Just Bought "Numbers Matching" 67 RS/SS, Did I Make A Mistake?

[naptownrick]

                      Ok, finally got under the car today with a flashlight and a rag of paint thinner to clean off years of muck/undercoat fom the tranny. There was no partial VIN next to the transmission code on the passenger side where is should be. I did a search in this forum, and looked on the CRG website, and I understand on 67's it could be on the drivers side or the top as well. I checked the driver's side and could not find anything, but there are a few crevices I could not get to. I guess it could also be on the top, in which case I would need a really small mirror, or to drop the trans.

All the other codes checked out correctly:
Trans Casing: 3885010 (1967 Muncie 4spd)
Trans Code: P7A24 (4spd Muncie, 1967, built Jan 24th) which is before the assembly date of the car and would be correct.

There was also a small stamped metal tag under a bolt on the bottom of the trans toward the drivers side, with the number 3870357 on it. Any idea what this is?

               So can anyone provide an accurate location of the partial vin when it is stamped on the top or the driver's side? Is there any way to see it with the trans installed if it is on the top (which I guess would depend on where it normally is stamped)?


             All the date codes seem to be correct, so I would be really surprised if this is not numbers matching. I guess the engine VIN mis-stamp was worrying me, I'll just have to accept it as unknown if the trans was stamped wrong too until one day when i have to drop the trans.

Thanks again for all of the help!
Rick

[1968RSZ28]

There was also a small stamped metal tag under a bolt on the bottom of the trans toward the drivers side, with the number 3870357 on it. Any idea what this is?

Rick,

That tag is the "assembly number" for the transmission - it identifies the specific combination of main, side cover, and tailhousing castings, gearset type and ratios, input and output shafts, and output shaft speedo drive gear diameter and tooth count to suit a specific usage. Although most Muncies look the same externally, there were about a dozen different "assemblies" used, and that part number tag (and the broadcast code) identified which one they were.

Paul

[1968RSZ28]

So can anyone provide an accurate location of the partial vin when it is stamped on the top or the driver's side? Is there any way to see it with the trans installed if it is on the top (which I guess would depend on where it normally is stamped)?

Rick,

I have only seen Los Angeles built Camaros with the partial VIN stamped on top of their Muncie transmissions.  It's possible to view transmission top partial VINs with the transmission in the car.  All you need is a flexible mirror and a drop light.

Paul

[JohnZ]

The '67 Assembly Manual (section M20, sheet A1) identifies 3870357 as the Muncie 4-speed transmission assembly used with L-48 and L-35.

[naptownrick]

This is great information guys, thanks!! So far everything fits, I'm glad to hear the tag number confirms everything else found.

I'll have to get some kind of small mirror on a flexible holder to look on top of the trans for the partial vin. My car was not an LA built car, but I'm not sure it could be anywhere else. Is that a pretty certain fact that only LA cars had the stamp on top, or just speculation?

Did anyone ever see it on the passenger side, maybe I need to remove the linkage and clean off behind there to see it? It just figures it couldnt be in the easy to find place

Thanks again!
Rick

[x77-69z28]

IF IM NOT MISTAKEN, THE ASSEMBLY CODE IS ON ONE SIDE AND THE VIN IS ON THE OTHER on 67's. MY CAR HAS BEEN UP ON JACKS FOR SIX MONTHS, AND I TOOK IT DOWN YESTERDAY!

[x77-69z28]

just went out and jacked up my car again, and the assembly code is on the passenger side, rhe vin stamp is on the left. happy hunting.
buddy

[naptownrick]

Buddy,
  Do you have the exact location on the drivers side? Is it behind the linkage in a certain location? I'm hoping to pinpoint the area and scrape all the junk off.

Thanks!
Rick

[x77-69z28]

rick, it is stamped at the back edge of the main case where it bolts to the tailshaft, above where the back up switch bolts to the side cover.
buddy

[naptownrick]

FINALLY!! Found it!

Thanks for your help Buddy, it was stamped right on the edge of the casing on the drivers side behind the linkage and buried under 1/4" of crud. The partial VIN matches the car's VIN, and does not have the 6/9 issue like the engine stamp. Maybe the worker saw the mistake in the engine stamp and corrected it for the trans? Here are pics below of the trans stamp, and another good shot of the engine stamp.

So, what I have is an engine code (V022IMS) that matches the protect-o-plate, and the VIN is one number off (189552 vs. 186552). Maybe I asked this before, but if the engine code matches the protect-o-plate does that mean this is 100% the correct engine, or could the engine from car# 189552 had the same engine code and somehow a previous owner found this block? This would mean the 189552 car would have happened to have an L48 engine built on the same day at the same plant, and had a Muncie 4speed. I guess it's possible with the volumes that were coming out of these factories, but unlikely considering all the coincidences that would have had to take place.

Thanks again all, I love the car, and having a blast enjoing it the way it is until I figure out how far to take the restoration. I find all of this decoding fascinating, it is so awesome to have a community of people who are this interested in the details of these cars and keeing them original!

[x77-69z28]

congrats. feels good doesnt it

[tom]

Sounds like the engine has been swapped. If the stamp was wrong for the engine, I would expect to see the same thing on the trans stamp.

[JohnZ]

Sounds like the engine has been swapped. If the stamp was wrong for the engine, I would expect to see the same thing on the trans stamp.

I doubt it - the odds of finding another engine with exactly the same last three VIN digits is pretty remote. However, making any evaluation of a painted pad is impossible, as you can't see the pad surface. The paint should be removed (WITHOUT using any abrasive material) and take another high-res close-up macro photo of the pad.

[naptownrick]

JohnZ,
     I will use a chemical stripper to remove the paint, no abrasive material, and take some very high-res pics of the bare metal with my wife's nice camera. I was hoping to get your opinion on the stamp and will certainly get it cleaned off so we can make an accurate assessment. Thanks, I should be able to do this by the weekend.

Thanks again!
Rick

[x77-69z28]

i still say it is orig!