What is this Tag on Passenger Inner Fender? Serial Number?

[Canuck74]

Hello all!
This is my first post on the site, I've read for many years and decided it's time to become an active member.
I am restoring a Southern Ontario, Canada, native 1974 Challenger and have really been stumped by this tag on the passenger side inner fender. It reads: WB Nummer 10771. Does anyone have any clue what it could be? Serial number maybe?I have had no luck when looking for information on it.
Thanks a bunch!!!!

 

[DetMatt1]

If you google the word you'll get the meaning of it, its German/Dutch. Are you aware if the car has been overseas? That might have been some kind of import tag. Any other oddities on the car that you've found? Let's see some more pics.
Btw, welcome to the site from the Motor City!

 

[challenger6pak]

I agree. It has been in Germany or around that area at one time. May have been a military serviceman's car. Post a pic of the fender tag. It may have been built for export.

 

[Canuck74]

Thanks for the responses so far!
Prepare yourselves for a wackload of pictures!
Nothing that I can think of that would stick out in my mind as an oddity per se, and I am not aware of it being overseas, although my dad did not get a lot of backhistory when he purchased it, nor have I been successful in contacting the previous owners . The Engine bay appears to have been blacked out at some time, which I have heard once was a popular thing to do at some point (can anyone back this up??). You can see the tag in the bottom right of the engine bay.



What I did do was remove the serial plate, and it would appear that it was placed there BEFORE the engine bay was blacked out (some kind of cheap paint or spray on plastic).


Something strange about how the treatment went on just beside the tag too, looks like a zebra pattern, probably nothing though.


It also looks like the screws did not have undercoating on them, just the regular grease and grime, which suggests it went on after undercoating, although it was hard to tell.





The original 318 was long gone, there were 340- four barrel emblems on the hood, performance stickers underhood, the usual mods. No motor or trans with the car.

The first couple are the registration history for Ontario, note that it was registered twice in just over a span of a year from one person??
The fact it was purchased (or maybe first REGISTERED in Ontario?) in 1975 makes me think it was a dealer-ordered car that sat, or just maybe an international car.


Here is a copy of the Fender tag, and I was lucky enough to find a copy of the build sheet too during the tear down.

 

[Canuck74]

So after running the Fender Tag again, The code 'I' Which I had previously dismissed because it is a non-American car, decodes as an Internationally ordered car, not a Canadian one. It would sound plausible to me that a military serviceman may have ordered it in Germany or similar area and had it shipped over. Was this a popular thing to do? Any thoughts?

 

[moparleo]

Yes. But you didn't have to be a serviceman to order from outside the country. Just had to have the money and a licensed importer to do the paperwork for you.

 

[Canuck74]

Yes, I suppose I shouldn't jump to conclusions. I guess that I need to double my efforts in finding previous owners! Any other input anybody has would be invaluable!

 

[70chall440]

I cannot speak specifically to the era, but having spent 26 years in the military and a lot it overseas beginning in the 80's, I can lend a little insight into ordered cars overseas. All of the big three could be ordered through the Army Air Force Exchange Service AFFES. Generally when you order the vehicle depending on where you are, you can choose to pick it up in the US or in the case of places like Germany, you can get it delivered there. Due to foreign regulations, the cars delivered there would have to meet the local specs so they would be export cars. Moparleo is correct, locals could have ordered the car as well, it is difficult to say without talking to someone involved. Many times, locals would work with a service member to get a car ordered and delivered as it was cheaper and easier than going through a local dealer because the American would order it as a American would knowing all of the options and issues whereas many of the local dealers really didn't. Much easier to get a car via a US service member.

 

[sdweatherman]

So after running the Fender Tag again, The code 'I' Which I had previously dismissed because it is a non-American car, decodes as an Internationally ordered car, not a Canadian one. It would sound plausible to me that a military serviceman may have ordered it in Germany or similar area and had it shipped over. Was this a popular thing to do? Any thoughts?

In addition to the "I" - the VON at the end of the second to last line "E30052" is also a clue. The "E" at the beginning of the VON indicates Export car.

 

[cordodge]

welcome from sarnia area, looks like a solid car and good luck with it. bruce

 

[Canuck74]

Thanks for the input everybody, it's all good stuff! When I have some more time in the coming months I'll be trying again to find some of the previous owners.
A little info on export tags that export mopars should have had, from our friends over at Moparts;
http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Number=6744867
Mine did not, that I can remember, have one when I tore it down. I might post over there as well.

 

[Canuck74]

Thanks Bruce! It did indeed look solid too when we purchased it :laughing7: It lived at least 15 years on Southern Ontario streets, as I'm sure you know what that does to cars... wouldn't trade it for any other car though!