68 R/T numbers matching question

[californiadoug]

I am looking to possibly buy a car that a guy is saying is numbers matching but want to make sure it is. Before I go further, others feel free to respond as I would like other opinions rather than just one if is is different than that the first person's reponse.

The car has the engine, trans, vin, and title with the same last six numbers.

The fender tag's last six numbers don't match any of them.

The radiator support and trunk lip match each other but nothing else.

I have heard that the fender tag, engine and trans, and trunk lip and radiator support  should all match and the vin should not match the engine and trans. I have also heard other things to. Please be detailed in your answer as I want to be smart about this car. It is at a good price but if it isn't the real deal then it isn't such a good price and i want to make sure I know what I am getting. Thanks for any help.

[Ghoste]

This should almost get a sticky or be part of an FAQ , there are several good threads on the forum in various areas already that spell it out in better detail so I'd suggest doing a search for them mainly.
A quick recap though; the vin and title should match, the engine and trans on a 68 MAY match, the fender tag on a 68 won't match the vin, and the rad and trunk lip should have the SO number on them.

[Troy]

The VIN obviously should match the title. The trans and engine should have the last 8 digits of the VIN stamped on them (assuming they are stamped at all). In 68 the body stampings match the SON (shipping order number) on the fender tag. These stampings (if I remember right) should have the manufacturing plant code, last digit of the year, a one letter body style code, and then the 6 digits of the SON. Be sure to also check the casting and assembly numbers on the engine.

Troy

[Ghoste]

This has some details as well.
http://www.andy440.com/other.htm

[californiadoug]

This should almost get a sticky or be part of an FAQ , there are several good threads on the forum in various areas already that spell it out in better detail so I'd suggest doing a search for them mainly.
A quick recap though; the vin and title should match, the engine and trans on a 68 MAY match, the fender tag on a 68 won't match the vin, and the rad and trunk lip should have the SO number on them.

thanks for the help from both of you. what would I type in to find related threads? also what is the SO number (is it shipping order?). so if I get this right, the car I am looking at that has the engine, vin, and trans with the same numbers is a matching numbers car? again the fender tag matched none of the numbers and the radiator support and trunk lips match each other and nothing else. sure would be easier if it was a 69 and not a 68 .

[californiadoug]

The VIN obviously should match the title. The trans and engine should have the last 8 digits of the VIN stamped on them (assuming they are stamped at all). In 68 the body stampings match the SON (shipping order number) on the fender tag. These stampings (if I remember right) should have the manufacturing plant code, last digit of the year, a one letter body style code, and then the 6 digits of the SON. Be sure to also check the casting and assembly numbers on the engine.

Troy

so if I am getting this right... the body stampings would NOT match the engine, trans, vin, or fender tag or anything else?

[Troy]

If the body stampings don't match the fender tag then a few things come to mind:
A) The fender tag isn't original to the car or it's a repop and they didn't have the original or the build sheet to copy. Again, check the cast and assembly dates on the engine and trans and compare them to the date on the fender tag.
B) It's a rebody. SOmeone very well could have had the engine, trans, and dash from a real R/T and found a nice body to stick them in. When I bought a bunch of 69 parts a few years ago the guy offered me the VIN tag that matched the dash and told me he could get the engine and trans if I wanted a "numbers matching car". The original car had been totalled in the 80s.
C) For whatever reason the car needed metal replacement and the rad support and trunk lip were sourced from a donor car. One of my 68s was wrecked at some point and the rad support was changed. I had to replace the trunk lip on another (luckily only the passenger side but it's not numbers matching any way).

Troy

[Dans 68]

Here is a thread to get you started. http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,38316.0.html.

The body stampings do (should if it is numbers matching and have not been replaced) match the fender tag. The last six digits of the fender tag are on the radiator support and the trunk lip, which should read "X8B123456", inserting your son (shipping order number) of course.

Dan

[Troy]

The VIN obviously should match the title. The trans and engine should have the last 8 digits of the VIN stamped on them (assuming they are stamped at all). In 68 the body stampings match the SON (shipping order number) on the fender tag. These stampings (if I remember right) should have the manufacturing plant code, last digit of the year, a one letter body style code, and then the 6 digits of the SON. Be sure to also check the casting and assembly numbers on the engine.

Troy

so if I am getting this right... the body stampings would NOT match the engine, trans, vin, or fender tag or anything else?

Not exactly, the last 6 digits should match the SON which is the last 6 digits on the bottom line of the fender tag. The body stampings will have a few extra characters in front though. They will not match the VIN, engine, or trans at all. The fender tag or, better, build sheet are the keys to linking it all together.

Troy

[Ghoste]

See Troy, we need a really well written FAQ for all this.  (only because I know you don't have enough to do during the holidays buddy  )

[69_500]

No it would just make things easier if they had their eggs in a basket in 68, and had things figured out like they did in 69 to make everything that much easier. 

[Ghoste]

The round taillight confusion probably threw them all off.

[Dans 68]

See Troy, we need a really well written FAQ for all this.  (only because I know you don't have enough to do during the holidays buddy  )

It will be on the '68 registry site (coming soon to a server near you....) 

Dan