Fender Tag Codes???

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harrisonm

harrisonm

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OK, this is not the typical How do I decode my fender tag question. I have owned this 69 Barracuda Fastback for about 25 years. It was a little rough when I bought it, but it was intact with no major accident damage. The VIN matches the Fender tag and the VIN is attached with the correct lookin rivets. It was DEFINITELY Seafoam green with a black interior from the factory. It was not a Formula S because both front fenders were drilled for standard Barracuda emblems which are different from 340S emblems (I bought some good used ones and they would not fit without filling one hole and drilling another), there was no sway bar and the grills and rear filler panel were painted Argent. Just for grins, I decoded my fender tag today on two separate sites, and got some weird results. First, both sites said my car was a Formula S car. Strange that it didn't have any of the Formula S stuff. One site said paint unknown and the other said it was gold, but it was definitely Seafoam from the factory. Both sites said it had a full vinyl roof, but I found no signs of holes for the trim. Although the roof did have a lot of surface rust. One site said vinyl top color unknown, the other said Floral which would not have been available with Seafoam green. I was OK with both sites determination of the radio, engine, tranny, etc., but I seriously question their determination on colors, Formula S, and vinyl roof.
So here is the tag data. Any suggestions?
V78 END
A53 C55 M21 M31 R11 V1P
Y4 F6J F8 B19 064601
E55 D32 BH23 P9B 214450
 
Y4 is a Gold Exterior color from the factory

Tag may not go with the car if the car was Seafoam.
 
Y4 is gold Poly
F6J is mod interior

IMG_4765.JPG
 
dart4forte said:
MyMopar - Mopar Forums & Information - 1969-1974 Mopar Fender Tag Decoder
Click to expand...
That was one of the sites I used. There are some indentations on the radiator support, but my primer and paint work filled the numbers in to the point where I can't read them. Are there any other places for those numbers. Anyway, I have a few other interesting things to mention. The Motor numbers match the VIN tag, and the automatic tranny (before I converted to a 4 speed) matched the VIN also. That really throws a wrench in the works. If something fishy was going on, why would the engine and tranny match the VIN? I don't really care, because I modified the car a lot. I am just really confused.
 
can of worms in 3...2...1...

Engine and trans are easily swapped out. You say car is factory seafoam, tag says it's a gold car...

I'll stop there!
 
harrisonm said:
Maybe I'll stop too. If you can't stand the answer.........
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Fastback is BH29 to start with, not BH23.

Never mind I have never seen a fastback with floral slick back vinyl roof. Guess you know the rest!

Look under the trunk seal on driver side for the other body stamp!
 
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My 69 383S FB when purchased in 1984 previously had a full vinyl top that had been removed prior to purchase. The trim was the only thing left. My fender tag is spot on to what the car is, vin and body numbers but had no code for a vinyl top. I can only assume it was installed by dealer/aftermarket. I assume it looked like this at one time but with the as is factory B7 paint and V6W sports stripe. Do not know what color the vinyl was but still have all the trim, front and back stored away in case someone was intrested in that look. My roof exhibited typical vinyl top issues on restoration and was a chore to save as well!

Your tag is just to far from correct for the car.

image.jpeg


image.jpeg
 
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So my VIN and Fender Tag match a Gold Notchback Mod Top car, and the engine and prior tranny match the VIN. Hmm. Well, whatever happened, it was over 25 years ago. I'm not going to worry about it now. Thanks for all the great posts. I was really confused.
 
harrisonm said:
So my VIN and Fender Tag match a Gold Notchback Mod Top car, and the engine and prior tranny match the VIN. Hmm. Well, whatever happened, it was over 25 years ago. I'm not going to worry about it now. Thanks for all the great posts. I was really confused.
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Just move on and drive the car
 
I will. I LOVE my car. It has more power than I need, it has a 4 speed, It has AC, and a fresh restoration. Plus, how many 69s do you see at car shows. The only last thing I was thinking about was a Reilly Motor Sports AlterKation front end.

Cuda 50.JPG


Cuda 49.JPG
 
1969383S said:
My 69 383S FB when purchased in 1984 previously had a full vinyl top that had been removed prior to purchase. The trim was the only thing left. My fender tag is spot on to what the car is, vin and body numbers but had no code for a vinyl top. I can only assume it was installed by dealer/aftermarket. I assume it looked like this at one time but with the as is factory B7 paint and V6W sports stripe. Do not know what color the vinyl was but still have all the trim, front and back stored away in case someone was intrested in that look. My roof exhibited typical vinyl top issues on restoration and was a chore to save as well!

Your tag is just to far from correct for the car.

View attachment 1715040618

View attachment 1715040619
Click to expand...


i've seen this car before. Plymouth never installed a vinyl top like pictured on this car on ANY 67, 68 or 69 Barracuda. the above car also appears to be a 68 as it has a 68 grill and 68 tail lights. the below 69 Barracuda has the correct "factory installed" vinyl top - it was called a "slick back."

69 slick back barracuda.jpg
 
harrisonm said:
OK, this is not the typical How do I decode my fender tag question. I have owned this 69 Barracuda Fastback for about 25 years. It was a little rough when I bought it, but it was intact with no major accident damage. The VIN matches the Fender tag and the VIN is attached with the correct lookin rivets. It was DEFINITELY Seafoam green with a black interior from the factory. It was not a Formula S because both front fenders were drilled for standard Barracuda emblems which are different from 340S emblems (I bought some good used ones and they would not fit without filling one hole and drilling another), there was no sway bar and the grills and rear filler panel were painted Argent. Just for grins, I decoded my fender tag today on two separate sites, and got some weird results. First, both sites said my car was a Formula S car. Strange that it didn't have any of the Formula S stuff. One site said paint unknown and the other said it was gold, but it was definitely Seafoam from the factory. Both sites said it had a full vinyl roof, but I found no signs of holes for the trim. Although the roof did have a lot of surface rust. One site said vinyl top color unknown, the other said Floral which would not have been available with Seafoam green. I was OK with both sites determination of the radio, engine, tranny, etc., but I seriously question their determination on colors, Formula S, and vinyl roof.
So here is the tag data. Any suggestions?
V78 END
A53 C55 M21 M31 R11 V1P
Y4 F6J F8 B19 064601
E55 D32 BH23 P9B 214450
Click to expand...


harrisonm... you have a very nice car. however, i agree with most of the comments here, it's best that you NOT ask too many questions about your fender tag AND VIN number. you are only going to run into MANY more questions than you want to consider - AND you WILL NOT like the answers. so just keep this baby washed and waxed and enjoy it this summer at all the cruises around you.
 
Hopefully no one had a seafoam green fastback stolen 30 years ago. Too bad about the mod top Formula S 'notch that died too.
 
Mr Gorsky said:
Oh Jim Jim Jim.....at this point I will bite my tongue.
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Yes… there are things I could say. However, I’ve decided NOT to follow the line from an old “farmer’s tail.” That story went something like this: “a farmer went over to his neighbor farmer Joe’s house on a very hot summer day and found him in his field with his old work horse. It seems that at some point during his plowing of his field, his horse had fallen over and died. Apparently, farmer Joe thought the old hag was just “sleeping” so he got off the plow and started beating the now deceased horse. The first farmer asked his neighbor if he knew that the horse had died. The other farmer responded that “yes, he did know that.” So, the other farmer then asked, well how long do you plan on beating that dead horse?” the first farmer then replied: “I never get tired of beating a dead horse.”


So, unlike this farmer, I do not plan on commenting further on the fender tag and VIN issues regarding Harrisonm’s 69 Cuda – even though I would LOVE to do so …
 
jimharvard said:
i've seen this car before. Plymouth never installed a vinyl top like pictured on this car on ANY 67, 68 or 69 Barracuda. the above car also appears to be a 68 as it has a 68 grill and 68 tail lights. the below 69 Barracuda has the correct "factory installed" vinyl top - it was called a "slick back."

View attachment 1715041853
Click to expand...


Understood! Yes 68.

But I have a 69 that wore one! Never said it was factory correct only that I had never seen a slick back that was floral. Read the whole posts!
 
1969383S said:
Understood! Yes 68.

But I have a 69 that wore one! Never said it was factory correct only that I had never seen a slick back that was floral. Read the whole posts!
Click to expand...


i had a body shop from 1973 to 1976 and vinyl tops were very popular then. ALL of the manufacturers offered vinyl top options on almost every model line. AND it was very common for repair shops to install "custom" vinyl tops on pretty much any car a customer wanted a vinyl top on. i have no doubt that an early owner of your car decided to have the top noted in the other car pic you've posted put on. i agree with you on the floral top/slick back issue - the sales literature that i have for 1969 Barracudas only show the "floral" tops on the Barracuda coupe. however, i am pretty confident that there were more floral top coupes ("Mod Top" option) ordered than there were "slick back" vinyl top fastbacks. i could be wrong, but i have never seen a real slick back fastback other than in pictures on the internet.
 
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