the red flagged Charger on Ebay

[madmike]

I'm new to the Mopar world, and I've got a question.  Actually, not new to Mopars (years ago, I had a clean '73 Dart Sport that I swapped a 360 V8 and four speed into), but I am new to Chargers. I wasn't aware that there were stampings in the sheet metal (radiator support and edge of trunk opening) that were supposed to match the VIN tag on the dashboard.  I realize that the dashboards are removable from these cars, and they can be switched from body shell to body shell, which means you don't have to mess around with the rivets on the VIN tag.  Since becoming aware of the stamped numbers in the shell, I realize that a car that has all matching stampings and VIN tag is probably worth a little more than those that don't have those matching numbers.

What do the people do that only have a VIN tag (with a matching title) and new quarter panels or front clips, that don't have those factory stamped numbers?  What does a guy do, if he unknowingly buys a car that has a VIN tag (with a matching title), but the factory stamped numbers in the radiator support or trunk opening don't match?  I honestly can't remember if my Dart had similar stampings in the body shell or not, but the VIN tag definitely matched the title, so it was a legal car as far as I was concerned.  I guess the law thought it was legal too, because I bought it in one state, and transferred the paperwork and car to a different state later.

Now I also realize that a guy could steal a car, swap out the dashboard with the VIN tag attached to it, and as long as he has a title to the VIN tag, he could say it was his, I guess.

My point is:  What if the sheet metal stampings in the radiator support and trunk opening don't match the VIN tag, yet the title to the car does match the VIN tag?  Thanks for any opinions or knowledge that you can provide!

[Tilar]

My point is:  What if the sheet metal stampings in the radiator support and trunk opening don't match the VIN tag, yet the title to the car does match the VIN tag?  Thanks for any opinions or knowledge that you can provide!

If it were to be checked out by the law, that car would be impounded and the current "owner" would probably not be having a good day..

A title matching a VIN tag is fine, as long as the rest of the car belongs to the VIN tag. Otherwise all that title gives you ownership to is the tag.

[69charger2002]

agreed with above.. back to your question though: obviously the state is not going to give you a hard time registering a car in your scenario since all they see is a title and a bill of sale. if it's clear they issue you a new title. Let's assume you do that today 9/1/2010. Well let's also assume Bob comes to your house one day to check out your cool car because he had one like it in 2005. If he was snooping enough and realized your rad support and trunk numbers/door tag/fender tag etc did not  match, but matched a car he had stolen from him in 2005.. guess what? you don't own a charger anymore. It's illegal to be swapped, regardless of who now owns it. would you go to jail? probably not, no one can prove you were the one that swapped it out. BUT, you would surely lose your car if it was ever found out to be stolen... aside from those horrible scenarios, it's actually a pretty common thing. in fact, on 1968 and earlier cars, there is no door tag, and the fender tag, rad support and trunk numbers don't match the VIN anyway! i'll never forget the first time i learned the info you are, i went out to check my 68 and it didn't match. i was horrified! 69 and up should all match, last 6 numbers anyway, if it doesn't it was either stolen, or wrecked at some point in it's life, why else would they get changed? hope this helps.

[Alaskan_TA]

Any VIN swapped car is rolling 'evidence' of a crime & could be impounded at any time.

Another thing to consider is insurance.

You buy a car with a swapped VIN, insure it, then you get hit by a drunk driver. Everyone is OK, but your car is totalled. The insurance adjuster checks the body numbers & notices that the VIN does not match the body.

No claim for you, since the VIN on the policy does not match the chassis that was totaled.

[no318]

Just for the sake of discussion.....How many of these cars are/have been/will be wrecked in the front and need a new/different core support at some point?  What is the "right" way to handle that?  If NOS stuff or repro. stuff were used, it would have no #.

[chargers]

You don't say what year of Charger you are dealing with.  I can tell you that 1968 Chargers don't always have matching VIN #s on the dash to body.  This is documented by Galen Govier and others.  It would appear that the body was manufactured then shipped to different places for final assembly and numbers didn't always get matched up.  I have one such vehicle that we researched all the way back to Chrysler Leasing of it new to Avis Rent a car.  The body VIN numbers all match however the dash tag doesn't .  Title is of the dash tag.  My 69 Charger RT however, matches all numbers.

you should find Vin #s on the rear trunk drip rail, drivers side, front radiator support, fender tag (removable), and a few other places like frame etc.

Good luck!

[Darkman]

I was going to say the same thing. On the 68 the dash tag doesn't always match the trunk or radiator support numbers

[green69rt]

you should find Vin #s on the rear trunk drip rail, drivers side, front radiator support, fender tag (removable), and a few other places like frame etc.

Good luck!

Can someone post a picture of the rad support location, I just looked my69 over and can't find it.  May be buried under paint.

[69bronzeT5]

you should find Vin #s on the rear trunk drip rail, drivers side, front radiator support, fender tag (removable), and a few other places like frame etc.

Good luck!

Can someone post a picture of the rad support location, I just looked my69 over and can't find it.  May be buried under paint.

Here's a picture of my '69.....

[green69rt]

Can someone post a picture of the rad support location, I just looked my69 over and can't find it.  May be buried under paint.

Here's a picture of my '69.....

Well, either mine didn't get one on the rad support or the piece was changed out sometime in the past.  Top support looks original but it has no numbers on it, all my other numbers match (fender, dash, trunk, title, buildsheets.)

[Alaskan_TA]

There is no 'exact' place for the radiator support number. I do not look at many 1969 models, but for 1970 cars they splatter all over the place.

I have seen them on top & some on the the engine side & anywhere from the center of the support to way over & down by the battery.

For the 1968 & prior cars, agencies like the NICB can link the SO on the body to the original VIN if they have any reason to investigate it.

[madmike]

Thanks for all of the great posts to my question.  My car is a '68.  I purchased it earlier this summer, as a roller in pieces.  I had someone look the car over for me (it was in a different state, thousand miles away).  Neither my friend nor myself, knew anything about the numbers stamped in the radiator support or the trunk drip ledge at the time, were maybe supposed to match the VIN tag on the dashboard.  In fact, I thought that maybe they were just Chrysler part numbers, and then one day I compared both stamped numbers, and realized they were the same.  I only learned the importance of the numbers, from lurking on this site, after I bought the Charger.  I wish I had known about this site before I bought the car, it would've been a big help.  Thanks for all of your input!

[Troy]

On a 68 the body numbers match the bottom right of the fender tag (not the VIN).

Troy

[Vainglory, Esq.]

I would think that the VIN belonging the car and lining up with the title would be the most important part.  For example, it's not too uncommon for a car to be "clipped" after a frontal crash, where everything would be replaced.  If the numbers there don't line up, I don't think anyone would say you've done illegal VIN tampering...

[Tilar]

For example, it's not too uncommon for a car to be "clipped" after a frontal crash, where everything would be replaced.  If the numbers there don't line up, I don't think anyone would say you've done illegal VIN tampering...

But then the numbers on the trunk rail would still match giving it a legit title. Chances of a front and rear hit at the same time are slim.

[Vainglory, Esq.]

I suppose, but I'm not sure it would that uncommon.  Maybe it would be more uncommon for a car that found itself in the middle of a chain-reaction crash to have been restored, but you never know what's a restoration candidate these days...

[Brock Lee]

How about front end damage and rear rot? I have seen numerous Chargers with rotted trunk drains from leaves and sediment clogging them fro draining. The drains with the lips were one of the first parts AMD released.

[Tilar]

I guess we could play the "What if" scenario... "What if" frogs had wings? Then they wouldn't bump their ass everytime they hopped!   

[hotrod98]

Forty years is a long time. Absolutely anything could happen in that length of time. There are forty year old cars that have had three or four total restorations already.

[DAY CLONA]

When in doubt,...........

[71gtx]

1971 -74 b-bodys


Vin #s on  front radiator support, fender tag cowl door dash

not on  the rear trunk drip rail,

68 70 b bodys yes

[Wicked72]

If its to much of a PITA for me to get a title for mine ima get me a parts car with a title lol and stamp it! Lucky for me thou the car had not been registered for so long that it has been deleted from the system to it shouldnt be to bad...then again I live in MD and everything is a PITA here...

[maximoutlaw]

I'm also new to mopars myself, and I noticed on my car the VIN matches the fender tag. I'm assuming that's the case with all Chargers. I was looking on EBay today and I saw a 68 Charger where the fender tag didn't match the VIN number. Is this wrong? I'll include a link to it.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1968-Dodge-Charger-440-GENERAL-LEE-Video-YEE-HAW-/270627321177?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item3f02a53559

The pictures in question are close to the bottom.

[Alaskan_TA]

On a 68 the body numbers match the bottom right of the fender tag (not the VIN).

Troy

[maximoutlaw]

Ah I missed that, silly me.

[moparstuart]

When in doubt,...........