VIN, chassis, radiator support and fender tags

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GY3 71 Demon

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Just wonderin....

I have now seen two different 71 A-body cars that have the same type of issue - the radiator stamping and fender tag vary by one digit. Has anyone else come across this?

I recently looked at a 71 Demon that has a radiator vin and rear package tray number that match but both of those number sequences are one number off what the fender tag VIN and dash VIN read.

Let's say the radiator support and the rear package tray read E1 110426 (#'s are made up for this example) - however, the fender tag and VIN dash plate read 1E 120426. This car's engine number also reads 120426 - the same as the fender tag /dash VIN. From what I've seen so far, the issue has only been with the radiator support/package tray numbers and both cars were built in LA.

I realize the year and plant code are reversed on the body stampings (E1 vs 1E), but I can't find any further information regarding the remaining VIN numbers.

I've been told that cars built in Los Angeles have had some quirks with the stampings but I can't help but wonder if anyone else has seen this?

Thanks for any insight... :headbang:
 
Off by 1 or 2 equals human error. Production lines were different back then, today everything is computer controlled, bar coded, and scanned.

Back then, the guys just grabbed the next part in line.
 
There are at least a few documented examples of this that I have seen, as well as VIN tags installed upside down, and a few other oddities. 1 digit away certainly would be human error.
 
I think the best one I've seen so far is the 73/74 duster with the engine code. The vin indicated the car came with a 400, if it were me I'd of shoved a built stroked out 400 and took it to car shows. When asked about it, I'd just point to the vin and say "must be factory cause the vin says that's the engine for it." Let the randoms people try figuring that one out :twisted:
 
Alaskan_TA said:
It is fairly common. See the article at http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/numbersMatching.shtml and the photos of many VIN and coding errors at http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/factoryErrors.shtml
Click to expand...

Thanks again!

Another "mystery" solved by FABO - and man, that was quick!!

Even though the examples in the link above were from the Hamtramck plant, on page 3 there's another example of the stamped number being one digit off. Human error explains it... you know I was thinking it was pretty strange that everything matched except one digit on the body VINs.

I guess those errors weren't just happening in LA after all !! :thumleft:
 
Believe it or not machines make mistakes, too!!!
 
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