1968 charger RT block and tranny questions

[HamtrackRT]

I recently bought a 1968 Charger RT, that is suppose to be numbers matching. The body numbers match the fender tag and the vin on the dash is a vin for a rt.  But, I cannot find a vin or partial vin on the top on the block near the oil sending unit or on the top of the tranny. It does not have a broadcast sheet and the block is dated sept 15, 1967 and the build date on the car is jan. 4th, 1968.  My question is, were all 440 block and 727 tranny, even the early 1968 model years stamped with a vin or partial vin?  Also, was all the 440 blocks in the 1968 rt charger hp or hp2 blocks?
Thanks for any help.

[Blusmbl]

This may help some:

http://andy440.com/other.htm

I am no expert, hopefully somebody else chimes in, but I'd think a January of '68 car would have a partial vin on the block.

[John_Kunkel]

'68 is a goofy year for VIN's, lots of examples out there of original blocks that weren't stamped.

Since the HP was the only version of the 440 available in a '68 Charger, the block should have the HP stamp.

[bull]

You might do a search because this topic has been discussed many times before. That said, Kunkel is right in that the 68 year was sketchy on this, and especially the early 68 cars. Generally speaking, the common opinion is that the 68s with the 383 high performance engine and the R/Ts (426 and 440) got the stamps on the bellhousing flange while the base 383s, 318s and slant sixes did not, at least early on. Later in the year it's believed that someone got their butts chewed for cutting corners so all of them started getting stamped. Technically all of them were supposed to get stamped starting in 68 but obviously that didn't happen.

The next best thing you can do is read/decode the numbers stamped on the distributor base pad and check the block's casting date. If the casting date is within about 4 months of the build date, and the distributor stamp is right, most likely it's original but you really can't know for sure.

[rarefish]

My 68 R/T was built on January 8th and it has the VIN stamped on both the block and tranny...

[HamtrackRT]

Thanks for all the responses, a couple more questions though.
Do you know if it is common for the tranny to not be stamped also?
What other part numbers should I look for on the block or tranny?
2536430 on the block? Means? And 2801541 on the tranny?
Is sept 15, 1967 on the block the casting date? And the build date is on the fender tag? Jan 4th.
How do you decode the distributor stamp pad number? Is that number stamped into the block?
Thanks for all the help, I really appreciate it!

[John_Kunkel]

2536430 on the block? Means?

Typical casting number for a '66-'72 440.

And 2801541 on the tranny?

Correct part number for a '67-early '68 383HP or 440HP...the 4-digit build date following that number tells more.

Is sept 15, 1967 on the block the casting date? And the build date is on the fender tag? Jan 4th.

Yes...yes. Both would be typical of an early '68 model year build.

How do you decode the distributor stamp pad number? Is that number stamped into the block?

Post it here, should be something like D440 HP with some other digits and characters stamped into the flat pad in front of the intake manifold...might have to scrape off some gunk and/or paint to read it.