This fender tag may look like it's dead in the water, but it has just enough info to determine just about every option that came on this car.
Here's how I decoded it for member Jason Bisson. Jason kindly removed the delicate fender tag so we could get a clearer view of the letters/numbers that were stamped onto the tag. I mirrored the backside of the tag, reversing the numbers for further clarity.
Using the VIN and remaining signs on Jason's Road Runner, we were able to determine the bottom row on this St. Louis tag.
St. Louis tags always start with Engine/Trans/Model, so here's the bottom line.
E63 D21 RM23 H9G 289413
2nd Row from the bottom gives us our first set of troubles. Jason's car does have sparse remnants of remaining paint, so a color match could reveal the true color. It's either R6 or R4. For the sake of showing the decode we'll plug in R4 here and go with the most popular Hardtop interior color/package, H2X.
R4 R4 H2X X9 616 262495
The first 3 codes are guesses, for now, but educated guesses. Since bucket seats haven't been ordered we know he had an H2_ interior. We've plugged in H2X as it's the most common.
616 is the SPD, which I determined by comparing the VIN with others in my registry. The legible "6" on the tag confirmed that it was built on 616, and falls in line with other St. Louis VINs.
The VON (Vehicle Order Number) is legible (262495).
Moving up to the 3rd line we begin to start our trouble shooting.
My determination is as follows.
A01 A14 A31 J25 L31 M21
Here's how I got to this. The only clear, legible code here is J25 (3-spd wipers). While viewing my registry spreadsheet I can look at the fender tag codes that appeared on St. Louis built cars. From there I work right and left.
The first determination is by looking right of J25 and seeing a clear "L". The only code right or J25 that can have an L is L31 (front turn signal indicators). Right of that is a mandatory code for Hardtops, M21 (drip rail molding). The right side of line 3 is done.
Moving left it gets much more difficult. What appears immediately left of J25 is illegible, but with our mirror reversing feature of the backside of the tag, we can clearly now see an A31 (High Performance Axle Package). Before the mirroring I had asked Jason what occurred when he spun his axle, and it wasn't showing a Sure Grip. But now, with the tag we know that someone had removed the differential.
Two over from the left is a clear "4". On a St. Louis Fender Tag the only items with a "4" left of J25 would be A34, A14 and A04. A34 is the Super Track Pak Package and was for Hemi cars only. A34 is out.
A14 is the Plymouth Spring Special and A04 is the Basic Radio Group. Both are prime candidates, but let's dive deeper to determine which it is, and for that we need to examine other lines on the tag.
Looking right of the left hand screw we see what appears to be either V6R (Red Longitude Sport Stripe or V68 (Stripe Removal). After consulting with Jason he noted that the R/8 appears to have a curvy line on the left hand side indicating V68. The only way to have a stripe removed from a car, as it wasn't stock on them, was to have a package that included it. A14 includes a V6R or V6W side stripe. Therefore, the "4" on the tag here has to be for the A14 Plymouth Spring Special. Jason's SPD (616) is indicative as well because his car was built AFTER this package was offered in the spring of 1969. Whew!!
Left of A14 are just two codes that can appear on a St. Louis fender tag, A01 and A04. A04 would automatically flag in G33 (OS Left Hand remove Mirror). This code does not appear on the tag. I had Jason look in his trunk, ash tray and glove box. He found remnants of the car having a trunk light. With code L31 we know that at minimum he had front turn signal indicators, but now with the trunk light we now know he had code A01 (Light Package). Line 3 is fully solved.
Moving up to line 4 we have what I've determined to be as follow:
M31 N85 N96 R11 V1X V21
With A14 firmly in place, M31 (Belt Moldings) is determined as it's always on a St. Louis tag. It's seen here directly under the left hand screw.
To it's right we can cleary see N85 (Tachometer). The code is clear and is verified by the photo Jason supplied of the dash.
Next to that is another clear code, N96 (Air Grabber).
Moving on we see remnants of an "R" and a "1". It has to be code R11 (AM Radio). The other radio codes are R21 and R22. No twos on that spot so R11 it is.
5th from the left is where we go back to code A14. With the Plymouth Spring Special we know that a vinyl roof is ordered along with V21 Performance Hood Paint and the V6R/W Sports Stripe. The Vinyl Roof (V1X/T/W/F) flags in first ALWAYS with this package. So Jason's car has a yet-to-be-determined roof color.
The 6th location from the left is where V21 Performance Hood Paint flags in. Row 4 now complete, almost.
Finally we reach row 5. We've determined from Jason that the first code right of the screw is V68. This code opted to remove the side V6R/W stripe from the car. Next we see "26". This is a mandatory code for the 26 inch radiator core which Jason has due to the A31 High Performance Axle Package. Finally and always after the radiator core is the word "END". Plugging in paint, interior and vinyl top colors Jason's tag would read as follows:
V68 26 END
M31 N85 N96 R11 V1X V21
A01 A14 A31 J25 L31 M21
R4 R4 H2X X9 616 262495
E63 D21 RM23 H9G 289413
Jason is likely to get a paint match for the color which remains on places of the car to determine R4 or R6. We'll also check for remnants in the interior to determine interior color (he's digging out his door panels). The vinyl roof will be the most challenging, as nothing remains of it's color. Here's where backtracking the cars history might yield it's origins.
Thanks to Jason for allowing me to dissect his trim tag.
