I am trying to understand the Stamp Pad code on my car. Here's some background: I have a Framingham built L78 car (05D) which is documented with a POP and two buildsheets. My car has its orginal matching number M21 and the rearend is date code/application correct (both match the POP). The car also retains its original Smog pump and plumbing. It has 71K miles (previous owner interviews and documents show this to be original miles). I also have an owner's manual documented with each oil change, service, and repair done to the car up to 64,100 miles (the 1st owner's family owned a Quaker State Service Station and they changed oil frequently/regularly). Interviews with previous owners give me no indication that the engine was ever replaced. All date codes on the engine or its sub components precede the engine build date by an appropriate amount of time (within 45 days).

My engine code stamp is clear and matches the POP. The broach marks on the pad are distinct. No problem so far. Now as far as my partial VIN is concerned.... the stamp is to the right of the engine code and oriented the same way (i.e. not upside down). However, it is much fainter and the number is 4 units off of the car's VIN i.e. Partial VIN = 19GXX3018 Car's VIN = 9GXX3022. All characters in the partial VIN are 1/8" high EXCEPT the "01" which are slightly larger in size.

Anybody had any similar experiences with this sort of thing? BTW, there is not a partial VIN back by the oil filter. :confused:

Thanks,
Sam

What's the VIN on the transmission? You said it was number matching, but want to make sure the VIN matches as well as the assy. date to POP. I would expect the VIN to be stamped at the same time as the engine at the assembly plant using the same ganged stamp holder. If the factory made on error on the engine, it should have made the same error on the transmission.

I owned a 68 Camaro Z-28 that was stamped by a dyslexic worker, but both engine and transmission were stamped the same.

Bruce,

Good point. The assembly date matches the POP, but the VIN is not stamped on the side of the case. I suspect if there is a VIN on the case it will be on top of the transmission. I now remember that the engine stamp pad and tranny were done at the same time and should have used the same stamp.

I will attempt to put a mirror in position to see the VIN stamp, but will probably have to pull the tranny.

Thanks,
Sam

VIN stamp should be on side near trans date code.

elcamino,

I have seen muncies with a manufacturers code/date and no VIN. Also, I have seen the manufacturer's code on the pass. side toward the rear of the main case and then the VIN is found on top of the main case (toward the rear).

Anyone else seen this?

Sam

Sam, I have seen many Fremont (Z) Muncies with the partial VIN stamped on the top rear of main case.

David,

I have a 69 SS convertible Kansas car which also has the VIN stamped on top of the tranny (manufacturer's code on pass. side of main case).

I took my mirror and light out this morning to check my Framingham car's tranny for a VIN in this location and had a clear view of the area but saw no VIN. I was looking in the top rear section of the main case closer to the pass. side.

Sam

Took a look at the tranny from the driver's side with the mirror and light. Shift linkage and exhaust pipe in the way, but I saw the 1st portion of the partial VIN. "1 9 G" . Couldn't get the necessary angle to see the remainder of the code. It appears that the tranny is at least for a 1969 Chevrolet made in Framingham. Will take time this weekend to remove exhaust pipe and linkage to get a better look.

I have not seen a partial VIN on the passenger side of the top of the a transmission before.

Sam

I removed my transmission last night and got a good look at my partial VIN on top of the main case. I would appreciate some opinions on what I found. I took photos of the numbers and posted them at this link:

http://community.webshots.com/user/mockingbird812

Go to the second page and scroll down to " '69 Chevelle SS, L78, M21, 4.10 (documentation/numbers)". You will find the 1st few slides will cover my topic.

Thanks,
Sam

It looks like my new pictures are slow to load. When they do load you will find a picture of the car's VIN as the 1st picture in the '69 Chevelle SS .... (documentation/numbers) section.

Thanks,
Sam :confused:

Hi Sam,

Great photos! You definitely have a matched engine and transmission; both with the same partial VIN and obviously the same ganged stamp was used. It is odd that the partial VINs on the engine are 4 serial numbers earlier than the VIN. It must be a factory error, since the rest of the codes match your POP.

Bruce

Have to agree with Bruce. I just wonder if the '022' stuff got put in somebody else's car or if there's another set of '018' stamped engine/trans?

Bruce/Dale,

Thanks for your opinions. Mine was similar, but I wanted to get your objective perspective (unclouded by emotion). I didn't want to get ahead of myself, but am glad you all feel the same. Would be interested in any other opinions too.

Thanks,
Sam tongue.gif

Sam,

I tend to agree. Seems highly unlikely someone would replace both an engine and transmission with a pair that have a vin 4 numerals off the correct number. It seems more plausible that a hungover or distracted assembly line worker forgot to change the digits on his ganged stamp. I've heard of similar stuff going on like the wrong buildsheet in a car, wrong components going into a car (i.e. not what was on the build sheet), SS door panel on one door, Malibu panel on the other the door of the same car, plastic inner fender well on one side and a metal inner fender well on the other side. Quality control wasn't the best in that era and they certainly weren't going to shut down the line to make a minor change, or wait for the right part in the bin.

Sam,

I agree, too, probably just another of those assembly line flukes. I think it's safe to consider that your car has the original engine & trans.

BTW, is that the car (gold 69 L78) that was on eBay a few months ago? Seems to me like it was in Ohio or somewhere in the Midwest when it was for sale. With all those cool Chevelles, I'll have to look you up next time I'm coming down to Fountain Hills smile.gif

GM (and others) had a lot of labor problems back in these days and a lot of stuff was done out of spite.

A guy (I worked with for years) brother was a big-shot in a Cadillac assembly plant. They had a lot of problems with labor. He was afraid for his life for most of the years he worked there. He used to tell John to never buy a Cadillac. He drove Buicks and John always had Olds cars and Chevy trucks gotten thru his bro.

Another older retired guy who went to HS with my mother and retired back here used to run QC at a Ford Trans plant. He can tell some stories about how workers would get revenge on Ford. He said he almost lost him job over a trans problem that was random. It never showed up till in the hands of the customer. After a time, it was discovered a part was missing in random AT's. After tracing the problem back to his section, Ford wanted action taken to correct the problem but the worker was the problem. He would put the part in 1000 trans but leave it out of one. He was po'd at Ford for whatever reason. Turns out Ford and the state of Michigan had some program to hire and train ex-cons. This guy was one, so if he was fired. He would have to go back to the slammer. So, if they fired him, Roy was a dead man and was told so. Finally had to win this guy over with kindness so that the guy would not purposely screw-up anymore. According to Roy, when he retired in the mid 80's this guy was one of the best workers in the place.