physical build sheet is missing.
Availability still varies by year/model, and quality depends on archived media (microfilm/microfiche/digital).

What Pontiac years are listed as available for GM “vehicle invoices,” and what’s the catch?

A GM vehicle invoice/build record order form is associated with GM’s archive fulfillment process:

Vehicle invoices are available by brand starting at specific model years—and it lists Pontiac vehicle invoices from 1987 and later (with exclusions like fleet/export noted on the form).

This is where people over-assume:

“GM has records” does not mean “GM can produce a build sheet for my exact car.”
Even when invoices exist, “build record/build sheet” availability may differ by brand and era; you need to ask specifically what exists for your VIN.

How do I request GM archive documentation?

To avoid wasted time, start the request process by providing:

Full VIN (and be exact—one character off can point to a different car).
Year/model/body style.
What you want: invoice, build record, and/or build sheet/broadcast copy (use all terms).
Your goal: restoration, authenticity verification, etc.

GM’s Heritage Archive page provides the vehicle documentation email and phone contact. A fulfillment form associated with archive retrieval notes reproduction limitations (microfilm/microfiche legibility varies) and that illegible copies may be handled differently.

Pontiac ended in 2010. What does “modern Pontiac build sheet” mean now?

You’re not wrong to ask for “modern,” but you are wrong if you expect anything like a current-production OEM portal experience.

“Modern Pontiac build information” usually means:

Late-era GM data systems that stored RPO/content data and dealer billing/invoice records
Archived invoice/build documentation accessible through GM’s archive channels (availability varies)
On-vehicle identifiers like the SPID/RPO label (common on many later GM vehicles)

Pontiac production was phased out by 2010, following GM’s 2009 decision to discontinue the brand.

Does assembly location matter if I have a U.S.-market Pontiac?

Yes—because “U.S. market” does not always mean “built in the U.S.”

Some U.S.-market Pontiacs were built:

In U.S. plants (many mainstream models)
In Canada (certain eras/models)
Overseas (e.g., some late-era imports sold as Pontiacs)

The build location can change which records exist and which organizations can provide documentation.

Also, VIN format changes matter for your research workflow. Beginning with the 1981 model year, NHTSA required a standardized 17-character VIN format for U.S. on-road vehicles.

For 1981+ Pontiacs, a VIN gives you a consistent anchor to cross-check plant and configuration pathways; for earlier cars, you’ll use era-specific VIN schemes and body tags more heavily.

What is the SPID label, and how is it different from a build sheet?

The Service Parts Identification (SPID) label is an on-vehicle label (often in the glovebox/trunk/spare tire area) listing RPO codes that describe the vehicle’s factory content for service/parts purposes.

How it differs from a build sheet:

Build sheet: assembly line instruction document, often includes sequencing/routing and plant-specific production info.
SPID label: service-oriented option/content code list, typically easier to read and more likely to survive intact on later vehicles.

GM’s ecosystem includes VIN-based RPO lookup tooling (not always consumer-friendly), and RPO codes are a GM-wide system used to encode vehicle content.

Can I decode my Pontiac’s options digitally using the VIN?

Sometimes—depending on the year and what databases still expose.

If your goal is authenticity proof for a sale or judged restoration, a random VIN decoder webpage is not a substitute for factory documentation.

Step-by-step: how to decode a Pontiac build sheet

Step 1 — Identify what document you actually have

Original broadcast sheet, trim sheet, manifest, photocopy, or a modern “build record” printout.
Note paper type, print method, and whether it looks like a reproduction.

Step 2 — Record the sheet before interpretation

High-resolution photos/scan (front and back).
Note physical size and any tears/missing corners (missing corners often delete the exact codes you need).

Step 3 — Anchor on identifiers

VIN (or partial VIN/sequence)
Plant code references
Scheduled build date / broadcast date
Body number / trim line number

Step 4 — Decode from high-level information to detailed info versus a random order

Body/trim/paint
Powertrain
Axle/suspension/brakes
Electrical/interior convenience
Appearance and packaging

Step 5 — Translate codes using year-correct references

Factory service manual and wiring diagrams
Assembly manuals (when available)
Dealer order guides / sales albums
Marque- and year-specific option code references

Step 6 — Record uncertainties explicitly

If a code doesn’t decode cleanly, don’t force it. Assembly plant- and year-variation is possible.

Step-by-step: how to cross-check a build sheet against the actual car

A build sheet is only as good as the verification you apply.

Cross-check 1 — VIN consistency

Build sheet VIN/partial VIN vs VIN plate vs title.
For 1981+ cars, the VIN should be 17 characters.

Cross-check 2 — Body tag/cowl tag

Paint/trim codes should align with the body tag (noting that tags rarely list all options).
Plant coding conventions on tags can vary.

Cross-check 3 — Drivetrain authenticity

Engine block casting numbers and casting date
Engine stampings/derivative VIN (where used)
Transmission ID tags/stamps and date codes
Axle tube stamping/tag (where applicable)

Cross-check 4 — Hardware evidence

Factory-correct brackets, holes, harness branches, connector types, and routing.
This is where “cloned” option packages often fall apart by using later wiring and fasteners.

Cross-check 5 — Timeline logic

Component date codes should typically precede the car’s build date by a plausible window and be months/years after.

How do I decode paint and trim codes without guessing?

Use a three-layer approach:

Build sheet paint/trim fields (what the sheet claims)
Body tag/cowl tag (what Fisher Body labels indicate)
Physical evidence (original paint in protected areas, original upholstery under trim panels)

Common pitfalls:

Repaints hide original colors; don’t rely on exterior color alone.
Interiors are often swapped because it’s easier than exterior restoration.
Some codes are plant- or year-specific; avoid universal “one decoder fits all years.”

When you need authoritative confirmation for 1961–1986 cars, PHS documentation often provides the original factory specifications/options context tied to that VIN.

How do I decode drivetrain codes and verify “numbers matching” correctly?

Be strict about definitions:

“Numbers matching” is not a single universal standard; it ranges from “correct type” to “original unit to the car.”
A build sheet may list codes (engine/trans/axle content) that require secondary decoding and physical verification.

Best-practice workflow:

Decode the build sheet’s drivetrain intent (engine family/output/trans type/axle spec).
Verify the installed units via casting numbers, stampings, and date codes.
Compare dates to build timing (plausible lead time matters).
If you have factory invoice/billing history, use it as an additional check on what the car was equipped with when billed.

If you’re buying a “rare” Pontiac, insist on documentation and physical corroboration. Clones exist because they’re profitable.

Annotated example: reading a generic Pontiac build sheet snippet

This is illustrative (layouts and codes vary by year/plant). The goal is to show a decoding process you can apply.

BROADCAST / BUILD MANIFEST (ILLUSTRATIVE)

VIN: 1G2XX1234X1234567

PLANT: (code) SCHED DATE: 05-10

BODY NO: 012345 SEQ: 0876

MODEL: (series/body style code)

TRIM: (interior trim code)

PAINT: (upper/lower or single paint code)

TOP: (vinyl/roof code if equipped)

ENG: (engine code)

TRANS: (transmission code)

AXLE: (axle ratio / diff code)

OPTIONS / CONTENT CODES:

(code) (code) (code) (code) (code) ...

NOTES / CHECKS:

(stamps/hand marks)

How to decode it:

VIN line: Confirms which car the sheet belongs to. For 1981+ Pontiacs, you should be working with a standardized 17-character VIN format.
PLANT + SCHED DATE: Tells you where/when it was supposed to be built. Cross-check with the car’s identification labels and—when applicable—archival documentation.
BODY NO / SEQ: Often internal tracking numbers that are different from the VIN. Don’t confuse these with “matching numbers.”
MODEL / TRIM / PAINT / TOP: Decode using year-correct sales and service references; confirm with body tag and physical evidence.
ENG / TRANS / AXLE: Decode and then verify with castings/stampings/date codes on the actual components.
OPTIONS list: This is where RPO/UPC/group coding lives. For later vehicles, compare against the SPID/RPO label and/or VIN-based RPO lookup tools when available.

What is the difference between a Pontiac build sheet and a Pontiac window sticker?

They serve different masters:

Build sheet

Audience: factory workers and production control
Purpose: assemble the car correctly
Content: codes, routing, internal production fields, sequencing, sometimes incomplete for retail presentation
Legal role: none

Window sticker (Monroney label)

Audience: consumers
Purpose: disclose price and standardized information at retail
Legal role: federally required on new automobiles; must disclose MSRP, options pricing, destination, and other required items.

The Monroney requirements are law-driven; the build sheet is production-driven. If someone tries to sell you a “build sheet” that reads like a retail price label, they’re likely mixing terms or selling you a reproduction that isn’t what they claim.

Build sheet vs dealer invoice/billing history vs order form vs SPID label

Build sheet

Assembly instruction document (see above).

Factory invoice / billing history

What GM billed/shipped to the dealer, it often includes ship-to data, invoice numbers, and equipment/option billing context.
Available via documentation services depending on year/brand/archival availability (e.g., PHS for 1961–1986 per their stated coverage; GM archive channels for later years depending on availability).

Dealer order form

What was ordered (can differ from what was ultimately built if substitutions/constraints happened).
PHS notes order-form inclusion may depend on availability in the packet.

SPID label (RPO list)

On-vehicle option/content code list for service/parts; extremely useful for later cars, but it’s not the same as a broadcast sheet.

Can I “replace” a missing build sheet or window sticker?

You can replace information, but you can’t replace provenance.

A reproduced window sticker may be useful for display or sales context, but it is not the same artifact as an original label that lived on the glass.
A recreated “build sheet” is, at best, a summary document—valuable for your understanding, not a factory-origin production sheet.

If you care about resale value or judged authenticity, document exactly what is original, what is archive-sourced, and what is reproduced.

How do I spot fake or misleading Pontiac paperwork?

Red flags that routinely catch people:

The seller calls an invoice a “build sheet” (or vice versa) to inflate perceived authenticity.
The document is “too perfect” for its claimed origin (crisp paper, uniform aging, no fold or seat spring marks where it should have been stuffed).
VIN mismatch (even one character).
Option combinations that contradict year-correct order constraints (common on clones).
Photocopies presented as “originals” without disclosure.

If you’re buying a high-dollar Pontiac (GTO Judge, SD Trans Am, rare Ram Air variants, etc.), treat documentation like you’d treat an engine rebuild receipt: verify it, don’t admire it.

My build sheet doesn’t match the car. What’s the most likely explanation?

The boring explanations are the most common:

The car was repaired/restored and parts were swapped.
The build sheet belongs to a different car (mix-ups happen, especially with seat swaps).
You’re reading the codes incorrectly (wrong year reference, wrong plant format assumptions).
Late production substitutions occurred that aren’t reflected the way you expect.

What’s less common—but real:

Someone cloned a rarer trim/option package onto a base car.
Reproduction paperwork was created to support a story.

Use the cross-check workflow: VIN → tags → drivetrain/date codes → hardware evidence → documentation.

Is it safe to share my Pontiac build sheet or invoice online?

Be cautious:

A VIN uniquely identifies your vehicle. That can be used for fraud, fake listings, or title-related scams.
Invoices/order records can include dealer and shipping details; sometimes names appear in certain documentation contexts.

Best practice if posting:

Mask all but the last few VIN characters.
Remove addresses and invoice/account numbers.
Keep your original high-resolution scan private.

Pontiac Build Sheet by VIN