Where is the VIN stamped on a '70 340 block?

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'70_Duster_340

'70_Duster_340

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I was looking under the engine while the Duster was up on the lift, for the VIN stamping. I had a crappy light but could see a 340 stamped on the left side above the starter, and a date 1-10-1970 on the right side ..

Where's the serial #? I've got the tranny#, door plate and dash plate, so far all matching, and I think there is one on the radiator support? I'm not going to pull the radiator if that's the only way to find it, but really would like to ID the block.

Thanks folks,

Kenny
 
just above the pan rail on the passenger side of engine block and also just below drivers side head. Its a 70 engine and should start off ob.......may have to scrape the paint off but numbers in both locations, good luck
 
Your Duster should have numbers stamped on the radiator support, usually anywhere from the center to the left (drivers side) and it can either be on the top of the support, or on the side where it would be hard to see. It's typically under the antifreeze sticker. Your car should also have numbers stamped in the rear, and on Dusters it will be visible from inside the trunk. Look on the bottom of the package tray, drivers side, near the speaker hole.
 
This is my 69 dart VIN locatiom

1st was located on the radiator support, drivers side, under the yellow sticked ant the second is on the trunk rim drivers side.
Jim

VIN # location 001.jpg


VIN # location 002.jpg
 
Does anyone actually own a Duster or Demon with a VIN stamped on the trunk rim? I've never seen one, they have all been where I described above. All my Darts have been stamped on the trunk lip.
 
my 7-10- 69 which is a 70 engine has the codes location stated above, yes rad support also should have it.He is also referring to 70 block year locations, I just looked at mine and as I stated above this is where they are located, 69 probably different but my 70 has #s just under drivers side top of block and along the passenger side pan rail, first digit is the year, mine is a 0 meaning 1970 never seen a number on the trunk lip
 
scrape the paint or oil off the front drivers side of the block just under the head. this will give you year , and sequence number which would be used to identify originality. the casting # you state is a 70 . simple to get to.regards
 
the #s located at the front of the block,drivers side, just below the head
 
Thanks for the replies fellow A-body friends...I appreciate it...

Here's what I found today .. The numbers are stamped on the top part of the block, just under the front of the left side head. Had to take a little fine sandpaper and hold the light at some odd angles but made out the following, which I've kind of de-coded from my 1970 re-printed manual. It's 14 #'s/letters.. I'm 99% sure of the #'s but the eyes aren't what they used to be.

FW340P31970349 .... Here's what the manual says....

FW = Power train (what's this?)
340 = obviously CI
P = designates low compression (confused here)
3197 = 10,000 day calendar (confused here as well)
0349 = engine built that day

Anyone help me out here ? I don't see where this stamping matches the VIN?

Also, on the left side of the block I made out the following, fairly large embossed cast #s ... couldn't see the first few (will have to clean better and get a stronger light) but I can see what looks like ???80880-340-1

On the right side of the block in large embossed cast #s is 1 8 70 separated by big dots in between.. I assume this is the date the block was cast ?

There's a large 294 embossed on the bottom of the oil pan... ?

On the left top of the radiator is stamped 38086 and on the right top is 2998.978

I'd appreciate any help in figuring this out, and how one tells if the engine block is original to the car ??

Thanks folks

Kenny
 
As Mopar1962 stated, the VIN is stamped, not cast into the engine pad. It's a lot smaller than the cast numbers you are seeing. Look again on the right lower edge of the engine, right above the oil pan. There should be an approx. 2 inch long by 1/4 inch tall machined flat surface there. The VIN should be stamped there and should be the last 8 I think of the VIN.
 
3197 comes out to 4/29/1970 are you sure the date on the block is 1/8/1970 not 4/8/1970. what is the date on the door tag?? There is also a vin stamped into the package tray. Also do you have the fender tag??
 
gts340 said:
As Mopar1962 stated, the VIN is stamped, not cast into the engine pad. It's a lot smaller than the cast numbers you are seeing. Look again on the right lower edge of the engine, right above the oil pan. There should be an approx. 2 inch long by 1/4 inch tall machined flat surface there. The VIN should be stamped there and should be the last 8 I think of the VIN.
Click to expand...

OK, thanks I will check that out tomorrow... so this should be a similar sized # as found on the transmission, yes ??
 
greg340 said:
3197 comes out to 4/29/1970 are you sure the date on the block is 1/8/1970 not 4/8/1970. what is the date on the door tag?? There is also a vin stamped into the package tray. Also do you have the fender tag??
Click to expand...

Hey Greg,

The date on the door tag is 5-70 ... I'm pretty sure it was 1.8.1970, but I will double check in the morning... I will also check the package tray #...

Just as an aside, I'm "pretty" positive that the block is original to the car.. I bought this Duster in 1978 from the second owner, and had the engine re-built in 1980, and it's never left my sight for very long... I'm just trying to document the car as a true matching #'s Duster 340, again which I'm pretty sure it is, but then again "close enough" only counts with hand grenades, right?

Thanks so much for all the help guys !!

Kenny
 
Engine numbers for VIN should be here. This is a 440 but in teh same basic location on a 340.

eng number.jpg
 
'70_Duster_340 said:
FW340P31970349 .... Here's what the manual says....

FW = Power train (what's this?) F =1970 W= Windsor engine plant
340 = obviously CI
P = designates low compression (confused here) P= Premium Fuel
3197 = 10,000 day calendar (confused here as well)
0349 = engine built that day

Anyone help me out here ? I don't see where this stamping matches the VIN?

radiator is stamped 38086 and on the right top is 2998.978 Correct radiator # for your car
Click to expand...

HTH
 
The date on the motor can be as much as 90 days prior to the build date of the car. My motor is dated 1/29/70 with a build date on the car of 2/13/70. I did the same thing with my car everything is date coded properly.
 
Engine casting dates can be a year (or more) early. I know of two leftover 1970 casting 340 T/A blocks that went into 1971 cars in May of 1971, about a year after the T/A program ended.
 
greg340 said:
The date on the motor can be as much as 90 days prior to the build date of the car. My motor is dated 1/29/70 with a build date on the car of 2/13/70. I did the same thing with my car everything is date coded properly.
Click to expand...

And some engines have build dates AFTER the Scheduled Production Date (SPD) of the car. One of my cars the engine is 1 day before and I know of another that is ~10 days after the SPD.

Nothing on these cars is absolute. Production snafu's and assembled unit part delays can account for some weird date coding.
 
Great thread,,,, Thanks Alaska,,,,I owe you again.
 
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