[baron_]

About two years ago, I was an inch away from buying a '66 GTO convertible when the PHS came back that the car was a non a/c car and the car in front of me had a/c

I noticed the VIN rivets looked a little funny, so I already had my radar up. . .
I didn't go any further after nothing from the PHS matched the VIN (paint in wells didn't match, etc)


I was always curious about the hidden VINs. Are they a wives tale, beyond the VIN on the frame?
I wouldn't even mind documenting with a picture where that VIN is (on the frame)


Here's a picture of the heater box off my '67 convertible. I'm sure the car is an all original GTO - original paint, etc. Maybe some plants didn't have a VIN on the firewall? Did any? Has anyone ever seen one?

(If someone knows where they usually are, i'll take sandpaper to this one and look better)

...just curious....and a bit bored, watching the buckeyes destroy michigan for the 5th year in a row

[6d7gto]

Don't know about hidden VIN's but every body panel is date coded. So in a way, every bit of sheet metal has it's own story to tell.

[Jerry H.]

I've never found any 'hidden' vins on all of the 64-7 GTO's that I've had apart. Except for the vin tag and the partial vin on the frame, I've never found any other traces of the vin, except on the tranny. Now on the newer cars, that is probably a different story. I do know that 69 Camaros have a partial vin located under the heater blower motor I think.

[Too Many Projects]

Originally Posted by Jerry H.

I've never found any 'hidden' vins on all of the 64-7 GTO's that I've had apart. Except for the vin tag and the partial vin on the frame, I've never found any other traces of the vin, except on the tranny. Now on the newer cars, that is probably a different story. I do know that 69 Camaros have a partial vin located under the heater blower motor I think.

98% of all first gen Camaros have 2 partial VINS stamped in the body. Some are missing one or both, but there are very few documented cases.
The date code on the sheet metal will be a 3 digit code for month and year and yes if they match each other but are more than a month off from the build date on the TT and VIN, then there may be something suspicious going on with that vehicle.

[FSJplumcrazy]

On two cars I found a partial vin on the firewall, one under the data plate in paint and one that someone put on the firewall that almost wasn't noticeable...give me a moment and I'll get pictures up

Wayne S

[FSJplumcrazy]

My convertible had this written on the firewall...it was white and put on before the firewall had been painted. I made note of this here in the forum a few years back and the general consensus was it was probably done by the previous owner.



On the donor car I didn't notice anything on the firewall, but when I started scrapping the body I pulled the wiper motor and then pulled the data plate because I notice something.




Why this was done prior to paint and after primer I don't know, but I'm pretty sure that these were done on the assembly line to help designate to the line workers what was being built in 1966.
767 LeMans convertible 326/4sp 3.23 posi
(7)707 Tempest Sedan/Post unk/auto column unk(2.93 open?)

Wayne S

[Jerry H.]

Originally Posted by FSJplumcrazy

My convertible had this written on the firewall...it was white and put on before the firewall had been painted. I made note of this here in the forum a few years back and the general consensus was it was probably done by the previous owner.



On the donor car I didn't notice anything on the firewall, but when I started scrapping the body I pulled the wiper motor and then pulled the data plate because I notice something.




Why this was done prior to paint and after primer I don't know, but I'm pretty sure that these were done on the assembly line to help designate to the line workers what was being built in 1966.
767 LeMans convertible 326/4sp 3.23 posi
(7)707 Tempest Sedan/Post unk/auto column unk(2.93 open?)

Wayne S

I think baron is talking about actual 'stamped' #'s, not the written on markings that you show. They were usually written on my line workers. If you notice, the 767 would designate a convertible. I think baron is talking about the last part of the vin, which would designate THAT particular car.

[oldgoat16]

Baron, I've stripped many lemans, tempests and Gto's over the years most I wish I had kept! and never found any other VIN's.. other than what everyone has described here. I also have a 66 convert and have had it down to the bare frame and can say they are no other #'s, eventually I post some pictures of this LONG restoration! You did the right thing by getting the PHS, its about the only way to document without a paper trail

[baron_]

Good discussion so far. I'm interested in any of those #'s

But yea, I was thinking mainly about the partial VIN, to check if VIN plates had been swapped with a potential car, at some point

I've seen a lot of shady cars over the years and I even threatened to take that heater cover off a few times before I bought them, to check out of curiosity
It looks like that wouldn't do me much good


In the end: yes, PHS seems to be the best tool in our arsenal. But I'd love to learn a few new tricks

[Greg Reid]

I don't know much about the '64~'67 cars but, while they are not always there... on the '68 and later cars, it's common to find partial VIN numbers stamped under the heater box. I believe the same is true for Firebirds.
My '68 has a number stamped there and I have a photo of it...but to my surprise, it was NOT a partial VIN. I have no idea what it is but there is no question that my car is not a clone....It's not worth cloning. Just a standard peg-legged, highway geared, A/C, auto, base GTO.

[6704gto]

i thought they had it stamped on the firewall after 67

['ol Pinion head]

Have yet to run across a hidden VIN on a the cowl of a '66 or 67 A-body. For those two years, haven't cut up bodys out of every plant, so...

Have examined a partial VIN on a '64 Fremont built GTO's cowl. Early Camaro's & Birds had them. Have even examined the "work" of crooks who obliterated those early F-body confidentials in the attempt to make a Bird convert into A Camaro convert

'68's & later A-bodys, a few plants stamped a partial VIN. Not here to educate which plants did or didn't, please don't go there!

Got to love the body swappin, mud slingin, carlot buildin vermin, they read these boards too!

[6704gto]

i got a buddys 69 chevelle in my garage and we sanded the firewall down and there is a partial vin on the firewall under the heater box,and thats from baltimore plant

[Blue '66]

I found a 24217 scrawled over the middle of my firewall while sandblasting.I almost wiped it out before I caught it.I never got a pic of it.

[6704gto]

yea i seen that to but there is the last portion of the vin hidden under the heater box and also on the frame rail.i havent found any other spots

[Blue '66]

Originally Posted by 6704gto

yea i seen that to but there is the last portion of the vin hidden under the heater box and also on the frame rail.i havent found any other spots

I will have to look for that this weekend.Do you know what factory built the car?

[6704gto]

its a baltimore built car,ill go out and get pics and post them if it will show up

[baron_]

it's a '69 chevelle with the VIN there, 6704gto?
Looks like we're establishing that 68+ cars might have it

But the rumor that 66/67 cars had it, was false

I've been telling people for years that you could pull the heater box and maybe tell if it was a clone.....looks like i need to stop that

And glad I didn't take the time to pull the heater box on that old convertible I almost bought - would have been a waste of time (and 2 days driving to see it)

[6704gto]

heres the pics i posted .the vin number consites of the year and plant plus the rest of the numbers that are in the last section of the vin,i hope you can read it,but i posted one that had the vin i hope u can read,and the other is where this vin was stamped,and yes its a 69 chevelle built in baltimore

[scott cedergren]

Years ago I worked on a 67 chevelle that had part of the vin stamped under the trunk lid in between the weather seal and the ridge of the quarter. It was up by the hinge. My 67 LeMans has a date stamp on the firewall that has a date and says "second shift" Just an odd thing, had not seen it on any other car.