Automobile engineers love the alphabet.

It’s the only explanation we can come up with for why GM and Mopar use letter designations for their many body styles. It’s not a bad idea, but it can be a little confusing because of the many different generations of cars. For example, GM has used the same letters to identify totally different vehicles. An A-body could be a 1955 Chevy Bel Air, a ’64 Olds F-85, or a 1981 Buick Regal, depending on which generation to which you’re referring.

That’s why we’ve put together a couple of handy charts, starting with this rundown of GM body codes.

Want a handy chart you can download and print? CLICK HERE for a PDF. 

Our chart lists vehicle codes from 1946 through 1985, which is prime time for most of us performance enthusiast types. We also only included vehicles most gearheads would be interested in, so you won’t find codes for stuff like Chevettes and other, er, uninspiring vehicles. Now when someone decides to recite something from the General’s alphabet, you can follow right along with them.

1946-60 Body Codes

A-Body
Chevrolet: 150, 210, Bel Air, Del Ray, Biscayne, Impala, El Camino
Pontiac: Chieftain, Star Chief, Super Chief, Bonneville, Catalina, Ventura
B-Body
Buick: Special, Century, LeSabre, Invicta
Oldsmobile: Eighty-Eight, Ninety-Eight, Starfire Ninety-Eight
C-Body
Buick: Super, Roadmaster, Limited, Electra/Electra 225
Cadillac: Series 60 Special Fleetwood, Series 62, Eldorado, Deville
D-Body
Cadillac: Series 75 Fleetwood, Series 6700 Fleetwood 75

1961-65 Body Codes

A-Body
Buick: 1964-65 Special, Skylark, Sportwagon
Chevrolet: Chevelle, Malibu/Malibu SS, El Camino
Oldsmobile: 1964-65 F-85/Cutlass, Vista Cruiser
Pontiac: 1964-65 Tempest, LeMans, GTO
B-Body
Buick: LeSabre, 1965 LeSabre Custom, Invicta, 1962-65 Wildcat
Chevrolet: Biscayne, Bel Air, Impala/Impala SS
Oldsmobile: Eighty-Eight, Starfire, Jetstar
Pontiac: Catalina, Star Chief, Bonneville, Ventura, Grand Prix
C-Body
Buick: Electra/Electra 225
Cadillac: Series 60 Special, Fleetwood/Fleetwood 60 Special, Deville, Calais, Eldorado, Series 6200
Oldsmobile: Ninety-Eight
D-Body
Cadillac: Fleetwood 75/Series 6700 Fleetwood 75
E-Body
Buick: Riviera
X-Body
Chevrolet: Chevy II, Nova/Nova SS
Y-Body
Buick: Special (1961-63), Skylark (1962-63)
Oldsmobile: F-85 (1961-63), Jetfire (1962-63)
Pontiac: 1961-63 Tempest/LeMans

1966-70 Body Codes

A-Body
Buick: Special, Skylark, Sportwagon
Chevrolet: Chevelle, Malibu/Malibu SS, El Camino
Oldsmobile: F-85 and Cutlass, Vista Cruiser
Pontiac: Tempest, LeMans, GTO
B-Body
Buick: LeSabre, Wildcat
Chevrolet: Biscayne, Bel Air, Impala/Impala SS, Caprice
Oldsmobile: Eighty-Eight, Starfire, Jetstar
Pontiac: Catalina, Star Chief Executive, Bonneville, 1966-68 Grand Prix
C-Body
Buick: Electra/Electra 225
Cadillac: Fleetwood/Fleetwood 60 Special, Deville, Calais
Oldsmobile: Ninety-Eight
D-Body
Cadillac: Fleetwood 75
E-Body
Buick: Riviera
Cadillac: Eldorado
Oldsmobile: Toronado
F-Body
Chevrolet: Camaro
Pontiac: Firebird
G-Body
Chevrolet: 1970 Monte Carlo
Pontiac: 1969-70 Grand Prix
X-Body
Chevrolet: Chevy II, Nova/Nova SS

1971-75 Body Codes

A-Body
Buick: Skylark and Century, Regal, Sportwagon
Chevrolet: Chevelle, Malibu, Laguna, Monte Carlo
Oldsmobile: F-85 and Cutlass
Pontiac: Tempest, LeMans, Grand Am, 1971-72 GTO, Grand Prix
B-Body
Buick: LeSabre and Centurion
Chevrolet: Biscayne, Bel Air, Impala, Caprice
Oldsmobile: Delta Eighty-Eight
Pontiac: Catalina, Bonneville, Grand Ville
C-Body
Buick: Electra 225
Cadillac: Fleetwood Brougham, Deville, Calais
Oldsmobile: Ninety-Eight
D-Body
Cadillac: Fleetwood 75
E-Body
Buick: Riviera
Cadillac: Eldorado
Oldsmobile: Toronado
F-Body
Chevrolet: Camaro
Pontiac: Firebird
H-Body
Buick: Skyhawk
Chevrolet: Vega, Monza
Oldsmobile: Starfire
Pontiac: Astre
X-Body
Chevrolet: Nova
Pontiac: Ventura, 1974-75 GTO

1976-80 Body Codes

A-Body
Buick: Century (1976-77), Regal
Chevrolet: Malibu and Laguna, Monte Carlo
Oldsmobile: Cutlass
Pontiac: LeMans and Grand Am, Grand Prix
B-Body
Buick: LeSabre, 1977-78 Riviera
Chevrolet: Impala, Caprice
Oldsmobile: Delta Eighty-Eight
Pontiac: Catalina and Bonneville
C-Body
Buick: Electra/Electra 225
Cadillac: Fleetwood Brougham, Deville, Calais
Oldsmobile: Ninety-Eight
D-Body
Cadillac: 1976 Fleetwood 75, 1977-80 Fleetwood Limousine
E-Body
Buick: Riviera (1976 RWD, 1979-80 FWD)
Cadillac: Eldorado
Oldsmobile: Toronado
F-Body
Chevrolet: Camaro
Pontiac: Firebird
H-Body
Buick: Skyhawk
Chevrolet: Vega, Monza
Oldsmobile: Starfire
Pontiac: Astre, Sunbird
X-Body
Buick: Skylark (1976-79 RWD, 1980 FWD)
Chevrolet: Nova (1976-79), Citation (1980)
Oldsmobile: Omega (1976-79 RWD, 1980)
Pontiac: Ventura (1976-77), Phoenix (1977-79 RWD, 1980 FWD)

1981-85 Body Codes

A-Body
Buick: 1981 Century and Regal
Chevrolet: 1981 Malibu, El Camino, Monte Carlo, 1982-85 Celebrity
Oldsmobile: 1981 Cutlass, 1982-85 Ciera
Pontiac: LeMans, 1981 Grand Prix, 1982-85 6000
B-Body
Buick: LeSabre
Chevrolet: Impala, Caprice Classic
Oldsmobile: Delta Eighty-Eight
Pontiac: 1981 Catalina, Bonneville, Grand Safari, 1982-85 Parisenne
C-Body
Buick: Electra
Cadillac: Fleetwood/Fleetwood Brougham and Deville (all models to 1983), 1985 Fleetwood Limousine
Oldsmobile: Ninety-Eight
D-Body
Cadillac: 1984-85 Deville and Fleetwood Brougham, 1981-84 Fleetwood Limousine
E-Body
Buick: Riviera
Cadillac: Eldorado
Oldsmobile: Toronado
F-Body
Chevrolet: Camaro
Pontiac: Firebird
G-Body (1982-85)
Buick: Regal
Chevrolet: Malibu, El Camino, Monte Carlo
Oldsmobile: Cutlass
Pontiac: Bonneville and Grand Prix
J-Body (1982-85)
Buick: Skyhawk
Cadillac: Cimarron
Chevrolet: Cavalier
Oldsmobile: Firenza
Pontiac: J2000 and Sunbird

CLICK HERE FOR A DOWNLOADABLE PDF OF THE GM BODY CODE CHART.