Yes I did. Again, she revealed nothing.
Is my car a Tag Job? Barracuda Decode...
- Thread starter eekvonzipper
- Start date
-
pishta
I know I'm right....
The VIN on a 65 V8 Barracuda starts with a V8 (Valiant/Barracuda-8cyl) 18 is a 6 Barracuda, LA plant, year (5) and then sequence number.
Last edited:
Gotchya. I know sometimes different cars have them in different places. I'm not very familiar with the Barracudas, as I've never had one. Maybe it's in a different spot where you haven't looked? One of these cats will chime in and tell you where they usually are. Hopefully it's in there......if it is, you can get a correct fender tag made for it.
Or if all else fails, you can get your local county Sheriff's Department to come out and issue a new VIN if necessary. That would at least give you firm ground to stand on if you ever decide to sell. I don't think your situation is without a solution. You may have a bit of a road to get there.
Yeah it looks like the SO number is the only way to verify. Almost makes the VIN worthless. lol
Well that would be cool.
As said above, a 65 Barracuda VIN beginning 185 is for a slant six car. VIN for a 65 Barracuda V8 would begin V85. (8 means Barracuda or taxi, 5 is the year, next digit would be the assembly plant; 7 would indicate St. Louis.)
I've never seen a VIN tag with two of its numbers stamped in with what looks like a punch, from the front, with the rest of the numbers stamped in from the rear. Doesn't mean it never happened; I wouldn't know. But the VIN tag being riveted on sure is a red flag for it having at least been removed and re-installed. And if your car shows no signs of ever having been slant six powered, I'd sure be thinking that maybe the VIN tag was switched.
Don't know what to tell you. A 273 2-barrel 65 Barracuda isn't real valuable, and I wouldn't worry about not having an original fender tag, but that funky VIN tag is another matter. You say the State of Missouri gave you a title without ever actually looking at the car? I can tell you that in Florida a law enforcement officer would definitely look at the car before you could be issued a Florida title. Whether that officer would accept a riveted VIN tag with strangely stamped numbers, I don't know. But if I were a potential purchaser, it would give me pause.
pishta
I know I'm right....
^^ the first 2 numbers were in fact stamped after the original 8 were pressed, by the end of the line worker who did that. "...Our reply to Glenn confirmed V4 as correct for a 1964 Barracuda and that he was correct about the fact that the first two VIN numbers (V4) are stamped into the plate and the rest of the VIN numbers are pressed in. We based this on looking at the FSM and actual tag on an in-person 1965 Barracuda..." and".. the fact that the first two digits are stamped and that there are holes with nothing in them. That way if other owners have a VIN problem there's a ready reference for a “second opinion.."
the plates were affixed to all the cars on the line sequential, numerically as they started their build, no matter what the car model was. All were 5 (Los Angeles) and all were 5 (1965) but only at the end were they stamped with what they ended up as, ie. a Valiant 8 (V8) or a Dart 6 (21) or whatever car was built at that plant. That is my understanding of the info available.
some found it above the headliner and even on top of the glove box insert, a few other places to look. Between rear seat springs is common but so is moisture damage there. Id write a letter to Chrysler historic society and pull the IBM card for your VIN. You can get fender plates made with the proper backing documentation...remember they are in relief so they are raised for a proper presentation
the plates were affixed to all the cars on the line sequential, numerically as they started their build, no matter what the car model was. All were 5 (Los Angeles) and all were 5 (1965) but only at the end were they stamped with what they ended up as, ie. a Valiant 8 (V8) or a Dart 6 (21) or whatever car was built at that plant. That is my understanding of the info available.
some found it above the headliner and even on top of the glove box insert, a few other places to look. Between rear seat springs is common but so is moisture damage there. Id write a letter to Chrysler historic society and pull the IBM card for your VIN. You can get fender plates made with the proper backing documentation...remember they are in relief so they are raised for a proper presentation
Last edited:
Dave_J
Well-Known Member
My mom bought it new in late 1965. 273 4bbl auto with 8 3/4 rear and 4 piston Disc brakes. She was a receptionist at the Chrysler/Plymouth dealer and they special ordered it for her.
Sorry its so blurry. I took that picture years ago and it was real cold and I did not try to take a better pic.
Last edited:
Well I stand corrected on how the VIN tag numbers were stamped. I went out to the garage and checked. Both my 65 Barracuda and my 63 Valiant are stamped the same way as the OP's and the two tags posted just above - that is, the first two numbers are stamped with a different tool and a different font. Guess I'm just gonna have to quit relying on memory and double check everything before I post.
chryslerfat
Well-Known Member
My take on this is it was more than likely a V8 car with no title so they put the fender tag and riveted a VIN tag from a \6 car they had a title for. I would almost bet if you drill the rivet heads off the VIN tag it would fall off.
That does not mean your V8 car is stolen it just means somewhere along the line someone did not have a title for it so they took the easy route and swapped what they had to it.
I would think the easiest way to check if this is true clean the end of the torsion bars and get those numbers. If they come back to factory V8 bars then it is probably a tag swap because just a driveline swap guys dont change the bars and usually leave the \6 bars in.
That does not mean your V8 car is stolen it just means somewhere along the line someone did not have a title for it so they took the easy route and swapped what they had to it.
I would think the easiest way to check if this is true clean the end of the torsion bars and get those numbers. If they come back to factory V8 bars then it is probably a tag swap because just a driveline swap guys dont change the bars and usually leave the \6 bars in.
It's called gettin old. You ain't the only one. lol
Krooser
Building Chinese Free Engines since 1959...
There is no vin tag on any 1965 car... just a serial number. That's what is on the door post.
VIN numbers came a few years later. They show all the car info...country of origin, eng/trans info, etc.
Just a heads up....
VIN numbers came a few years later. They show all the car info...country of origin, eng/trans info, etc.
Just a heads up....
Dave_J
Well-Known Member
Agree in most cases. But my 65 Cuda has A body 383 Auto bars. And 5 leaf's on both sides in the rear. I do not know if the two people that owned it after my mom sold it till I bought it back in 1987 would have changed them.
chryslerfat
Well-Known Member
Yes the silver tag welded to the A pillar is a VIN tag but they have no VIN tag anywhere else on the body.
chryslerfat
Well-Known Member
Those bars must have been put in after the factory. The early cars never had a 383 option.
chryslerfat
Well-Known Member
This explains it better with better VIN tag pics http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/ml-staudinger64.html
Dave_J
Well-Known Member
That I do know. But in 1987 when I bought it back it had a bad running 225 floor shifted 904. I could not find the 273 Commando 4bb as they put it in a Van and sold it. So I bought a 1969 383 4bbl and 727. The T bars were in there then.
Mom sold it in 1975 and I got it back in 87. Who knows?
I later put a very warmed up 318 727 in it till my son crashed it in 2001.
But, back to VIN plates. Mine looks to have the dimples of the spot welds. I'll try to get a better shot later.
I installed the Autometer gauges in the dash when PCB board fried. Yes that is a 66 dash in a 65 Cuda, 150 MPH and Tach. That was what it came with.
Mom sold it in 1975 and I got it back in 87. Who knows?
I later put a very warmed up 318 727 in it till my son crashed it in 2001.
But, back to VIN plates. Mine looks to have the dimples of the spot welds. I'll try to get a better shot later.
I installed the Autometer gauges in the dash when PCB board fried. Yes that is a 66 dash in a 65 Cuda, 150 MPH and Tach. That was what it came with.
Last edited:
Hyper_pak
Old School Chrysler Fan
Beating a dead horse, but I bet if they put a SEQ number on the back of a 65 station wagon, there is a number somewhere on the back of a 65 Barracuda.
Krooser
Building Chinese Free Engines since 1959...
No its not...its a serial number. Plain and simple. Show me where it tells you the country of origin, the original engine, transmission. The last six digits of a VIN number is at the back of a 13 digit VIN tag. That part is the old sequence number.
Words have meanings...you cant wish a '65 to have a VIN number... Just like '54 and earlier cars had " engine numbers" and had that number on the titles or registration.
chryslerfat
Well-Known Member
Again here is a link for you to see it is a VIN on the tag in the door jamb. The sequence number is on the fender tag under the hood and does not match the VIN number on the tag.
Decoding VIN I.D. 1962 to 1965 Mopar
I'm not sure what the fuss is about here. VIN, serial number - ??? The Florida motor vehicle title for my 65 Barracuda calls the number on my door jamb plate an "identification number." An identification number for a motor vehicle would be a "vehicle identification number," or "VIN." Wouldn't it??
Or, from It Still Runs: "Automotive manufacturers assign a unique serial number called a vehicle identification number (VIN) to every motor vehicle for identification purposes." So it's a serial number and a vehicle identification number. Right?? Either would be correct?
Or, from It Still Runs: "Automotive manufacturers assign a unique serial number called a vehicle identification number (VIN) to every motor vehicle for identification purposes." So it's a serial number and a vehicle identification number. Right?? Either would be correct?
chryslerfat
Well-Known Member
Also 54 and earlier had a VIN tag that was not the engine number to that vehicle. Trust me I have owned several early cars and had to have a title corrected on a 1941 Chrysler to read the VIN number from the attached VIN tag.
I just went out to check my 49 Dodge. There is a "body number" on a plate attached to the firewall, but the "Vehicle Number" is on a plate attached to the drivers' side door jamb. This number is the "Identification Number" on my title.
I do have a vague memory that way back, some states used the engine number as the vehicle identification number, but I don't think any of them have done that in the past 75 years or so.
I do have a vague memory that way back, some states used the engine number as the vehicle identification number, but I don't think any of them have done that in the past 75 years or so.
Dave_J
Well-Known Member
I also went thru the SO# vs VIN issue a few times with my State Police. They will inspect every car/truck/boat/plane that comes from out of state. If there is a VIV issue they SIEZE the vehicle right now.
They did that to a 1950 Dodge Panal van I bought in Idaho. The VIN was like 8 digits and they were saying it had to be 13 digits. It took two weeks to get my van out of jail. I had to find 4 other 1950's Dodge trucks and photo their Vin plates and the Washington State registration papers to prove my case. This took flagging down two vintage Dodge truck drivers in the city and explain why I was asking them to stop. (Yes, I always had a 110 or 126 Pocket camera in the glovebox)
Anyway, they called that 1950 plate a VIN plate, not a SO plate. Who am I to argue with, they have hand held protective devices on their hips......
They did that to a 1950 Dodge Panal van I bought in Idaho. The VIN was like 8 digits and they were saying it had to be 13 digits. It took two weeks to get my van out of jail. I had to find 4 other 1950's Dodge trucks and photo their Vin plates and the Washington State registration papers to prove my case. This took flagging down two vintage Dodge truck drivers in the city and explain why I was asking them to stop. (Yes, I always had a 110 or 126 Pocket camera in the glovebox)
Anyway, they called that 1950 plate a VIN plate, not a SO plate. Who am I to argue with, they have hand held protective devices on their hips......
chryslerfat
Well-Known Member
That is what happened to the 1941 I mentioned. They used the body number instead.
-
