Is my car a Tag Job? Barracuda Decode...

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Just my 2 cents worth, the non riveted VIN tag must have ended in 65. My 66 is for sure original and riveted... And this is info that I did not know, being glued or welded....And the first 2 on my VIN tag is the same as the rest. Stamped from the rear. 1966.
 
Same with what I've found over the years too. '66 is the first year they were riveted, '65 and earlier were welded. I guess it's possible that it didn't happen exactly on the year model change, but, I have a real early '66 (Aug 17, 1965) and it's riveted. Maybe real late '65 was riveted too? Anyone have a July build date '65 with rivets?
 
I do know that my moms 65 Barracuda was ordered late in 1965. It has the 66 Barracuda dash but had all other 65 date coded parts. Has the V on the back window chrome, not the 66 fish.

Vin plate is spot welded but someone put screws in the holes.
 
Dave_J said:
I do know that my moms 65 Barracuda was ordered late in 1965. It has the 66 Barracuda dash but had all other 65 date coded parts. Has the V on the back window chrome, not the 66 fish.

Vin plate is spot welded but someone put screws in the holes.
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If the '66 dash is original, it's a '66. Early 1966 Barracudas still had the "V". VIN will tell the tale.
 
I am going by a 9 year old kids memory of when my mom bought this Barracuda. I just know it was a special order from the local 5 Star Chrysler/Plymouth dealer she worked at. @73 4bbl, Auto trans, 8 3/4 suregrip with 3.91:1, KH 4 piston disks and 10 inch drums in back, 5 leaf springs on both sides.
After my mom sold it, it changed hands twice before I bought it back. All the Commando stuff had been removed, Ford 9 inch rear with 3.50:1
 
Sounds a lot like my early '66. Not a Formula S, but, has all the same gear, like everything was ordered separately instead of a FS package.
 
Dave_J said:
View attachment 1715619460 In a lot of these early A body cars the owners panic when they see a VIN tag missing the two rivets. So they stick a screw or a rivet in. Like mine. I took the two screws out and the tag was still stuck to the door jamb. It is a 65 Barracuda with a 66 model year dash. Car has been in and out of my family since new but has changed hands a few times.
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.
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Jim Lusk said:
If the '66 dash is original, it's a '66. Early 1966 Barracudas still had the "V". VIN will tell the tale.
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My VIN is V852548189. Never changed the dash gauges, had a Tach when I drove it in the 1970's before my mom sold it.


She sits in the side yard waiting to get redone.

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Side yard.jpg
 
I'd like to see the rest of the car and it's fender tag. That VIN tag indicates to me a mid year '65 model from the Hamtramck plant. That plate shouldn't be fastened with phillips head screws either, but, I've seen those plates come loose and re-fastened that way. Not correct, and sometimes the DMV has a fit when they see that because that raised flags on VIN swaps.
 
Looks like you're a Rampage fan. I had an employee who likes those too. He swapped in a Shelby drivetrain. Pretty fast little pickup!
 
cudamark said:
I'd like to see the rest of the car and it's fender tag. That VIN tag indicates to me a mid year '65 model from the Hamtramck plant. That plate shouldn't be fastened with phillips head screws either, but, I've seen those plates come loose and re-fastened that way. Not correct, and sometimes the DMV has a fit when they see that because that raised flags on VIN swaps.
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Fender tag is gone. I had removed the screws a long time ago but my son may have put them back. Not sure.

Not to sidetrack this thread but yes I like the L body Rampages and Scamps.
The front one has all the Shelby stuff, seats, Tonneu covers clips but the cover was gone when I bought it and A525 5 speed with 3.56:1 gear. Had the factory slider window too but it was broken.
I put 5 lug hubs and 11 inch ventilated rotors on it, Mini van large rear drums too. Stops REAL good. Has Shelby 15 inch Pumpers on it with 215/60 15's. It has 150 PSI in 3 cylinders and 85 in #4 and the valve is sunk so I assume the seat slipped. But it is still fast for what it is. Plans are to put a 5.9 (Stroker 410) with a A500 and hang a 8 3/4 on the rear leafs. Move the firewall back 4 inches so the oil pan clears the steering rack.

Rear one is dead stock 2.2 Auto (A413) with a set of 3.87 transfer gears. I have all the stuff to put a turbo and 5 lug on it too.
 
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cudamark said:
Sounds a lot like my early '66. Not a Formula S, but, has all the same gear, like everything was ordered separately instead of a FS package.
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As I’m sure you know, you had to order the disc brakes and 8 3/4” rear end separate, they were always an extra cost option and never part of the FS package
 
cosgig said:
As I’m sure you know, you had to order the disc brakes and 8 3/4” rear end separate, they were always an extra cost option and never part of the FS package
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Oh sure, but, those options mentioned are quite common along with the FS package. Just getting a 273 4bbl and a tach without it being a FS is fairly rare. Of the six '66 FS's I've owned (4 auto's, 2 4 speeds), all had disc brakes, and only one (an automatic) didn't have an 8 3/4. My non-FS car has all that gear too, along with the heavy duty suspension and heater delete. Strange car. I also had another non-FS one that was a 273 2bbl, 4 speed, 8 3/4, and drum brakes. Another oddball.
 
Thought I would jump in this thread vice starting another.

65 Barracuda listed for sale..(not mine)

Puzzled by the VIN... I thought maybe the Collective would have some thoughts.

Car has Formula-S badging
273
4-speed

Screenshot_20240704_101815_Facebook.jpg
 
Looks like a VIN swap to me. A VIN tag wouldn't be riveted in 1964-5 either. Maybe they had a couple of cars for sale and got the photos mixed up?
 
That looks like a later door jam anyway, so, probably the wrong photo with the ad.
 
WV64Signet said:
It's up the road not too far. If it's still kicking around in a week or so might swing by out of curiosity
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I contacted the seller through his ad. He said "I did have a Dart. My bad"
 
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WV64Signet said:
It's up the road not too far. If it's still kicking around in a week or so might swing by out of curiosity
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He's not the sharpest knife in the drawer. He came back and said "take a look at the vin tag" I came back with "I did. That's why I commented. LP27D72 is a 1967 Dodge Dart convertible with a 273 2 barrel made in Hamtramck Michigan." May be he changed it. Let me look at the ad again.
 
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