I have a 1967 coupe barracuda with a low serial number and shipped march 1966.

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Not an actual run but to illustrate that the distribution of serial numbers was the next car down the line, the first 5 digits defined the car line (BH29D), even then I'm sure the actual production order may have varied.

100001 Valiant 2-dr
100002 Valiant 4-dr
100003 Valiant 4-dr
100004 Valiant 4-dr
100005 Valiant 4-dr
100006 Barracuda Fastback
100007 Valiant 4-dr
100008 Valiant 2-dr
100009 Barracuda Fastback
100010 Barracuda Coupe
100011 Barracuda Fastback
100012 Barracuda Convertible


Alan

Serial numbers have nothing to do with the order that the car was built on the production line...

Serial numbers are assigned to the car after the order has passed through edit and all sales codes are verified to make sure that there are no conflicts... The VIN number is the sequence that the cars pass through edit... After the order has passed through edit, it sits in a pool for a few weeks for it to be assigned an assembly line sequence number...

If there are any changes to the car after it passes through edit, it has to go back through edit and then loose it's place in line... It is then put back in the pool at the back of the line to be assigned a sequence number for the production line...

The assembly line sequence number is also listed on the build sheet and is the order that the cars go down the production line... Assembly line sequence numbers are usually in increments of 10's and end in zero... That way if they have to squeeze in a car or two or few between them they assign a vehicle assembly sequence number that is not zero.... That is because if they have to resequence one car, they don't have to reassign new sequence numbers to the ones after it.... They have the ability to squeeze in a few without having to go back and resequence all of the cars after that....
 
Serial numbers have nothing to do with the order that the car was built on the production line...

Serial numbers are assigned to the car after the order has passed through edit and all sales codes are verified to make sure that there are no conflicts... The VIN number is the sequence that the cars pass through edit...

The assembly line sequence number is also listed on the build sheet and is the order that the cars go down the production line... Assembly line sequence numbers are usually in increments of 10's and end in zero... That way if they have to squeeze in a car or two or few between them they assign a vehicle assembly sequence number that is not zero.... That is because if they have to resequence one car, they don't have to reassign new sequence numbers to the ones after it.... They have the ability to squeeze in a few without having to go back and resequence all of the cars after that....
It is well known that the VIN isn't an absolute as with the SO number.
I was simply trying to illustrate that there was no reference to car line in the VIN as the original poster was eluding to.

However you look at the reality of these number they generally are close to the sequence, not months different, probably not even hundred units.


Alan
 
Pilot cars are built on the assembly line...

They make a run of PVP (pre volume production) cars about 6 weeks before model year launch that are supposed to be built with production tooling... All parts are supposed to be made from production hard tooling... Any parts that are not off production tooling must have an approval and be certified that the prototype part will be as good as the production part...

The purpose of the PVP builds is to test run the supplier's tooling and parts and also to test the production line tooling and fixtures to make sure that everything is ready for production launch.... This way they have 6 weeks to get any bugs worked out that they find on the test build...
You said it your self, pilot builds, are made shortly (6 weeks) prior to serial production, the original poster was talking of a car assembled 3 months (12 weeks) early.
Also those ‘pilot’ build strategies are problem detection tools that are used today. I wonder if those were even employed by the big three 50 years ago. I certainly did not see much of that when my automotive production carrier began in the early ‘70’s. Having all components off production tooling and fully verified was not really implemented till the 80’s. You seem to be trying to apply today’s best practices to the late 60’s Detroit build methods.
 
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You said it your self, pilot builds, are made shortly (6 weeks) prior to serial production, the original poster was talking of a car assembled 3 months (12 weeks) early.
Also those ‘pilot’ build strategies are problem detection tools that are used today. I wonder if those were even employed by the big three 50 years ago. I certainly did not see much of that when my automotive production carrier began in the early ‘70’s. Having all components off production tooling and fully verified was not really implemented till the 80’s. You seem to be trying to apply today’s best practices to the late 60’s Detroit build methods.

C-1 pilot builds are before the PVP... I can't remember if they are 3 months or 6 months before launch... That car could have been build in the C-1 pilot run....
 
It is well known that the VIN isn't an absolute as with the SO number.
I was simply trying to illustrate that there was no reference to car line in the VIN as the original poster was eluding to.

However you look at the reality of these number they generally are close to the sequence, not months different, probably not even hundred units.


Alan

The pilot builds are usually not sold to the public... They are sent to the different engineering groups for testing to make sure that all of their parts/components are working properly... Some are sent to the proving grounds to be driven and put miles on them to see how well they hold up....

Pilot builds are usually about 30 or so cars give or take... Depending on the need of each engineering group and how many will go to the proving grounds...
 
The pilot builds are usually not sold to the public... They are sent to the different engineering groups for testing to make sure that all of their parts/components are working properly... Some are sent to the proving grounds to be driven and put miles on them to see how well they hold up....

Pilot builds are usually about 30 or so cars give or take... Depending on the need of each engineering group and how many will go to the proving grounds...
You continue to speak of today’s build control systems like they existed over 50 years ago. They did not.
 
Despite mis information on the internet VIN numbers did not exist prior to 1969. Those earlier cars had simple serial numbers.

If you have a tag on your dash it's a VIN.... If not it's a serial number along with other ID info.
 
I think you found Jimmy Hoffa's cuda that he special ordered and paid for with teamster money which is why engineers and Richard Petty was involved so he could be sure and get his pension from the racing he did.

Congrats on the mega rare find. I sure wish I could be so lucky someday.

Haha, never seen a snarky sarcastic post from you before.
 
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Get the ibm buildcard from Chrysler.
That will show the region and dealer.
 
Despite mis information on the internet VIN numbers did not exist prior to 1969. Those earlier cars had simple serial numbers.

If you have a tag on your dash it's a VIN.... If not it's a serial number along with other ID info.
my 1968 Barracuda has a dash tag, so it appears that VIN numbers appeared prior to 1969.

also I have seen comments that some internet VIN and plate decoders are not accurate. Does anyone have names , internet locations on the ones that are right?
 
I'm kinda surprised nobody's piped up with "Well, back then they'd build you anything you wanted, even if it wasn't officially offered, if you had the money and connections; with Mopar you can never say never!"
 
I'm kinda surprised nobody's piped up with "Well, back then they'd build you anything you wanted, even if it wasn't officially offered, if you had the money and connections; with Mopar you can never say never!"

Dat Tru, I remember my Dad back in the 60's going to the local Dodge dealership and ordering a new car, he would bring home brochures showing colors, interiors, hub cap options,,, and let us kids looks over what our new car was going to be. Seemed like it took a month or more, but eventually Dad drove it home. Made getting a new car kind of exciting, with the anticipation and all. Today that is about gone with new cars.
 
One look at the VIN tag would’ve been enough to decipher that this car is very late in the build year for 67.
 
Here is my take on this and I could be completely off.
IF Petty was to have built a 67 Barracuda it most likely would have been a Fastback, nothing against the Coupe.
IF Chrysler was behind it the car would have been a Body-In-White with no VIN assigned.

There is nothing in the VIN, the Data Plate or the body stamping that says this is anything but a normal Barracuda and quite late at that (not even close to being early, pilot, blaa, blaa blaa).

So I hope you didn't spend for a car more than you could see, one of 12,000 1967 Barracuda 273-2 Automatic Coupes.

Research the Petty Connection because nothing about the car matches the story.


Alan
 
Despite mis information on the internet VIN numbers did not exist prior to 1969. Those earlier cars had simple serial numbers.

No, they had actual, real VINs (which means "vehicle identification number", so there's no need to say "number" again). Take a look:

LH41B62123456
LH41B9B123456
LH41C2B123456

Those are '66, '69, and '72 Dart high-trim 4-door sedans built at Hamtramck with 225 engines, each with the serial number 123,456. So where's any of your claimed pre/post '69 difference?

And we don't even have to stop at '66; let's go back further:

7342567890 - '65 Dart 270 built at Detroit, serial number 567,890.

7325123456 - '62 Lancer 770 built at Los Angeles, serial number 123,456.

1709123456 - '60 Valiant V-200 station wagon built at Windsor, serial number 123,456

In all three of these pre-'66 cases the first four digits aren't serial, they're assigned meanings just like the first seven characters of a '66-up VIN.

Take a look here. VINs in the North American market were not standardised until 1981 when the present 17-character system came into effect. Prior to that, all manufacturers picked their own format and number of characters.

(since we're talking about misinformation on the internet and all that…)
 
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the car was sandblasted and repainted black approx 40 years ago. Car was a 273 2 barrel and was assigned a high value on the vin. I have other pieces and have partially restored it using a 68 318.

How long have you had the car? Did the person who sold you the car provide any evidence to the Petty connection? A lot of tales can be told about something that is 53 years old.
 
It is well known that the VIN isn't an absolute as with the SO number.
I was simply trying to illustrate that there was no reference to car line in the VIN as the original poster was eluding to.

However you look at the reality of these number they generally are close to the sequence, not months different, probably not even hundred units.


Alan

I found this oddity while setting up a spreadsheet for 1968 GTS VINs and Scheduled Production Dates. I was trying to determine the approximate date for a later built convertible that a friend of mine has. Note the two November dates in the September dates. This is owner supplied info, but I suspect is accurate, but you never know. Last three digits are not in the GTS registry.
Partial VIN SPD comparison.jpg
 
Core support stamping
7242402016
7-1967
2-Hamtramck
424-April 24 1967
02016 shipping order
This stamping agrees with the data plate.

Alan

They painted this car the wrong color....My plate says NN Silver poly but it was HH Copper. April Fools!

SOnumber.jpg

SOnumber1.jpg
 
I see no one has mentioned-

why is the car yellow?

to me it looks a lot like factory paint with overspray from grill blackout and undercoating.
 
While we're on paint-

"light blue poly" is not "Petty blue"

Actually called "corporate blue"/"true blue".

Petty blue would have been a special order color in 67 (and 68).

IIRC it became an optional "HIP" color in 1970.

In 69 the code would have been "999" for special order.

I believe this applies to 68 as well, not sure for 67.
 
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