I've got a 69 Charger that I've had a few years. Came from a trusted friend I've known for 35+ years. I noticed recently the body stampings on the trunk rail and the radiator support match each other, but not the VIN, fender tag and build sheet. What gives? I checked the Title against VIN# when I bought the car, but was not aware of the other body stampings at that time. This car has been in my friends possession about 25 years or so and I know everything is fine within his ownership. Is this a re-body? Doesn't seem like that would have been likely given the value at the time. And it's a 318 originally. Any thoughts?
Fender tag, VIN and build sheet match. Body stamps do not
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There are more knowledgeable people around here than me, but I have been under the impression that in 69, all those #'s should match. Unlike the 68 and earlier model years. Is there a VIN on the motor? What does that match?
69 Sleeper Bee
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In 69 they should all match up to the VIN. Motor and trans as well if original.
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Sounds like a rebody. Someone found this shell and stuck a dash vin and tag from another car on it. What vin is on the motor and transmission?
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Sounds to me like the assembly line built the car that was on the broadcast, and put the right vin.......
on the wrong body in white.
Nobody is gonna rebody a 318 car 30 years ago.
Do any of the body numbers match the chute numbers on the broadcast?
on the wrong body in white.
Nobody is gonna rebody a 318 car 30 years ago.
Do any of the body numbers match the chute numbers on the broadcast?
69Coronetrt
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Sounds like we need pictures before we can help.
Otherwise, we're just guessing and cannot give an accurate answer.
Otherwise, we're just guessing and cannot give an accurate answer.
wagonman
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Probably not a 318 car but back in the 70s like 75 or so we would take a front or rear hit car and clip it with a donor from like S. Carolina. Only did this on R/T cars or anything of value. We knew what we had even back then. Did not care about #s. The N.Y. cars were rusting by then. Like My Dads 70 Charger 500 Was last registered in 74 and needed Quarters, trunk, rockers, fenders you get the picture. Still ran well with 38K.
Give this fine fellow some pictures.
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The trunk rail & the rad supt #'s match, so your scenario does not apply.
The engine and trans went away at the time I bought the car. So I never looked at the numbers. Plan to use a 440 anyway so it wasn't important at the time. As for the body being put together from two, no. This car is completely apart and stripped to bare metal. No piecing together, this car came from the desert of so Cal and the only rust to amount to anything was from a leaking trunk seal. The trunk pan had some pinholes so PO put in a new trunk pan. I don't know what "chute" numbers are. I'm wondering if cars built in late 68 for the 69 model year have the same rules as cars built in 69. I seem to recall seeing the changeover started 1/1/69 as to the numbering system changes.
Gus chiggins
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Sounds sketchy even by my standards.
69Coronetrt
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No changes during model year 1969.
Things like this have popped up on the board before. What the poster thought they were seeing and what was really happening was cleared up with pictures.
Pictures will help you get an accurate answer, if you really want one. Otherwise, we're only guessing as to what you are seeing.
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If the VIN & body numbers don't match, that will be a problem with future resale.
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replace the "damaged" upper tie bar, and the "rusty" trunk gutter........problem solved
or simply weld over the numbers and grind it off
or simply weld over the numbers and grind it off
I’ve owned my Six Pack Charger and ‘Cuda since the early 80’s. I never checked the body #’s as I knew neither car had been involved in an accident. It wasn’t until 2015 that I verified them. That was also the year I realized why it was such a big deal to have a matching number block in a GM car until 1972.
As said post some pictures for the numbers gurus. They can tell by the VIN as to a build time. So if the car was built after the title's VIN you know its a fake. As far as the comments on who would of done this 30 plus years ago I will say this. Back in the middle 70's these cars could be had for 300 bucks in various conditions. A VIN did not mean much back then. Many built cars from 2 or 3 others and the nicest dash with the VIN went into the car. Just the way it was done, I wont say it was right. You drove the car not the numbers. No one thought back then these cars would have value by the numbers.
If car isn't registered now in your name DMV starts lookihg for hidden numbers, see a problem. Are you sure your looking at hidden numbers? Post #13 is another concern.
Challenger340
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Nope.... my '69 Charger R/T SE is a November 22nd 1968 build, Full VIN# Stampings on Block & Trans, partials Rad Support, Trunk Lip, etc., Dash/Fender Tag & Broadcast Sheet all match.
Maybe start checking some of the other 'date coded' parts, ie: Wiper motor, Jack(if present), etc., and see if they match close to the SPD on the Fender Tag/Broadcast Sheet ? For example here.... if those dates are AFTER the posted Tag/Sheet SPD you may have more evidence ?
Pretty obviously here....
The Rad Support & Trunk Lip VIN Stampings are most probably what the car came with..... the rest being quite 'transferable'.
Never say never I guess ?
but it would be let's just say "highly unusual" for a different Body in white to receive the wrong VIN stampings, I'm no expert but as is my understand anyways, they were set and stamped according to the "Pkg" supplied, ie: Broadcast Sheet/Fender Tag/Dash VIN all sitting there waiting to attach to that Body.
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Demonic
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No. There were a couple of federal regulations that took effect, like mandatory headrests. 1969 numbering system was in effect for the entire model year.
Thank you to all that have responded. I'm paranoid about putting the VIN# out there. The difference in numbers is only the last three sequence numbers, Title,VIN, build sheet, fender tag all have ***828 the body has ***298. another thing is the fender tag (underside of tag also with the correct lack of even spray from the tag being bent up) is the same color as the body (Q5) Bright Turquoise. The package tray still has original color, all other paint was removed by PO. Wouldn't someone have to had a body of the same color to swap out vin,sheet,tag, title to accomplish this if it's a re-body? anythings possible I guess but that seems unlikely as the color isn't that common. I was just trying to see if there was a simple explanation for the discrepancy, seems like maybe something happened in the long past.
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