Matching Numbers???

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redrag64

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A few eeks ago, I bought a 64 Dart GT convertible with a 273. At one point, I read that they only buily a little over 2,000 of these.

Question #1: Can anyone confirm this?

The FABO vin decoder confeirmed that the car came with the V-8.
Question #2: How do I figure out if the numbers match?
The vin # = L442714822
The only #'s I see on the block are a series of raised numbers
above the oil pan - 2465330-4 (does the "65" mean that was
the year the engine was built?)
Please enlighten me.
THANKS!
P.S. For those that advised me about my overheating issue, I bumped up to a bigger fan and a bigger spacer, and that seems to have done the trick (knock on wood).
 
I am no good with small blocks but the numbers you found are the cast numbers. They have nothing to do with part numbers or decoding. On big blocks there is a nice machined flat area next to the oil pan that has numbers stamped into it. This is what you need to find. It may be some place else but it will be an area that is machined flat (think smooth). The numbers that are stamped will at some point have your vin sequence number in it aka "matching numbers". I am not 100% sure of the early stuff to be more help.
 
slant6/4speed said:
I am no good with small blocks but the numbers you found are the cast numbers. They have nothing to do with part numbers or decoding. On big blocks there is a nice machined flat area next to the oil pan that has numbers stamped into it. This is what you need to find. It may be some place else but it will be an area that is machined flat (think smooth). The numbers that are stamped will at some point have your vin sequence number in it aka "matching numbers". I am not 100% sure of the early stuff to be more help.
Click to expand...

That makes sense - I thought the numbers would be stamped, but I can't find them. I'll keep searching.
Thanks.
 
There are some numbers under the drivers side head on block might be the numbers your lookin for.. plus the casting numbers on drivers side should have a 273 in it and on pass. side tells you the year of motor.. just a little help..
 
You will not find a VIN stamped on the block or trans.
VIN stamping of engines and trans started in 1968.
The best you can do, is find the cast date of the engine, it's generally cast approx. 60-90 days prior the vehicle, depending on how popular the drivetrain is.
 
340butterduster said:
You will not find a VIN stamped on the block or trans.
VIN stamping of engines and trans started in 1968.
The best you can do, is find the cast date of the engine, it's generally cast approx. 60-90 days prior the vehicle, depending on how popular the drivetrain is.
Click to expand...

Well, at least now I know why I couldn't find the number on the engine! The only tow digit series (on the casting number) that would make any sense is the "65", which would make it a year after the model year. Do you think the "65" in the series is the manufacture date?
THANKS.
 
2465330= the casting part number of the block. The 65 has nothing to do with the year of the block itself. There are no hidden messages in the casting numbers of block castings. As stated, 2465330 indicates a 273 block for 1964-66. Now, if you'd like to date that block, look under the drivers side cylinder head on the front of the engine. Right below the cylinder head there will be a couple of stamped numbers...A=1965, B=1966, then the displacement which should be 273, then the assembly date. I am not familiar with what 64's were stamped, but I know that 65 motors started with "A". In the included picture you can faintly see the information of my block. It is a 66 (B) 273 with an assembly date of 1-14. Hope this helps, Geof

100_1730.jpg
 
Very helpful info from everyone. I'm new to the mopar thing - actually, to the cool older car thing (aside from my first car being a 65 Valiant back in 1986). If there really were only about 2,000 V-8 convertibles made in 64, is this car valuable? Also, I bought it after it had a lot of work done. It has a new intake manifold with a 4 barrell, but I still have the original intake and 2 barrell - should I keep the stock stuff? Any input/advice is appreciated!
 
It's only as valuable as you'd like it to be. If you think it's priceless and irreplaceable, then it is to you and not amount of money will buy it. If you could care less, it's not worth the scrap price to get rid of it!!! Just ask this girl how much hers is worth!!! I got a feeling the more you dive into this car, the more it will be worth to you. Convertibles rule and I've never met the owner of one who hated that he had one!!!

As for changing the stock equiptment??? It's your car, build it the way you want it, just keep the original stuff in a box. You'll probably never need it, but it's nice to know it's there. Enjoy making your car the way you want it and you'll never be sorry!!! Good luck with the vert, it's a keeper!!! cosgig and cudagirl

cuda cropped.jpg
 
cosgig said:
It's only as valuable as you'd like it to be. If you think it's priceless and irreplaceable, then it is to you and not amount of money will buy it. If you could care less, it's not worth the scrap price to get rid of it!!! Just ask this girl how much hers is worth!!! I got a feeling the more you dive into this car, the more it will be worth to you. Convertibles rule and I've never met the owner of one who hated that he had one!!!

As for changing the stock equiptment??? It's your car, build it the way you want it, just keep the original stuff in a box. You'll probably never need it, but it's nice to know it's there. Enjoy making your car the way you want it and you'll never be sorry!!! Good luck with the vert, it's a keeper!!! cosgig and cudagirl
Click to expand...

I suppose I should have qualified my question. I didn't buy the car as an investment. I bought it for a hobby and for fun family drives; there lies the "value" for me. I don't think I'm sitting on a gold mine, but when I found out it was such a low production model, it made me curious. I just don't want to do anything stupid - like polishing a pistol from the civil war to make it "shiney".
Thanks.
 
Seriously, you'll find that most convertibles have a low production number. Nellas car has a convertible production total of 4,228 out of a total of 57,538 units. Less than 10% of the total production for 67 Cuda's. Yea, it's rare, but not so much so that we aren't doing what we want to it!! I suggest you do the same. Enjoy that vert, you won't see many of them anywhere!!! Geof
 
Hello, cosgig. Was researching some FABO information about matching numbers / casting numbers and found one a response that you had posted on 3/13/10 for the thread "Matching numbers???". (We have a '65 Barracuda, /6, 225 ci) On another thread, I found that casting numbers for this era engines were also stamped just below the 1st spark plug (behind the alternator).
The number stamped on our engine is "A 225 1 18 2" of which I decode to mean a 1965, 225 ci, with a (casting) stamp date of January 18th. But can you tell me what the last "2" indicates?

Thank you so much!
 
65 parts manual says number after date (2) is an internal use only number. I do not believe it has any real meaning.
 

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