Timely post about old computer equipment - I was getting ready to throw my Mac 512 away.

Seriously though, I have one experience that is fact.

I obtained a copy of the IBM card on my 63 Maxwedge. I saw the dealer code and asked a lady in my department if she could somehow look for the dealer code to determine who it was.

She made contact with someone and they provided the dealer name. This happened in 2005 on a car that was then 42 years old.

My bet is a lot of this info is on a tape somewhere - it’s just a matter of knowing who to ask and getting them to look for it.
But, only if the data was put on a disk or tape first, then used to print the IBM card.

Not sure where the data all started - i think back then the dealer sent his order to the Zone offices who then sent in those forms for vehicle orders.
If there was a central vehicle scheduling group who communicated to the plants via card, the data may be setting somewhere.