i have the oppurtunity to buy a 69 chevelle. the seller claims it is a true 69 chevelle ss w/ a #'s matching 396 big block 4v engine and it has the original 400 turbo transmission. he gave me the #'s and i would like someone to decode them for me before i buy.
VIN- 136379A347401
COWL TAG- ST 69 13637 ATL 266 521
TR- 795 63 B PNT 07D

i have decoded the VIN, but i would like to know what the cowl tag tells me and what the trim decodes to be.
can anyone help me ASAP? i do not want to lose my chance at owning my dream car.
is this a true SS or is it a Malibu?

Vin Number and Cowl tag will Not authenticate SS origin.

However, if you do indeed have the matching Numbers 396 and TH400, this will authenticate SS origin as no 396/TH400 combinations were offered in Non SS applications.

You'll need to Verify VIN stamp on VIN pad behind Alternator. TH400 VIN stamp should be visable from the passenger side of the Tranny if memory serves me correctly.

These stamped Numbers should match the VIN.

These can also be forged, there are also date codes, and casting numbers on the Block to help authenticate, but this will be a good start.

These are the numbers you need to post.

Welcome to TC.
I see this is your first post.

Your question has been a pretty common one around here.
The answer is, you cannot be sure a 69 is truly an SS unless the build sheet
( and the real build sheet ) is accompanied with the car.
Otherwise, it could be a clone. Numbers matching or not.

Use the search engine here and look for 69 SS Clone or something like that.

Good luck

PS

If you really like the car and can afford it, what difference does it make?
Unless you plan to hold it for an investment, if you like it, and can afford it, buy it.

I'll respectfully disagree slightly on that one.

A matching Numbers 396/TH400 will definatley authenticate SS origin in 69 as this drive train combination was not offered in non SS applications.

And although numbers can be bogusly restamped, Atlanta and Kansas 69's, "typically" stamped their VIN numbers on the Oil Filter Boss.

And while VIN pads can be decked and restamped, and aligned with correct casting dates, the Stamps on the oil filter Boss, and the TH400 VIN pad are both raised, cast surfaces.

These are much, much harder to forge as the raised cast surface would need to be ground down, prior to restamping, leaving clear evidance of tampering.

A trained eye, and verification of matching Numbers on a correct broached VIN pad, and a Kansas, Atlanta oil filter Boss, in combination with the TH400 stamping should authenticate origin without any reasonable doubt.

I'd recommend posting your location and I'm sure somebody would be more than willing to authenticate the car for you.

PS.

Champagne Gold (63) with a Black Vinyl Top (B) with Dark Green Bench interior (795) would be a very neat color combination if it remains original.

If not, it is technically no longer matching Numbers without additional cost to return to original.

I can tell you that it IS a Mallibu. Now whether its a SS, see above. SS is an option on a Malibu. If the seller is making a bid deal about numbers matching and being a SS ask him for the proof. Original build sheet, POP, order form, some sort of document that says so. And remember this document will be almost 40 years old, so it should look and feel the part. For instance I had various titles showing SS on them going back into the '70s as well as the original build sheet and POP. There a lots of 'tells' such as how the car is equipped, brake line location, etc. but most of these are well known and someone trying to make big money on a pristine car will have them covered. Its less likely that a '69 be taken to the "show" car level (unless they're asking obscene money) and more likely that a '70 be done. The '70 with the right stuff will bring much more money for the same investment.

I'll respectfully disagree slightly on that one.

.

I wasn't trying to be confrontational.
I was unaware there was any condition that could absolutely prove or
disprove the authenticity of a 69.

Are there any more?

I didn't take it as confrontational at all.

When Absolute is the key work you are correct. There is no absolute way.

Eventual Death is the only known true absolute. :)

That's why I used the term "reasonable doubt".

I'd prefer the stampings of a Kansas or Atlanta 69 over paperwork.

Maybe that's just because I know them better.

But in the absense of a build sheet, (which is frequent) If it's a real numbers matching 396 car it's a real SS in 69.

Theres also the Colors of monaco Orange (72) and Daytona Yellow (76) that authenticates SS origin in 69 if you can "within a reasonable doubt" authenticate the originality of the cowl Tag.

These Colors were available only when ordering the SS package. otherwise, a special order "--" would be stamped on the cowl tag.

Well, I think that pretty much answers the mans question. :yes:

it has been repainted dark metallic green, but still retains the original factory green interior (in great shape too). the seller has ALL the original paperwork, warranty info, POP,ect. i've seen alot of pictures of the vehicle and paperwork. get this, says "36,513" Original miles...
the reason i am so skeptical is because purchase price is only $7,900

I'd say being sceptical is a wise descision.

Is this car anywhere near enough to put your hands on it?

Or is it an E-bay overseas deal.

Lots of scams out there.

Thats the price for a Rusted but complete Hulk needing total restoration.

i put a couple pics of it in the SHOWROOM section on this site under velle69florida. take a look at em'. it's definately not rusted out. i have 17 different pictures that i could email to you so that you could give me a better opinion. whats your email address?

Again this is a no brainer. But, unless you can put your hands on this car when you make the transaction, use caution.

There are alot of scams out there and this price is well over 10K too cheap.

If it looks too good to be true it usually is.

it even still retains the original (reasonably rare) 325HP Automatic Air Cleaner.

$7900 :)

$7900 for the car in the pics? Something is wrong here. You MUST check it out in person or at least have a trusted and knowledgeable person look at it for you. Even though it looks far from perfect in the pics, something ain't right. WAY too cheap.

I would like to start a poll on where the car is physically located.

My guess..... UK :)

well,
i have some bad news (for me anyways). this was an ebay car. it was listed for auction, i saw it within an hour of it's original listing and saw the "buy it now price" of $7,900. i sent the guy a message saying "i'll take it". as soon as my email went through, i tried to go back to read more and it was removed from ebay. i sent the guy another email asking what happened? it's not there anymore? what's going on? i did not hear anything from the guy. days went by and i finally gave up on it, thinking it was "to good to be true" anyways. well, exactly 2 weeks later i checked my personal email account and was SHOCKED!! to see a message from this guy from... 2 weeks ago stating that he had computer problems and he was sorry that it took so long to get back to me but he would like to set up the transaction through an ebay managed trust account so that we would both be covered from fraud. my stomach tied in knots, i thought well surely it is not available anymore but i sent him an email and asked "is the car still available?" i sat and waited for the longest heart wrenching 10 minutes of my life and then i saw a reply... yes, still interested? he tells me all about how this managed ebay account works and that ebay would be contacting me with the payment details and that his brother works for an auto shipping company and he would be delivering the car to me at his own expense. all correspondence from this point on was on ebay letterhead and looked to be legit. something still did not feel right so i forwarded all of the "ebay" correspondence to EBAY and asked them to verify authenticity. they reveiwed everything and determined that this guy was running a scam (a very good one) none of the "ebay" correspondence regarding the transaction was real. i started examining all of the pictures and noticed that in the pictures, the car was sitting in front of a church, it had trees that looked to be of a central US variety, one pic of the engine showed a 325hp 396 big block w/ cast headers, but another pic of the undercarriage showed stainless headers on a 350 small block. so i played dumb with the guy for a little while longer and asked him if he had recently put new headers on the car since the first batch of photos. he said yes, those pics were a few months old and the new headers went on last week. now, i already know that this guy is a FAKE, but i wanted to test the waters a little and i asked him if it would be a problem if i flew out to pick up the car with cash in hand tomorrow morning. he replied... "you wanna fly to Alaska?" remember what i said about the trees in the pics and the surroundings in the background of the pics? did not look like Alaska to me. so i ask, "what part of Alaska?" he replied... Barrow. i Google Barrow Alaska i foind out that it is the most extreme northern city in the country... above the Artic circle!!!. i still do not say anything to this guy about what i really know, and i continued with... "sure, i'll fly up there tomorrow with the money and pick up the car". he replies this time with anger... LOOK, MY WIFE IS DIVORCING ME, AND I AM DYING AND AM IN NO MOOD OR SHAPE TO MEET ANYONE. THIS IS WHY I AM LETTING THE CAR GO FOR SO CHEAP. SEND ME THE MONEY AND I WILL SEND YOU THE CAR!
now i let him know that i know all about his little charade and will have no part of it. then i said... send me the car and i will give the cash to your brother when it gets here... deal?
he replies... DEAL.
that is the last thing i have heard from him since about 11:00am central time today.

So what has happened ever since?I assume he never sent the car and most likely continued to send angry emails to you pressuring you to send money.

I had something like that happen to me once where some guy wanted to send me $3700 money order for $300 bucket seats i was selling on craigslist and have me return the remainder of him through western union.That just screams scam.

Well, good thing you asked here. THAT car in that condition (with the BB engine) was worth the $7900 whether it was a true SS or not! And to think it was on ebay and hundreds of other people wouldn't have seen it and been all over it?

It's SO hard to buy something serious like this without seeing it first. SO many things could have been wrong...

thats not a turbo 400 trans pan. i would be very careful on this one. mike