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Re: Font and vin number of engine block, is it correct?
[Re: Iceman01]
#914167
01/28/11 02:20 PM
01/28/11 02:20 PM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 201
A12RTX2340
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 201
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I looked at this car pretty hard. The #'s stamped under the front head say the bottom end was assembled approx 3 months and 1 week before the cars SPD. That scared me. The numbers on the tranny are a mess but the assembly date coincides with the SPD, less than a month before. Without seeing the car in person or getting close up clear pics of the Vin #'s showing the broaching marks you have to be skeptical or you can get burned, old ladies car or not (which is what this car is claimed to be by the seller). In big block land from my experience, engine assembly dates over 3 mo's (heck, 2 months is a stretch IMO) before the cars SPD screams possible restamp or in the very least you need to investigate/scrutinize the stampings further IMO to authenticate. Yeah, the car looks to be untouched but you never know till you look at it in person or get extremely detailed pics beforehand and even then..It's a cool car none the less. We are talking about a 71' 340 Duster car here BTW, and for what it's worth I at one point in time had a driver status survivor 73' 340 Dart Sport (all orig paint, guaranteed orig engine never opened up with orig gaskets till I opened it up to change the rear main seal) and the (orig paint still) engine assembly was approx 2 weeks before the cars SPD-I know were not comparing apples to apples here, 71' vs 73' anyway, but at least it's a 340 A-body to compare to. In my experience (admittedly mostly with big blocks), a couple weeks before and up to a month before the cars SPD seems to be the accepted "norm" for engine assembly dates and my personal experience with guaranteed original engines. You never know I suppose, SPD's are just that, scheduled, not guaranteed. I'd like to believe that is the original engine for the vehicle, you just need to thoroughly check it out before you pull the trigger if you truly want a guaranteed orig engine vehicle..and that probably means a visual inspection by you or someone knowlegeable in this case. If I was on the west coast I would have already checked it out.
Last edited by A12RTX2340; 01/28/11 06:01 PM.
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Re: Font and vin number of engine block, is it correct?
[Re: rayztoy]
#914170
01/28/11 06:22 PM
01/28/11 06:22 PM
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,083
Long Island, NY
70plymA34
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,083
Long Island, NY
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Quote:
I've seen a few 70 model year LA built cars with original drivetrain assy dates in the Dec-Jan range, and the SPD's were in the March-April range. That being said, they are most likely the exception to the norm.
Once again nothng is the norm with these cars,LOL
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Re: Font and vin number of engine block, is it correct?
[Re: A12RTX2340]
#914171
01/31/11 02:20 PM
01/31/11 02:20 PM
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 9,550
Sacramento CA
Morty426
master
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master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 9,550
Sacramento CA
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Quote:
I looked at this car pretty hard. The #'s stamped under the front head say the bottom end was assembled approx 3 months and 1 week before the cars SPD. That scared me. The numbers on the tranny are a mess but the assembly date coincides with the SPD, less than a month before. Without seeing the car in person or getting close up clear pics of the Vin #'s showing the broaching marks you have to be skeptical or you can get burned, old ladies car or not (which is what this car is claimed to be by the seller). In big block land from my experience, engine assembly dates over 3 mo's (heck, 2 months is a stretch IMO) before the cars SPD screams possible restamp or in the very least you need to investigate/scrutinize the stampings further IMO to authenticate. Yeah, the car looks to be untouched but you never know till you look at it in person or get extremely detailed pics beforehand and even then..It's a cool car none the less. We are talking about a 71' 340 Duster car here BTW, and for what it's worth I at one point in time had a driver status survivor 73' 340 Dart Sport (all orig paint, guaranteed orig engine never opened up with orig gaskets till I opened it up to change the rear main seal) and the (orig paint still) engine assembly was approx 2 weeks before the cars SPD-I know were not comparing apples to apples here, 71' vs 73' anyway, but at least it's a 340 A-body to compare to. In my experience (admittedly mostly with big blocks), a couple weeks before and up to a month before the cars SPD seems to be the accepted "norm" for engine assembly dates and my personal experience with guaranteed original engines. You never know I suppose, SPD's are just that, scheduled, not guaranteed. I'd like to believe that is the original engine for the vehicle, you just need to thoroughly check it out before you pull the trigger if you truly want a guaranteed orig engine vehicle..and that probably means a visual inspection by you or someone knowlegeable in this case. If I was on the west coast I would have already checked it out.
On the most part I would agree but I think 1971 might be the exception. I think Chrysler did not expect the major drop off that they had in production from 70 to 71.
For example I have a 340 that is cast in February of 71 yet it has a 1972 VIN.
1971 might be a year of bad forcasting 
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