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

[KurtS]

Can you get a good pic of the trim tag while you're at it? Thanks!

[naptownrick]

Will do!! Thanks!

[1968RSZ28]

John,

Did the engine always get the partial VIN stamped before the transmission?  Is it possible the gang stamp operator notice the "6" was upside down after he stamped the engine, and corrected it before stamping the transmission?

Paul

[JohnZ]

John,

Did the engine always get the partial VIN stamped before the transmission?  Is it possible the gang stamp operator notice the "6" was upside down after he stamped the engine, and corrected it before stamping the transmission?

Paul

Either one could have been stamped first - it was done after the transmission was assembled to the engine. The operator could have corrected the error, but without a clean hi-res photo of the pad without any paint on it, you can't tell. A painted pad is always a red flag to me.

[crobjones2]

John
When the motor was painted, did they mask the pad or was it cleaned prior to stamping?

[x77-69z28]

i believe they put a piece of tape across it prior to painting

[JohnZ]

John
When the motor was painted, did they mask the pad or was it cleaned prior to stamping?

The engine was painted LONG after the pad was stamped, and the pad was masked with a piece of tape.

[Claus]

JohnZ,

         What is your take on the 9 and 6 issue I have with the engine's Partial VIN stamp vs the Full VIN? Could this have been a stamping mistake at the assembly plant? Or is it more likely one of the two previous owners tracked down this engine that was almost exactly the same partial vin stamp??

Thanks for your ideas!

Rick

It could be a plant error, but it's unlikely at that position in the gang holder; the die in that position was only changed once a day. A good close-up photo (using the camera's "macro" mode) of the pad would be helpful.

My LA build L48 has L553xxx stamped instead of L523xxx, also misstamp. Kurt S has high quality photos of the stamp.

[Claus]

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.

My engine and M20 trans are both stamped with the 5 instead of the 2:




sorry cant find pictures with full VIN right now

[naptownrick]

John, Curt,
               Ok, got the paint off, here are pics of the full pad, plus the close up of each, plus the cowl tag. I knocked a chip of paint off the cowl tag when trying to clean it, hence the silver patch at the lower right corner. Very interested in your thoughts.

Claus,
     Thanks for the example, looks like we both are in a similar situation, although you have both stamps the same, and I've got one right and one wrong. Its nice to know this happened often, and there are examples of this to support each other's case.

Whoops, had to split the post, the pics were too big, see 2nd post below also...

Thanks!
Rick

[naptownrick]

Post #2.....

[naptownrick]

Cowl Tag....

[Claus]

that look like original stamps

[JohnZ]

Pad looks good to me - nice broach marks too.

[qwertyme77]

Pad looks good to me - nice broach marks too.

what are "broach marks"??