Locating vin# on a early '68 318 block?

[1BAD68]

I looked on both sides of block along the oil pan rail but couldn't find a vin#
The only #'s I can find are the block casting# 2536030  318-7
and on the left side front of block just below the head is... PM318R  21972628
can any one decode the PM318R ?
I read one place says P=1976 and another place says P=1960,  it doesn't make sense
How do you tell if the engine is original to the car with no vin#? The car has a Sept. 67 build date.

[Ghoste]

With an early build date like that you won't find a vin on the block.  That didn't begin until halfway through the 68 model year.  The best you can do is find a casting date that places it ahead of your build date.

[8WHEELER]

You will not find a Vin on any 68 318 block, or any 383 2v block in 68 either. Only the HP blocks in 68 were stamped.

Dan

[1BAD68]

so then there is no way to definately say its numbers matching?
Also, on the block there is 8-1-67 cast just above that shape that looks like a clock. Is that the block build date?

[bull]

so then there is no way to definately say its numbers matching?
Also, on the block there is 8-1-67 cast just above that shape that looks like a clock. Is that the block build date?

Yes, that's the build date. And it should be around four months prior to the car's build date. Is yours a December or January car? Mine is a Jan. car with an Aug. block so I have to assume it's the original block. There's no way to prove these cars have their numbers-matching block but there's also no way anyone else can prove it isn't so long as the casting date is within a reasonable time-span of the car's build date. I don't know the range for sure but everything I've seen says the engines are 3-5 months ahead.

[69CoronetRT]

can any one decode the PM318R ?
How do you tell if the engine is original to the car with no vin#?

PM=engine assembly plant Mound Road
318= displacement
R=regular fuel
2197=10,000 day calendar assembly date = Aug 3, 1967
2628=engine sequence assembly number

so then there is no way to definately say its numbers matching?
Also, on the block there is 8-1-67 cast just above that shape that looks like a clock. Is that the block build date?

the 8-1-67 is the engine block casting date. The clock points to the shift (generally first or second shift) If in fact the 2197 date is correct, this engine was assembled two days after the block was cast. As stated above, as long as the engine assembly date is a reasonable amout of time before the SPD based on the application, its possible the engine is original to the car.

The car has a Sept. 67 build date.

The engine assembly date to scheduled production date of the vehicle it goes in to can vary from days (My engine assembly date to SPD is about 10 days), weeks to months depending on what engine, what application and the production demand. I would assume the beginning of the model year called for a lot of engines in a short period of time.

You will not find a Vin on any 68 318 block, or any 383 2v block in 68 either. Only the HP blocks in 68 were stamped.

I've seen this stated before and find it very hard to believe....What is your source on this?

[bull]

You will not find a Vin on any 68 318 block, or any 383 2v block in 68 either. Only the HP blocks in 68 were stamped.

I've seen this stated before and find it very hard to believe....What is your source on this?

I think he is his own source on this. I can attest to it though since my 383/2bbl/4spd '68 has no partial VIN on the bellhousing flange while I've seen more than one '68 383/4bbl with the stamping on the flange. My understanding is that only the '68s with 383 hp motors and up got the partial VINs while everything 383 non-hp and down did not. I have no proof other than what I've seen myself and the words of those in the know here.

[JimShine]

I have had 4 1968 318 motors, none had a VIN stamp. I wasn't aware of this either and went nuts looking for it on the first one I had.

I also noticed a little trend with these engines. The blocks were not allowed to season as long as the big blocks. The casting date is usually within a month of the production of the car. But I am sure there are plenty of exceptions.

[Ghoste]

That does seem strange.  I thought the whole vin stamping thing began in January of 1968 as a result of federally mandated anti-theft legislation?

[1BAD68]

Yes, that's the build date. And it should be around four months prior to the car's build date. Is yours a December or January car? Mine is a Jan. car with an Aug. block so I have to assume it's the original block. There's no way to prove these cars have their numbers-matching block but there's also no way anyone else can prove it isn't so long as the casting date is within a reasonable time-span of the car's build date. I don't know the range for sure but everything I've seen says the engines are 3-5 months ahead.

my car has a September '67 build date, so that would mean that they cast the block (Aug. 1st) and assembled it (Aug. 3rd) before it was even cooled off and then installed in the car a month later.
Anyone know when the 68 Chargers went into production?

[bull]

Yes, that's the build date. And it should be around four months prior to the car's build date. Is yours a December or January car? Mine is a Jan. car with an Aug. block so I have to assume it's the original block. There's no way to prove these cars have their numbers-matching block but there's also no way anyone else can prove it isn't so long as the casting date is within a reasonable time-span of the car's build date. I don't know the range for sure but everything I've seen says the engines are 3-5 months ahead.

my car has a September '67 build date, so that would mean that they cast the block (Aug. 1st) and assembled it (Aug. 3rd) before it was even cooled off and then installed in the car a month later.
Anyone know when the 68 Chargers went into production?

So it's a 318? According to Jim above that time span seems right if it's a 318.

[1BAD68]

Anyone know when the 68 Chargers went into production?

[JimShine]

Not sure when the first cars rolled off the line, but I have seen early '68 model year specific parts dated August 1967.

[69CoronetRT]

Anyone know when the 68 Chargers went into production?

Early August at the Hamtramck plant. It seems like Charger production at STL started about April of 68 but not sure.

[John_Kunkel]

I still have a problem with the fact that it was a Federal requirement to stamp both the engine and trans with a partial VIN starting January 1, 1968.

This explains why early '68 model year parts were hit-or-miss but not the last half of the model year.

[Dans 68]

Just an update to this thread. The '68 charger 383 4-bbl 4-speed I am looking to buy has matching serial numbers between the engine (bell housing flange, by the oil pressure sending unit) and transmission, and the transmission also has the partial VIN stamp, matching the cars VIN. I know that the build date of the car was Dec 26, 1967 and the transmission build date was Dec 21, 1967. I don't know whether early (1967 assemblies) automatics were stamped with a partial VIN. FWIW....   

Dan

[1BAD68]

Just an update to this thread. The '68 charger 383 4-bbl 4-speed I am looking to buy has matching serial numbers between the engine (bell housing flange, by the oil pressure sending unit) and transmission, and the transmission also has the partial VIN stamp, matching the cars VIN. I know that the build date of the car was Dec 26, 1967 and the transmission build date was Dec 21, 1967. I don't know whether early (1967 assemblies) automatics were stamped with a partial VIN. FWIW....   

Dan

Mine is a Sept. 67 build and there are no vin#'s on the block or trans.
So maybe someone else will have a Oct-Nov. car and narrow this down more.

My engine is a Aug. 67 casting

[bull]

Just an update to this thread. The '68 charger 383 4-bbl 4-speed I am looking to buy has matching serial numbers between the engine (bell housing flange, by the oil pressure sending unit) and transmission, and the transmission also has the partial VIN stamp, matching the cars VIN. I know that the build date of the car was Dec 26, 1967 and the transmission build date was Dec 21, 1967. I don't know whether early (1967 assemblies) automatics were stamped with a partial VIN. FWIW....   

Dan

Mine is a Sept. 67 build and there are no vin#'s on the block or trans.
So maybe someone else will have a Oct-Nov. car and narrow this down more.

Just to claify something I said back in Aug., the casting date on the block does not mean the car was built that day, only the engine. I have a Jan. 8, '68 build date on my car and an August '67 engine casting with no stamp on the bellhousing flange. Mine is a 383/2bbl/4spd which according to 8WHEELER above would have no VIN on the engine. It's always been a mystery why they didn't stamp all the '68 model year cars because it's my undertsanding they were supposed to, as John Kunkel indicates above. Maybe they found a loophole in the law to save themselves time and labor costs.

[Dans 68]

...and to clarify also...the stamping on the bellhousing flange of the engine that matched the transmission was not the VIN; they were serial numbers. The transmission also had the partial VIN stamped on it, same as on the fender tag, which thus ties it to the car.   

Dan

[John_Kunkel]

Just to claify something I said back in Aug., the casting date on the block does not mean the car was built that day, only the engine.

The casting date on the block is the date the block was cast, the engine build date is stamped, not cast in.

[ZSmithersCharges]

Hate to revive the dead but... I just have to know about this thread.  I have a 68 with a 383 4bbl automatic non-hp with a block casting date of july 18 1967.  Stamped on the tranny nothing on the engine.  Cars build date was september 28 1967.  So thats within the time frame to make it original.  Just wanted to know if anything more was found out about this.  I am removing the heads soon so I will get the stamp off of the pad to see exactly when it was finished.

[69CoronetRT]

...and to clarify also...the stamping on the bellhousing flange of the engine that matched the transmission was not the VIN; they were serial numbers.

The transmission also had the partial VIN stamped on it, same as on the fender tag, which thus ties it to the car.   

I'm confused by your first sentence. Are you refering to 1968 models? If not the VIN, then what do you mean they were serial numbers? The stamping is a partial vin number.

Second sentence. Again, are we talking 68? The 68 Fender tag does not have the VIN on it so you can't tie a 68 engine or tranny to the car via the fender tag.

[Dans 68]

...and to clarify also...the stamping on the bellhousing flange of the engine that matched the transmission was not the VIN; they were serial numbers.

The transmission also had the partial VIN stamped on it, same as on the fender tag, which thus ties it to the car.   

I'm confused by your first sentence. Are you refering to 1968 models? If not the VIN, then what do you mean they were serial numbers? The stamping is a partial vin number.

Second sentence. Again, are we talking 68? The 68 Fender tag does not have the VIN on it so you can't tie a 68 engine or tranny to the car via the fender tag.

Hmm, I get to respond to one of my posts on a 2 plus year old thread?       jk...O.K., just ignore the first sentence. It was asked in ignorance of the '68 peculiarities. I now know better.

As for my second sentence/statement, look above for my first response.   

Dan

[ZSmithersCharges]

  I should do this once a week.  Just kidding but will someone answer my question?  Pretty please?

[Dans 68]

I should do this once a week.  Just kidding but will someone answer my question?  Pretty please?

Sure! I believe that the '68 383's did not have any stampings on an engine pad. There may be a partial vin behind the oil sender unit, stamped along the machined edge of the block, but that would be it.

Dan

[ZSmithersCharges]

Thank you I suppose I'll just quit looking I should just be happy it runs 

[69CoronetRT]

...and to clarify also...the stamping on the bellhousing flange of the engine that matched the transmission was not the VIN; they were serial numbers.

The transmission also had the partial VIN stamped on it, same as on the fender tag, which thus ties it to the car.   

I'm confused by your first sentence. Are you refering to 1968 models? If not the VIN, then what do you mean they were serial numbers? The stamping is a partial vin number.

Second sentence. Again, are we talking 68? The 68 Fender tag does not have the VIN on it so you can't tie a 68 engine or tranny to the car via the fender tag.

Hmm, I get to respond to one of my posts on a 2 plus year old thread?       jk...O.K., just ignore the first sentence. It was asked in ignorance of the '68 peculiarities. I now know better.

As for my second sentence/statement, look above for my first response.   

Dan

My appologies. That was pretty silly not to look at the date 

[bull]

It could be a factory warranty replacement engine - best case. Or possibly a previous owner swapped out the original engine for one that wasn't stamped. I tend to believe the first explanation because your engine's casting date falls within the correct timeframe. I don't know if the company rules back then dictated that the numbers be stamped on a replacement block bellhousing flange but I would think not.

[ZSmithersCharges]

It could be a factory warranty replacement engine - best case. Or possibly a previous owner swapped out the original engine for one that wasn't stamped. I tend to believe the first explanation because your engine's casting date falls within the correct timeframe. I don't know if the company rules back then dictated that the numbers be stamped on a replacement block bellhousing flange but I would think not.

That would be pretty interesting!  So for warranty replacements they recast with the proper date or they used an engine from that date? 

So mine would have most likely been stamped though is what you are saying?  The only reason I posted on this thread is because someone had a 383 unstamped like mine from around my build dates as well yet tranny was stamped just like mine.  So, I was wondering if it was a coincidence or maybe that we both had originals and it wasn't practice at that time to stamp the block like the original poster with his 318?  Either way you guys are very helpful this is just a ball of confusion for me and others apparently(even though the others were confused two years ago  ) so thanks for your help!