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Vin number confusion

Benjamin Nelson

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Hey everybody. Was trying to decide the vin on my challenger today. I can’t find the 13 digit number anywhere but there is an 8 digit one stamped on the cowl and radiator support. It reads p4338127. Not sure exactly what everything means maybe one of you guys could help me out? The p might be an r which means it has a hemi (yeah!!) but that didn’t exist in 74. I was told the car was a 72 when I bought it. Any help is appreciated.

thanks

0885A536-C56C-4A5F-92D5-4C8819B839FF.jpeg
 

Cuda Hunter

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well, that stamp is indeed your vin number. Looks like it's a 74 due to the 4 stamp. I'm unfamiliar with the P though.

That vin stamp will only be on the radiator shroud and the cowl. If you have the original motor and trans you will probably find the vin tamp on them Other than that, door tag, fender tag, vin tag build sheet or window sticker.
Does the car retain any of these?
 

Benjamin Nelson

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Nope it has nothing else than what I posted there. The dash isn’t factory, no build sheet or paperwork or anything. The p is weird I couldn’t figure it out either
 

NoCar340

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Your "P" is a mis-stamped B, indicating a Hamtramck build.

B = Hamtramck
4 = 1974
338_27 = Sequence number

The engine code doesn't appear in the cowl/core support stampings. Assembly plant, year, and sequence number were all the law needed to determine if a car was stolen or fraudulent. In 1974, a P engine code indicated a high-performance 400, also known as "Engine Not Appearing in E-bodies". The 318 and 360 were the only engine choices in 1973-'74.

Here's the cowl stamping from my '74 318 (VIN G) car:

000_0003.JPG
 

moparleo

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So in other words the person who sold it to you didn't have the real title. The vin is on the title.
If you have no title, don't put any money into it unless you can get it licensed. Unless it is going to be a race car.
Otherwise you can use it as a parts car.
 

NoCar340

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Regarding what the original 13-digit VIN is, there are only two possibilities:

JH23G4B338627
JH23L4B338627


They were all JH23s, they were all 4Bs. You have the sequence number, so the only digit open to queston is the engine code. A 318 car has a G in position 5, while the high-perf 360 would have an L.

I'm assuming that mis-stamped digit in the sequence number is a 6, based on what that numeral looks like in my own cowl. You could do a title search in your state, or some other state in which you think the car may have spent some time. If you come up with hits on one of those VINs--both can't exist--you've found your car. Depending on your location, a title could be nearly impossible... or it could be fairly painless. My car came from a "no title" state (Alabama). Getting a title in my name was a freakin' cake walk, since the car was not stolen. They never even wanted to look at it.

My 1967 GTX was a different story. Even though the VIN and fender tag showed the car's real identity, the title the guy had gotten with it was for a 318 Satellite. He never bothered to look closely at it. A quick search through records in the car's original state (Indiana) indicated the car had been stolen in the early '70s. A lot of effort was made to hide the car's identity, including an extremely-thorough repaint--yet all the GTX-specific stuff was still on the car (flip-top fuel cap, emblems, hood). It was Turbine Bronze when I got it, but left the factory as a Light Turquoise car.
The statute of limitations had long-ago expired but to avoid raising red flags, I parted rather than restoring it. So many original parts were gone like the engine, trans, and OE axle anyhow. A friend still has the bare shell in his yard, but he's never going to do anything with it. I still have the VIN and fender tag... right next to the 318 Satellite title. 😁
 

Benjamin Nelson

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I never got a title for the car when I bought it. I’m in Canada so it’s called registration. As for putting money into it I think it’s a bit late for that. I was planning on driving it to high school in the summer months. I think I can do a lost title search to get another copy of the registration. That’s good in someways because that means I don’t have to get it inspected before putting it onto the road.
 

Cuda Hunter

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Please let us know how it works out for you. I'm sure others will learn from your steps.
I'm curious how Canada does this process.
 

moparleo

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How do you license or insure it without a way to legally describe it ?
Seems like it would be pretty easy to steal and retitle a car there if those are the only numbers you need to ID a car.
 

NoCar340

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Quite a few US states don't even require a title for a car over 20 years old, GA and AL being two with which I have personal experience. I'm the first titled owner of my '74 Challenger; AL apparently didn't even issue titles until 1982. Your registration is your title... which is stupid, because by law the registration must be signed and kept in the car. You're essentially driving around with a signed title in the glove box.

It sounds like that might be the case with Benjamin's car. But, as I posted above, we know his VIN within two possibilities. It shouldn't be too hard to figure out and hopefully get him street legal.
 

Benjamin Nelson

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Hello everyone, I am finally back to working on my challenger again. I have verified that my car was in fact a 318 car from the factory by using icbc’s online vehicle vin number lookup thing. It was pretty helpful unlike most other government services. I am going to try and do a lost title search and see what happens. The car was never stolen and has never been in an accident which is all good news! I will keep you all in the loop
 
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