You guys that keep up with stuff have more knowledge and a big data base so I was wondering about how mopar assigned vin numbers. Could there be a challenger, for example, that was JH23H0B123456 AND a JH23G0B123456? The only difference being the engine code. Since they only stamp the last 8 digit on a trans, it just made me wonder.

The Automotive plant assigns the number to a body. So the B is the plant in the serial number 123456 would only be the assigned number. All other numbers and letters tell about the body and the motor and year.

Typos are fairly common.

What have you found here?

there should be ONLY one "0B123456", but mistakes happen

Is it possible to have?:

0A123456

0B123456

0E123456

0G123456

Yes.

0C, 0D, 0F & 0R also.

Each plant for the 1970 model year started with 100001 & went up from there.

You guys just answered a question that I was wondering about for a while. I didn't know if the plants all started at 100001 or if it was a "cumulative" number for the whole corporation for the whole year. If that makes sense.

Well, I’ll tell you, Barry. But you have to promise me you won’t publish this vin number, turn it over to the FBI, CIA,ATF, DEA, SS, IRS,or the KKK. LOL! Seriously, I have a customer that bought a 70 RR at an auction. She has lots of cars, but this is her favorite. It’s a real FC7, white int, 383, 4 speed with a Air grabber. She had some electrical problems that were fixed poorly, an overhaul done but a local hack mechanic and some other poorly done work. It’s a fairly nice showing car with some minor rust coming back , but a fun driver. She is most proud of the fact it is “ matching numbers” and mentioned it constantly. Well, I put it on the lift and found all the mechanical problems and found the numbers on the trans that matched the vin but when I looked at the motor, it was stamped with the correct numbers but the plant code was a B instead of the G it should be. It was oblivious to me right off that the fonts were incorrect and someone had milled the pad and restamped the block. I guess they were not used to faking St. Louis cars and did not have G stamp. Lol! Anyway, she was heartbroken. You would have thought I’d just ran over her dog or something. I assured her the car was real ,but it was obvious to me it had been raced and the motor replaced at some time. This misconception that the Chevy people have created that if it’s not “matching number” it’s not a real car is ridiculous. Most people don’t even know the difference or how to tell. I gave up with local car shows people asking if my AAR is matching numbers or “does it have a Hemi in it” questions. I just says yes, anymore.

Anyway, this leads me to thinking about some of the 4 speeds I have collected. Since they are only stamped with the partial vin how could you tell exactly which ONE car they came out of. Could it be a possiblility they may “ match “ more than one car?
Guess I need to list all the ones I have so we can investigate.

The 4-speeds would match only one car.

If there is a registry for her type of car, she could ask to see if her original engine has been reported.

I have not kept an exact count, but I have helped over 100 people get original engines & transmissions for their cars in the last 20+ years.

Trans would only match one year like motor since trans stamped with year, plant and serial #. So 0Gxxxxxx as example for her car

I’ll post the vin numbers of my cases but how would you know if a 308 bearing HD case came from a 383,426 Hemi, or a 440? I have several B, E, A and maybe a G plant code cases.

18 spline or not would be a clue.

Even then, those can be swapped out though.

Partial VINs would have to be matched to a known full VIN.

Either by the car owner seeing your list & / or via a registry that has been contacted by its members looking for items so their VIN & contact information is on file.

In any case, that one trans could only match one car, correct? You would have to have the complete known vin from the car and THEN find the trans to match. Finding the trans first and you would still have to guess somewhat. A couple of mine are just empty cases I have obtained through the years.

Each transmission with a VIN stamp can only match one car.

It is a shot in the dark. Doing what I do, I may hear of more actual match ups than most people.

It is awesome when it happens & it happens more often than many would assume.

I’ll gather the numbers up and we will see.

This is one reason why a lot of us collect information. Some have lists of motor and transmission, broadcast sheets and of people that have pieces from a certain body. Many of us have united these kinds of parts with the owners of the body or vehicle. Barry has a vast amount or this information on 1970 Vehicles. At times we all ask each other if we know about a certain car to reunite a piece with the owner of a vehicle.


As for this serial number you are asking about. I would have the owner or lady do some leg work with previous owners and try to trace back and ask those people involve what might of happened. Were I worked in an Automotive plant the same stamping tool was used to stamp the block and the transmission. If this was done in all Chrysler Plants then the stamp on the motor should be the same as on the transmission, With a serial number example 0B123456 you would only have to move the numbers and only a few numbers going from one vehicle to another at most times. The 0 is for the year and would never change, the B is for the plant and also should never be removed or changed in the stamp only the numbers would vary to the next bodies serial number.

My car's body stampings are off by 10,000 from all the other things I have with #'s on them. The dash tag, the driver's door tag, and what's left of the broadcast sheet all match each other. (10,000 less than the body stampings.) I do not have the original block or trans, so I do not know what was stamped on those. I'm assuming it probably would be consistent with the body stampings??? Maybe I'm wrong. Were the engine, trans., and body all stamped at the same time or were they stamped at different times?

Fender tag first, then the body, well ahead of the block & transmission.

Those were stamped after they were assembled together & right before they went into the body.

Several examples of VIN errors & more at http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/factoryErrors.shtml if you have not seen them yet?

It was bought at an auction so previous owners are not available, probably on purpose. Looking at the stamps, they are obvious hardware store stamps. I told her to drive it and have fun.