1970 Plymouth Duster VIN

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Ronnie Craig Robinson

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I have a 1970 Plymouth 340 Duster. The first 7 characters of the VIN are as follows: VS29H0B That tells me it's a 1970 340 that was built in the Hamtramck MI plant. It's a little odd in that it's an automatic on the floor with a console, factory AC, deluxe interior (high back white buckets with white/wood grain door cards), Kelsey Hayes front disc brakes. It doesn't have the Rallye Dash option. I've heard many different opinions on whether it's an "H Code" car. My understanding is if the 5th letter is a "H" that means it's a 340 Duster. Does it have to have the Rallye Dash to be a H Code car. I thought the Rallye Dash was an option.

Thanks,
 
Yes H is 340
Yes rally dash is a standard feature.

"Special Duster 340 instrument panel"
from the 1970 Plymouth Data Book

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Not sure about the paint and stripes because it's been re-painted. It matches all the information for the performance features. 1970 was a little before I started driving. I assume I could order a 340 performance package and all the features individually? Where does "H Code" factor into all of that?

Thanks for the info!
 
H code in the 5th digit space of the VIN denotes 340. Beyond that the fender tag codes will indicate the options like transmission, paint color, stripe package, etc.
 
Ronnie Craig Robinson said:
Not sure about the paint and stripes because it's been re-painted. It matches all the information for the performance features. 1970 was a little before I started driving. I assume I could order a 340 performance package and all the features individually? Where does "H Code" factor into all of that?

Thanks for the info!
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No VS29 is the 340 duster package
 
i have never seen a VS29H car 70 or 71 without the ralley dash , Im not saying there wasn't any with a standard dash i just never seen one .
 
I had a 71 340/4 speed that had the Rallye Dash and it was an H Code (late 70s). I guess that's what confuses me about this one. It almost looks like someone went to the trouble of ordering options separately without buying the Duster 340 package. No fender tag or build sheet.
 
First thing I would do is check the radiator support and see if it matches vin tag on dash, then check for numbers in trunk area to see if they match. If the two on the body match each other but don't match vin on dash, someone might have switched the dash tag.
 
Sounds like the tag was swapped on the dash frame... is it held on by the rosette rivets? Maybe you can peak under the dash and see if the rivets go all the way through or the tag was glued in place.
 
Here is a way to tell if it is a real 340 car.

Take the back seat out and see if the original exhaust hanger stud bracket is there on the passenger side. Also it should have a phillips screw holding it in place. If it doesn't have the bracket plus a screw holding it on. Then the car is a clone.

There are other ways but this is the most definite and the screw is the most overlooked. You can also see the point of the screw from under the car if you look up under and behind the hanger. This is where having someone skinny with you and a camera helps.

I have a story of a bronze 70 swinger from upstate NY. We caught the guy and got him to admit it. Big dollar car .

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Thanks for all your input. Based on the rivets, I'm guessing the VIN tag was added to this car. It has the unibody frame rails welded together with 2 X 2 box beam steel, the transmission has a manual valve body. I've assumed it was raced at some point in time. There is no door tag and I'd have to scrap a lot of paint to read the trunk lid or core support. Someone took a highly optioned car and dropped in a numbers matching 340/727/8.75 drive train. I can live with that. I was planning on building a nice driver.

It had a PA title. Not sure what they allow there?

Duster Vin Photo.jpg
 
Ronnie Craig Robinson said:
Thanks for all your input. Based on the rivets, I'm guessing the VIN tag was added to this car. It has the unibody frame rails welded together with 2 X 2 box beam steel, the transmission has a manual valve body. I've assumed it was raced at some point in time. There is no door tag and I'd have to scrap a lot of paint to read the trunk lid or core support. Someone took a highly optioned car and dropped in a numbers matching 340/727/8.75 drive train. I can live with that. I was planning on building a nice driver.

It had a PA title. Not sure what they allow there?

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those are not the proper rosette rivets someone put that on .
 
I have the complete dash for your car with the correct rivets to use for your tag. It is a complete dash Frame, cluster and Harness. The pad is cracked It was pulled from a 340 Duster and is complete .
 
Oldmanmopar said:
I have the complete dash for your car with the correct rivets to use for your tag. It is a complete dash Frame, cluster and Harness. The pad is cracked It was pulled from a 340 Duster and is complete .
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My email is gmail.com. Send some photos and I will contact you.

Thanks

Please use the PM system to exchange information and if you want someone to have your email address, you can exchange that info there. Thanks.
 
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It won't be until after the snow storm goes through. Here is a picture of some that are here. and there are many more. When the snow is cleared after the storm I'll go out to the trailer. Right now everything here is solid ice. So getting the specific one out for pictures won't be until at least the weekend. first picture top dash only needs a radio , wiper switch and ashtray I can install. Harnesses are nice.

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Oldmanmopar said:
It won't be until after the snow storm goes through. Here is a picture of some that are here. and there are many more. When the snow is cleared after the storm I'll go out to the trailer. Right now everything here is solid ice. So getting the specific one out for pictures won't be until at least the weekend. first picture top dash only needs a radio , wiper switch and ashtray I can install. Harnesses are nice.

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Ronnie Craig Robinson said:
I have a 1970 Plymouth 340 Duster. The first 7 characters of the VIN are as follows: VS29H0B That tells me it's a 1970 340 that was built in the Hamtramck MI plant. It's a little odd in that it's an automatic on the floor with a console, factory AC, deluxe interior (high back white buckets with white/wood grain door cards), Kelsey Hayes front disc brakes. It doesn't have the Rallye Dash option. I've heard many different opinions on whether it's an "H Code" car. My understanding is if the 5th letter is a "H" that means it's a 340 Duster. Does it have to have the Rallye Dash to be a H Code car. I thought the Rallye Dash was an option.

Thanks,
Click to expand...
YES, every 1970 and 1971 340 Duster had a Rallye dash. It went away for 1972.
 
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Ronnie Craig Robinson said:
Thanks for all your input. Based on the rivets, I'm guessing the VIN tag was added to this car. It has the unibody frame rails welded together with 2 X 2 box beam steel, the transmission has a manual valve body. I've assumed it was raced at some point in time. There is no door tag and I'd have to scrap a lot of paint to read the trunk lid or core support. Someone took a highly optioned car and dropped in a numbers matching 340/727/8.75 drive train. I can live with that. I was planning on building a nice driver.

It had a PA title. Not sure what they allow there?

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Just so you know, if the right law enforcement officer or DMV guy ever sees that VIN tag your gonna have problems. And for sure if the car is ever involved in a accident! You may even own a stolen car and not be aware of it.
 
The two partial VIN's on the body will tell the tale. One is on the top, or backside of the radiator support, near the drivers side end of the radiator tank. The other one is not on the trunk lip in Dusters. It will be on the top side of the package tray, near the speaker hole on the drivers side if I remember correctly. You will need to take the back seat out and remove the interior trim board to see it. To change the dash to the proper Rallye Dash that Steve has, you will need to remove the windshield to get the bolts out. Not a hard job....just time consuming. When you do swap the dash, grind the rivets off on the bottom side of the dash instead of trying to drill thru them from the top. They will spin and ruin your VIN tag if you try to drill them!
 
413 said:
Yes "Special Duster 340 instrument panel"
from the 1970 Plymouth Data Book

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I was looking at the Perforance features in the ad and it says the 4 speed tansmission comes with the Pistol Grip shifter .No . Must have been written and published before they noticed that or decided not too use them ? That pistol Grip would looked good in A bodies too. I put one in my 72' 340 Duster .
 
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