How to Tell Mfg Date?

My '80 W150's data plate on driver's door post was missing when I bought the truck. Is there anyway to tell the manufacture date of the truck without it?

Decode the vin

The manufacture date of the truck is in the VIN?

Dennis

Let me be more specific. How do you find out the production DATE of the truck...not the model YEAR of the truck. (Ex. 7/79, 7-13-79 or July 1979) I've already decoded the VIN. It doesn't provide that info.

I assume the data plate that was riveted to the door jamb(but removed before I bought it) had that info on it...? I was just wondering if it was in another location.

The fender tag of my'69 Super Bee uses code to show it as built Dec 3, 1968.

If the engine is original, the engine assembly date could be a clue. It is part of the number stamped into the engine ID pad. Other than that, I am no help. But maybe it'll give you something to do until some more knowledgeable person chimes in.

R.

I believe the engine is the original factory... it and the intake have different dates but both are 1979. So, I will have to assume it's somewhat of an early '80 production model built in '79 sometime.

To find the engine ID, look on the driver's side of the block, front side, right under the cylinder head. STAMPED (not cast) into the block will be the engine ID number. It should be something like 9M318xxxxxxxx.

The first number is the model year of the car the engine went into. The M is Mounds Road engine plant.
The 318 is the engine size.
The next digits are the date the engine was assembled. for example 0423 would be April 23. then the next digits tell you what number of engine was built that day. So 0232 would be the 232nd engine built that day.

Now it doesn't tell you about the truck's build date but the engine was built either on the same day or earlier.

R.