Body number decode question...

[paulbone]

Hi,

Just joined the site, and finally after many years of want now have my very own D24 Club Coupe.

She's a labor of love, after being sat since 1963. But she does now run and shift and stop..... just gotta be further that the end of my drive.

Anyway my question is, after visiting the DMV to arrange a VIN inspection, I noticed that the serial number on the title does not match the number on the door pilar.

The number on the title is:

D24604545

Is this a body and trim code id, maybe the denoting Dodge series 24, 6 for coupe etc etc. The two tags that are on the bulkhead, are immpossible to read as they have faded and corroded so much.

If i can exlpian this to the DMV inspector, all will be well, other wise I'll be stuck.

Thanks for any help out there.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Paul..check this against the engine number..this should be just above the generator on the engine block, just under the head...if all is well and your engine is still the same one this may be the matching number. Years ago, and the DMV should know this, the engine number was sometimes used to register a vehicle..further it is said that this number will be stamped on the frame of the car near the tip up at the rear axle drivers side. If that number is on the engine..piece of cake..if not but on the frame..explain the engine is not original and hopefully find the frame number...with it in either position should prove the idenity of the car.

[greg g]

The D24 is the engine model year which corresponds with the model line the D 24. the rest of the numbers are manufacturing sequence numbers. The door pillar number is the build sequence number and you can look up in the reference section of the main site where and what month you car was built.

My car came from Pa. was registered with the serial number, but lots of states used the engine number. This unfortunately leads to a lot of problems down the line as it was common to swap engines perhaps a couple of times during a cars lifetime. Made worse by the ease of swaps between Plymouths Dodges, Dodge Trucks and industrial motors. Add to this you could get a rebuilt motor for about 185 bucks from Sears, Wards, Western Auto, and other sources. During high school I worked at a Dodge dealership. Part of the dealership was a small shop that was a liscenced rebuild shop. They would have a few engines ready to go, and it was common practice to pull an engine that needed rebuilding, put a fresh rebuild, (would take less turnaround time than rebuilding yours) and send you on you way. Then the shop would rebuild your motor and put it on the rack waiting for the next fellow who needed serious engine work. So as a result, engine numbers a lot of times will be very different from what was installed at the factory.

Good luck at the DMV and with your Dodge.

[claybill]

or you can just get a new door plate and bang in the corret numbers.

claybill there are some repops around for about 25bucks.

[BobT-47P15]

Those little tags on the door frame are not rocket science items....seem to be made of a pieceof sheet metal with numbers hand stamped into them....held on with two small screws. If a person made a new one with numbers to match the title......and said nothing......the license bureau fellow would likely go for it. Just make it look kinda old. There was a painted black area across the top, but mine has faded off. I probably should have used a smaller screw.

[BobT-47P15]

You can buy reproductions like this of these under hood tags.....I think they brighten up the engine bay.

And then there is the Briggs Body tag found on the firewall. Normally painted to match firewall.

[TodFitch]

Those little tags on the door frame are not rocket science items....seem to be made of a piece of sheet metal with numbers hand stamped into them....held on with two small screws. If a person made a new one with numbers to match the title......and said nothing......the license bureau fellow would likely go for it. Just make it look kinda old. There was a painted black area across the top, but mine has faded off. I probably should have used a smaller screw.

At least on my older Plymouth the serial number tag is riveted, not screwed, to the door post. The body number and manufacturer's tags on the firewall are held by screws.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Some states are very very tough on vin number removal for any reason..it is illegal period point blank bar none. If evidence of removal for repaint even and affixed back in place...can cause for car to be destroyed by the state..yeah..check it out..this is for real. While working the electrical upgrades on the 41 I noticed that mine is riveted in place but appears to be the same type that is used on the cowl lacing..can be taped out from behind and put back in place...it is best if keeping a car inoriginal form but painting, to show the immediate area about the tag with original paint and untouched in anyway..I would like to refinsih my number plate but will probably leave as it where is...

[Niel Hoback]

My neighbor, an ex-police chief, saw me with a handful of old Dart and Valiant vin tags that I had for some stupid reason harvested and saved. He said "thats illegal, you know". I said "what, taking them off"? He said "No, possession, and its federal, not state. So I cut them up and tossed them in the circular file. Since then, I have always wondered about how people deal in vin tags and old titles, several of which I still have.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Old titles are transferred as a Collectible document suitable for framing..end use is subject only to the buyer...not seller...SO I AM TOLD...transfer a matching body number and it curtains...

Dealing in titles is not hard when the states refuse to title a vehicle that is 1984 and older...bill of sale.....some Pixie dust..coin or two and you have a title...

The number plates..yeah...not supposed to have them off the car and in hand...and I know of no one breaking this law..cough cough..crossed fingers etc etc.

[PatS....]

Am I ever glad we use Bill of Sale only. So much simpler

[paulbone]

Thanks guys for all your help and adivce. Turns out the number was the engine number, so no problem in the end with the DMV VIN inspector..... different story though when I went to get the car registered. The young lady really had no clue and wanted to know why there was no 'D' in front of the VIN number, like there was on the old CA title.

She even said I should have the car inspected in CA and the title changed there. A quick chat with her supervisor, cleared things up, and now I have the plates and are ready to roll.....ish.

Next job, sort out the crazy wiring loom or whats left of it that is!!

[Plymouthy Adams]

Glad you found someone in the office in the know and that indeed the engine was still original to the paperwork...

[BobT-47P15]

" The young lady really had no clue and wanted to know why there was no 'D' in front of the VIN number, like there was on the old CA title."

I would think there should have been a D in front of the number as it was

D24, etc on the engine.....not just the numbers. Oh well, you got the tags and that was the important thing.

[paulbone]

The number the VIN inspector used, was the one on the door pillar - just a series of numbers with no letters.