Author Topic: Strange VIN on orphan 69 L78 (?)  (Read 17936 times)

Fastcompany69

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 7
    • View Profile
Strange VIN on orphan 69 L78 (?)
« on: July 27, 2009, 02:01:29 AM »
Hello, sorry for barging in here but I have a JH code 396 with a strange VIN stamp near the bellhousing. The numbers read: 191... I thought the 1 was supposed to be an L, but it is clearly a one.

I didn't even know the engine had a VIN stamp at first because it was buried under paint and is kind of half-stamped. Any answers for a lowly Nova guy? LOL!

If you need more pics I can email to someone for resizing because they are not going through.
Remember the days of chrome bumpers and leaded gas?

bcmiller

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4101
    • View Profile
Re: Strange VIN on orphan 69 L78 (?)
« Reply #1 on: July 27, 2009, 02:21:41 AM »
Looks like it could be OK.

Can you make it all out?  Is is something like 19L555192?

What is the date code on the front pad?

This is a 4 bolt main block with the large oil galley holes, right?
Bryon / 1968 Camaro SS 396 coupe - now old school 468 big block
1967 Camaro RS/SS 396 coupe L35/M40 - 4 generation family project
Looking for 68 Camaro with body # NOR 181016

bcmiller

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4101
    • View Profile
Re: Strange VIN on orphan 69 L78 (?)
« Reply #2 on: July 27, 2009, 02:22:42 AM »
Sometimes you don't get a good stamping because of the roughness of the block surface.
Bryon / 1968 Camaro SS 396 coupe - now old school 468 big block
1967 Camaro RS/SS 396 coupe L35/M40 - 4 generation family project
Looking for 68 Camaro with body # NOR 181016

KurtS

  • CRG Coordinator
  • *****
  • Posts: 5959
    • View Profile
Re: Strange VIN on orphan 69 L78 (?)
« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2009, 02:49:53 AM »
Can you send the pics to me? KurtS2@gmail.com
Can you include a pic of the pad too?

Thanks!
Kurt S
CRG

Fastcompany69

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 7
    • View Profile
Re: Strange VIN on orphan 69 L78 (?)
« Reply #4 on: July 27, 2009, 04:33:40 AM »
The front pad stamping is: TO429JH 

Yes bcmiller, the block is a 4-bolt, large plugs on the side and the brass oil gauge fitting too. Inside is a 6223 crank, 3/8 bolt dimple rods and TRW 2242 pistons. Rebuilt in the 80's and never run; this is how I purchased it.

Thanks for the interest and fast replies everyone!
Remember the days of chrome bumpers and leaded gas?

Mark

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1089
    • View Profile
Re: Strange VIN on orphan 69 L78 (?)
« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2009, 10:54:08 AM »
Last VIN on an LA built Camaro is 531163.  Can't be from an LA built Camaro.
Mark C.
1969 Indy Pace Car
350/300HP RPO Z11

bcmiller

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4101
    • View Profile
Re: Strange VIN on orphan 69 L78 (?)
« Reply #6 on: July 27, 2009, 03:50:53 PM »
If you could send me a picture of that area with the VIN stamp I would like to see it too.

bcmiller@creighton.edu
Bryon / 1968 Camaro SS 396 coupe - now old school 468 big block
1967 Camaro RS/SS 396 coupe L35/M40 - 4 generation family project
Looking for 68 Camaro with body # NOR 181016

bcmiller

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4101
    • View Profile
Re: Strange VIN on orphan 69 L78 (?)
« Reply #7 on: August 05, 2009, 04:44:36 PM »
I never could figure out what the VIN was. 
Bryon / 1968 Camaro SS 396 coupe - now old school 468 big block
1967 Camaro RS/SS 396 coupe L35/M40 - 4 generation family project
Looking for 68 Camaro with body # NOR 181016

Mark

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1089
    • View Profile
Re: Strange VIN on orphan 69 L78 (?)
« Reply #8 on: August 05, 2009, 07:08:38 PM »
It was 191355192  out of an Oshawa Canada built 69 Nova.
Mark C.
1969 Indy Pace Car
350/300HP RPO Z11

Fastcompany69

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 7
    • View Profile
Re: Strange VIN on orphan 69 L78 (?)
« Reply #9 on: August 06, 2009, 02:11:30 AM »
Maybe the Mother, (Nova) to this orphan, (Engine) is still around.
Remember the days of chrome bumpers and leaded gas?

KurtS

  • CRG Coordinator
  • *****
  • Posts: 5959
    • View Profile
Re: Strange VIN on orphan 69 L78 (?)
« Reply #10 on: August 06, 2009, 06:01:54 AM »
It was 191355192  out of an Oshawa Canada built 69 Nova.
I considered that, but can not find any souce that indicates St. Therese (or Oshawa) built any Nova's.
Kurt S
CRG

Fastcompany69

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 7
    • View Profile
Re: Strange VIN on orphan 69 L78 (?)
« Reply #11 on: August 09, 2009, 04:26:18 AM »
So the mystery continues.......... :o
Remember the days of chrome bumpers and leaded gas?

KurtS

  • CRG Coordinator
  • *****
  • Posts: 5959
    • View Profile
Re: Strange VIN on orphan 69 L78 (?)
« Reply #12 on: August 09, 2009, 06:20:09 PM »
My Nova buddy is baffled too. The pad is too late for that VIN (if the 1 was a W).
If that was 9N655092, that would almost make sense. Can you tell for sure what the digit is before the 55?
Kurt S
CRG

bcmiller

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4101
    • View Profile
Re: Strange VIN on orphan 69 L78 (?)
« Reply #13 on: August 09, 2009, 09:50:50 PM »
Right, if it was an N, that would tend to make more sense, but based on spacing it seems to be a 1.

OK, so I went back and took the "Joe Friday" approach to this.  What do we know?

JH code was supposedly only used for Camaro and Nova.

If the third stamped digit is a 1, then it would have to correlate with the Oshawa, Ontario Canada plant.

But from what we know, there were no Camaros or Novas produced at that plant.

JH was apparently not used for the Chevelle, and even if the stamping was 191355092 that still does not work
for a Chevelle (the JH code is not right for Chevelle either).

Full size cars ilke the Caprice were assembled at Oshawa, but nobody knows of any getting the JH engine.

Kurt, does anything look "disturbed" on the front pad stamping?   Do you think that mark between the 2 and the 9 is
just a contact mark?   I looked under high magnification and could not say anything looked "bad" on the front pad.
Bryon / 1968 Camaro SS 396 coupe - now old school 468 big block
1967 Camaro RS/SS 396 coupe L35/M40 - 4 generation family project
Looking for 68 Camaro with body # NOR 181016

Fastcompany69

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 7
    • View Profile
Re: Strange VIN on orphan 69 L78 (?)
« Reply #14 on: August 10, 2009, 09:07:11 PM »
I cannot be absolutlely sure of the digit. I can email every picture I have of the stamping but it is just tough to read; even with the naked eye.

Got an email from George Zapora at Vintage Vehicle Services and he says the engine is from an Oshawa-built Chevrolet product; but would need to do a VIN search to determine exactly what product.

Can't decide if I should spend the money on this or not.


I need to thank you guys again for your continued interest. This site is a huge source of exellent data!

AC.
Remember the days of chrome bumpers and leaded gas?

 

anything