?s about 1968 Dart GTS 383 4 speed car

[oldcarnut]

Im going to look at a 68 Dart GTS 383 4 speed car and have a few ?'s . Im not sure if the fender tag is present . So that being said even if radiator support/ trunk rail support match they wont match title or dash vin as that didn't occur until 69?
Is there any way to confirm if its been rebodied? It does have motor trans in it .
Will the #s on dash vin be on pass side pad on trans ? Vin #'s on pass side oil pan rail ?
Any help appreciated thanx everyone. No pics yet....

 

[Lefty71]

Well, you can tell its a gts 383 car by the VIN, so I would certainly look for correct type rivets or signs of other hanky panky at the VIN tag area for the possibility of a rebody.....

Pieces parts are really starting to get scarce now, but you are right, it wasnt really that long ago that you could buy a whole dodge dart that wasnt rusty for the purposes of putting the parts off a highdollar Dart on them. And I do mean there were companies selling thesr bodies, not just individuals.

 

[Dana67Dart]

IBM card or build sheet will have the VIN and SO number.

If the front and back hidden body numbers match, that's a good sign.

They should start with the year then the assembly plant (unless they changed it in 68)

Year, plant, MDD (date) SO number

But that only says the body is correct for a car built at a particular plant that year. But if there are parts that would not have been replaced over the years and they are dated long after the date on the hidden numbers, which would indicate the body is not attached to the VIN.

 

[Dana67Dart]

Well, you can tell its a gts 383 car by the VIN, so I would certainly look for correct type rivets or signs of other hanky panky at the VIN tag area for the possibility of a rebody

True BUT since the VIN is on the dash, the entire dash could have been swapped, so while a possible indicator not a guaranteed

 

[Dana67Dart]

You can also check the vin in the GTS registry. You can't see the last 3 of the vin, but other details can narrow it down.

I have heard that some VINs were stamped on the block by the bell housing. Worth a look.

 

[4spdragtop]

Yes I believe 68 was stamped on eng by BH mount area.

 

[matthon]

5th digit of vin s/b H for 383
6th digit of vin s/b 8 for 68

5th and 6th numbers on the bottom row of fender tag s/b 62, 7th 3

Last 9 digits on bottom row of fender tag are the Shipping Order Number:
First 3 are the date (scheduled month & day)
Last 6 is the sequence number.

The SO# should be stamped into the radiator support and the trunk lip, typically under the weatherstrip on driver's side.

Fender tag would be nice, ties to the body style and stamps, and engine digit in vin.

Buildsheet ties to everything.

No IBM card for 68.
Make sure it's a 68 fender tag, which has a 9 digit SO# (67 looks the same except it has an 8 digit SO#).

Engine stamp below distributor should be D383 with a month/day stamped.

Engine stamp should be after casting date, and before, on, or just after SO# date.

SO date is scheduled production date, car could've been built before, on, after.

Going from memory here so corrections appreciated.

 

[oldcarnut]

Thank you all for the knowledge

 

[BSB67]

You can also check the vin in the GTS registry. You can't see the last 3 of the vin, but other details can narrow it down.

I have heard that some VINs were stamped on the block by the bell housing. Worth a look.

Mine had it stamped on the block. It had an April SPD

 

[Dana67Dart]

I had a recollection that starting 1-1-1969 they punched the VIN (or partial VIN) on the block and trans. But just a recollection

 

[oldcarnut]

Yes 69 is easy . Vin on engine/trans/rad support/trunk rail

 

[matthon]

I have 2 68 383 blocks, and both have #s stamped on the back of the oil pan rail, I forget which side.
I have pics somewhere.
No stampings on the back near the bellhousing. Might be a small block thing.

I had a 71 383 where the partial vin, maybe full, was stamped on the passenger side of the block near the mount.

I also have a 67 and 68 trans.

67 is the first year for the raised pad on the passenger side, but it is short and was never stamped.
Also has a date cast into the top.

68 has a longer raised pad stamped with partial vin.

 

[BSB67]

No stampings on the back near the bellhousing. Might be a small block thing.

Mine was a 383 GTS.

 

[Dana67Dart]

No stampings on the back near the bellhousing. Might be a small block thing.

na, its a 383 thing, IF it was stamped there

 

[matthon]

Had to go to the archives.
Neither has a stamping next to bellhousing.

Both have stamping on the oil pan rail that begins with PT383 then 9 characters.

Anyone know what they are exactly?

D383
10 23

 

[matthon]

D383
7 2

Guessing partial vin after the PT383

 

[RLF Cuda]

Also, all BB A-Bodies will have torque boxes. Should look like factory install (sloppy welding) or I would suspect that the body wasn't original to the rest of the car.

 

[oldcarnut]

Yep has torque boxes , 383 is long gone has a 400 in it . Quarters cut for big tires , was in shop with leaky roof so roof is reached , has centerlines , Hurst verti gate , had build sheet for 73 340 duster in back seat lol

 

[oldcarnut]

No fender tag

 

[oldcarnut]

Pics

 

[oldcarnut]

Its rough but I shot a # at him just waiting to here back

 

[oldcarnut]

Needs a lot of attention, took a 20 hour round trip to take a look

 

[oldcarnut]

Rad support and trunk rail so#s match

 

[Dana67Dart]

Rad support and trunk rail so#s match

Does the vin show uin the GTS registry?

Does the date on the hidden body numbers match the dates on any of the parts like the steering gear?

 

[matthon]

If my eyes don't deceive me, those are the longest toggle switches I've ever seen.

I dig the interior fan, cable tach, and old school gigantic Accel coil.