VIN check

66coronetgirlie · 10-23-2007, 09:18 AM

I just decoded my VIN#
surprisingly it says my car has the LA engine. Everything to my knowledge that I've read and from other people looking at it and telling me, I've thought it was an A this whole time. It's supposed to be a #'s matching car and as far as the history i've found for the 66 coronet, they didn't start using the LA til 67. so I'm confused... again LOL help me please!
How trustworthy are these free decoding sites? Where on the block can I find the numbers to find out exactly what I have?
(according to the seller, he was the second owner and the car was never modified in any way by him or the 1st owner)
the decode:
W - line - Dodge coronet
H - class - High
41 - body - 4dr sedan
E - engine - V8 318cid 1-2bbl "LA"
6 - year - 66
5 - assembly - Los Angeles, Ca.

ucfierocharger · 10-30-2007, 11:59 AM

well from looking it up, it appears as though F is for the LA and E is not, but I could be wrong.

You are right, the LA didnt come into play until 67, but there have been stranger things from the factory. Could it be possible that the car was one of the last off the line in 67 and they put the LA in it b/c thats what they had laying around?

I believe if you look on the front of the engine right below where the head meets the block on the drivers side you will see a code stamped into it. also, on the block right below the exhaust is another place (i believe right by the starter).

66coronetgirlie · 10-30-2007, 07:25 PM

the date stamped on the block is 9/21/65, so it's an early 66. And it is the A. I got the numbers from the block, they were hiding behind the water pump of all places. I cleaned the block down (while in the engine compartment lol) trying my best to find numbers on the drivers side under the head LOL then i tried the other side lol
THEN... i had a friend look for me, he shined a flashlight up under the water pump bracket and voila there the numbers sat. The date stamp was on the passenger side rear of the block.
Thanks a bunch.
I wasn't sure how to delete an unneeded post. Sorry.

440roadrunner · 11-09-2007, 07:19 PM

The best way to "tell" an LA versus an A engine is simply LOOKING at it. An LA engine looks like a 273, 328, 340, or 360 The valve covers are "straight" on the sides, like this:

http://www.geocities.com/fjr340/rgtsd340.jpg

All LA engines have the engine number on the block on the passenger side, just below the head, with the CID encoded into the number. Thus it is VERY easy to make liars out of someone selling you a 340 when it really is a 318.

The early 318, also called a "poly" or "polyspherical, has scallops on the outboard sides of the covers, like this:

http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.c...es/polyval.jpg

In many ways, those poly heads are far superiour to the late engine, I guess the cost of making the heads was a factor. When you tear down an A engine, it is very difficult to tell it apart from the later LA engine--as a few rebuilders have discovered.

unit_121 · 12-06-2007, 05:16 PM

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...%3Den%26sa%3DN

JamesBond007 · 08-06-2008, 06:49 AM

There is no FREE vin check. There is CHEAP VIN CHECK...

Welcome to Simple Vin Check....you can check VIN numbers here for a very cheap price. Not the 25$ rip off price....

Visit the site here:

SIMPLE VIN CHECK = Simple VIN Check ----- [Because buying a car, is already hard enough] -----

For LaunchX431 Updates, and newest versions, you can visit:

X431 UPDATES ==== Launch X-431 Diagnostic Tool Updates

10-23-2007, 09:18 AM	#1 (permalink)
66coronetgirlie Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: east bay, CA Posts: 59	VIN check I just decoded my VIN# surprisingly it says my car has the LA engine. Everything to my knowledge that I've read and from other people looking at it and telling me, I've thought it was an A this whole time. It's supposed to be a #'s matching car and as far as the history i've found for the 66 coronet, they didn't start using the LA til 67. so I'm confused... again LOL help me please! How trustworthy are these free decoding sites? Where on the block can I find the numbers to find out exactly what I have? (according to the seller, he was the second owner and the car was never modified in any way by him or the 1st owner) the decode: W - line - Dodge coronet H - class - High 41 - body - 4dr sedan E - engine - V8 318cid 1-2bbl "LA" 6 - year - 66 5 - assembly - Los Angeles, Ca.

10-30-2007, 11:59 AM	#2 (permalink)
ucfierocharger USB car drive man Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Cincinnati OH Posts: 139	well from looking it up, it appears as though F is for the LA and E is not, but I could be wrong. You are right, the LA didnt come into play until 67, but there have been stranger things from the factory. Could it be possible that the car was one of the last off the line in 67 and they put the LA in it b/c thats what they had laying around? I believe if you look on the front of the engine right below where the head meets the block on the drivers side you will see a code stamped into it. also, on the block right below the exhaust is another place (i believe right by the starter). __________________ Unique mopar flash drives? http://www.usbcar.com

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10-30-2007, 07:25 PM	#3 (permalink)
66coronetgirlie Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: east bay, CA Posts: 59	the date stamped on the block is 9/21/65, so it's an early 66. And it is the A. I got the numbers from the block, they were hiding behind the water pump of all places. I cleaned the block down (while in the engine compartment lol) trying my best to find numbers on the drivers side under the head LOL then i tried the other side lol THEN... i had a friend look for me, he shined a flashlight up under the water pump bracket and voila there the numbers sat. The date stamp was on the passenger side rear of the block. Thanks a bunch. I wasn't sure how to delete an unneeded post. Sorry.

11-09-2007, 07:19 PM	#4 (permalink)
440roadrunner Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 272	The best way to "tell" an LA versus an A engine is simply LOOKING at it. An LA engine looks like a 273, 328, 340, or 360 The valve covers are "straight" on the sides, like this: http://www.geocities.com/fjr340/rgtsd340.jpg All LA engines have the engine number on the block on the passenger side, just below the head, with the CID encoded into the number. Thus it is VERY easy to make liars out of someone selling you a 340 when it really is a 318. The early 318, also called a "poly" or "polyspherical, has scallops on the outboard sides of the covers, like this: http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.c...es/polyval.jpg In many ways, those poly heads are far superiour to the late engine, I guess the cost of making the heads was a factor. When you tear down an A engine, it is very difficult to tell it apart from the later LA engine--as a few rebuilders have discovered.

12-06-2007, 05:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
unit_121 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 15	http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...%3Den%26sa%3DN

08-06-2008, 06:49 AM	#6 (permalink)
JamesBond007 Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 1	There is no FREE vin check. There is CHEAP VIN CHECK... Welcome to Simple Vin Check....you can check VIN numbers here for a very cheap price. Not the 25$ rip off price.... Visit the site here: SIMPLE VIN CHECK = Simple VIN Check ----- [Because buying a car, is already hard enough] ----- For LaunchX431 Updates, and newest versions, you can visit: X431 UPDATES ==== Launch X-431 Diagnostic Tool Updates