Plymouth Owners Club

Hi all,

nzkiwi's question about his Pace Car fender tag reminded me of something.

I kept my NATB (National Auto Theft Bureau) booklets when I retired from the IL state police.

I can (usually) break down the VIN (serial number) for any car, foreign or domestic, from 1954 through 1992.

This would include info such as what engine the car came with originally, what plant it was assembled at, etc.

The newer the car, the more info that is likely available from the VIN.

If any POC members would like their VIN broken down, they can post a request, or, if they wish privacy, they can email me direct at? ? ?

If you email me directly, I'll respond directly to your email address.

If you wish, you can use? ?xxx for the last three numbers in your VIN.

Regards,

Pat O'Connor

Nice offer but question not about a vin decode .
I see you offered a pm if person wanted it private. Just wondering why anyone would be concerned about keeping the vin# a secret; or even a? plate # as I have seen them blocked in photos. Since you were in the business of catching crooks maybe you can tell me what harm can be done if someone has your information ?
? Ed

Old Mopar-

Some folks just value their privacy, and I respect that.

I imagine that's why license plates (tags) are obscured in some photos. Same thing for VIN numbers.

Jim Benjaminson is likely the only POC member who knows me;? if any of the others may think I'm running a scam of some sort, I don't need (or want) the entire VIN number in order to decode it.

I have these VIN books, also MOTOR's manuals going back to 1935, etc.; if I can help a fellow POC? member, I'm glad to do so; if I need help, you'll see me on this board posting a question.

Regards,

Pat O'Connor

OK, Pat.? Here's one for ya.? ?1954 Plymouth Savoy four door.

BobT-47P15?
Zen Master, I breathe vintage mopar!? ?Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Joplin, MO, S.W. corner of the state, on Rt 66
Posts: 2,158?

Question for 54 Plymouth guru's

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Wrote down the numbers on the engine, body tag on firewall and v i n tag on driver's door post. Can anyone tell me what they indicate??

Engine: P25 442397 (has a diamond before numbers....was told that indicates a 230)


Firewall body tag: 500-86485 Made in Detroit

V I N on doorpost: 138 29 311

Odometer shows 60,935 (don't know if it's correct)


Says "power steering" on center cap of steering wheel.

Savoy with tinted glass, windshield washers, power steering,
powerflite, factory style wire wheels.

Thanks, Bob Toft

Bob T-

According to the NATB book, VIN 13829311 was built in the Detroit factory, very late in the run. The final Detroit VIN for 1954 is 13829336.

Other Plymouth plants in '54 were in Los Angeles, San Leandro, and Evansville.

That's all the book shows for a '54 Plymouth VIN; in 1981, the auto industry adopted a 17 digit VIN, and more info is available from these, although the 13 digit VIN used in years prior to '81 does provide some additional info.

Regards,

Pat O'Connor

Pat,

I might as well find out everything I can about my 65 Sport Fury.  So here is my vin:  P452234662.

Thanks,
Dan

nzkiwi-

The NATB book offers info on the first 4 characters of a '65 Plymouth VIN.

I'm assuming the remaining numbers are sequential production numbers.

P=a Fury with a V-8 engine

4=either a Valiant Signet, a Satellite, or a Sport Fury

5=1965

2=Dodge Detroit plant

If the 4th character were a 1, it would indicate the Plymouth Detroit plant, if a 5, it would be Los Angeles, if a 6 it would be Newark, Delaware, and a 7 would indicate St. Louis.

Regards,

Pat O'Connor

Thanks Pat.? Guess those numbers meant something more to the company in their heyday.

Another person told me the same thing about the production.....it was evidently built 25th to last in its year and plant.

I looked behind the rear seat back and under the rear seat bottom for a build sheet, but found none.? Probably was
tossed somewhere along the line.? The story told by the seller was that this car was initially driven by the wife of some
local auto dealer.? But he did not know who.? The Plymouth dealer could have special ordered it with the accessories
it has, or maybe it was just sent that way and his wife liked it........probably never know.?

(https://www.plymouthowners.club/talk/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv96%2FBobT3%2F1954%2520Plym%2520Savoy%25209-07%2F100_8113.jpg&hash=572761802b15644674490a7f05718a2136d06508)

Hi Pat - yep, I can vouch for you!  Glad to see you offering your "service" to members on the board.

As people may have noticed, the early VIN (serial) numbers were just numbers.  Certain sets of numbers were assigned to certain models of cars.  It wasn't until the 13 and 17 digit VIN's that more information became available to indicate all sorts of info.  I, too, have lots of VIN books (not sure just how far back my NATB books go).  Chrysler did publish a booklet every year, listing serial numbers for everything they ever produced - from Plymouths, DeSoto's, Chrysler's, Imperial, Dodge and Dodge truck.  I do have something most people don't have, thanks to a club member from Sweden -- an EXPORT serial number book, which includes Dodge, Fargo & DeSoto trucks, the Plymouth bodied DeSoto's, Plymouth bodied Dodge's, Canadian builts, etc. which weren't included in the U.S. published serial number books.  And I do have access to VERY early car serial numbers back to the early days -- so if anyone needs help, I'll be more than willing to take a stab at it.  I also thru my job with the NDHP, have a computer program that will break down VIN's back to 1981 or so, including large trucks.  l've thought of putting all the Chrysler info together into a book but the thought of that much work with numbers gives me a headache!!! 

One item I should mention - when the Plymouth Club was founded back in 1957, Earl Buton (tech director) began collecting I.D. numbers from the early Plymouth's - having people register their cars.  The idea was to determine how many cars were actually left of a certain year/model or body style.  Since that time the list has continued to grow to the point where some model years we have nearly 800 cars registered as still existing (1934 for example).  Cars are listed by serial number, body number and engine number.  Over the years these numbers have proven invaluable.  In one case, I was involved against an auction company who sold a fake '34 convertible for over $57,000.  The purchaser found out thru me and verified the numbers thru Chrysler, that the car was a fake so he got his money back.  In another case I provided info to a Nevada police department on where they could find the "hidden" engine number from a '39 convertible that had been stolen, stripped of its serial number plates and modified. 

I have encountered some people who don't want to reveal their serial numbers but this information can be beneficial in cases like those mentioned above....you may have paperwork showing the serial number but if the plate is removed, do you know the body number...or the engine number to "prove" that it really was your car? 

And its really great fun when someone calls me to say they've just bought a car - they give me the serial number and from the records I tell them the names of previous owners! 

Keep up the good work and enjoy that 36 convertible....one of these days I'll have to retire myself so I have more time to play with my cars!!!

To Jim Benjaminson-

Thanks for the kind words, Jim.

Jim and I began corresponding by snail mail when I joined POC in 1975. Due to both of us being in law enforcement, we began trading cop license plates, patches, etc.

I visited Jim in 1987, when my family was enroute the big shopping mall in Edmonton, Alberta.

As far as I am concerned, Jim is the salt of the earth.

Regards,

Pat O'Connor