Let me torture the experts some more. This pertains to all Ford car lines. In the mid to late 1960’s Ford started stamping an abbreviated VIN’s on the engine and on the transmission. As we know this is the gold standard of “numbers matching” for your Ford. I have experienced evidence that this started a bit earlier on the high performance Fords and by 1968 it seemed to be on all Ford offerings. Not sure if this is plant specific, but I have seen mostly San Jose cars. I just restored a base model 1968 Mustang Coupe with a 200 six and a 3 speed manual. Both the engine a tranny were stamped. I have experienced multiple1968, 1969, and 1970 Mustangs with the same also happening on all engine and tranny combinations. Sorry about all the “Mustang” talk.
So if you experienced a 1968 C6 automatic that has the proper tag for the cast era, the proper cast numbers, and the proper servo cover, but it has no VIN stamped in it? What have you got? This tranny should have a VIN stamp on it regardless of the car it came in. In my experience 1968 and up should have a VIN stamp in it. So here is a “blank” C6 as far as the VIN goes in a 1968 vehicle. As much as it could have been in any Ford, it is in Bart’s GTE. As I have learned from this site is the fact that the GTE’s were kinda assembled from all sorts of parts from the Ford Mercury shelfs and there seems to be some discrepancies in some of the parts.
Anyone else have what they think is an original automatic with no VIN stamped on it? I am not as familiar with Dearborn anomalies. We certainly have closed the loop on screwed on VIN data plates vice rivets in 1968 Cougars. I wonder if this C6 was just not stamped? I always like to say “never say never”. The tranny tag seems to code out as a 1968 GT-390 from the best evidence I can find. Certainly it could easily found its way behind a 427 GTE car from the factory. Even if it is not original to this car, then why does it not have a VIN stamped in it?
Could have been a damaged 68 transmission case and replaced with a 67 or earlier case and used all the 68 specific parts and ID tag. Just a thought I haven’t come across a 68 or newer C6 yet without a vin stamp mostly Dearborn built. But, that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.
Where is the vin stamp located in the C6? I’ve got a 67 and I believe it’s original tranny
But curious and wish to check…I had thought it was a metal tag and looked once and did not find a tag.
This is a good point. What would happen if the transmission was a service replacement back when the car was new? possibly under warranty? I doubt the vin would have been restamped on that replacement part?
I have read in other publications that Ford did start VIN stamping engines and transmissions earlier than 1968 for high performance models. Purely conjecture on my part but perhaps this came about due to the stories of engine swapping in the Hertz GT-350H cars. Perhaps the Shelby guys could shed some light on that idea.
My understanding is that the federal government mandated that the engine and transmission be VIN stamped but that it did not become mandatory until January 1968 so perhaps some of the cars built prior to that date left the factory without the stampings.
They all had a VIN stamped originally. If the case got damaged, you could buy a new C6 case which would not be stamped. Or you could buy a new complete C6 transmission which again would not be stamped. I have yet to see one that was not stamped that had not been changed out over the years.
The GT-E got the C8AP casting, which began to be used in the '68 model year, so it was federal law that the VIN be stamped in all cars. If you have the earlier C6AP casting then that tells a tale. Whoever is telling you that GT-E’s were “assembled from all kinds of parts” is not telling you useful information. Everything in a GT-E was thoroughly documented by Ford / Mercury. BS stories don’t fly, best to just say the transmission was replaced at some point to avoid being embarrassed - or thought to be dishonest - at sale time.
It is stamped the same place as all Ford products, top of the case just forward of the tail shaft housing. It is a “partial” VIN, since it does not include the body code or the engine code, just the plant and the sequential unit number. It will match the inner fenders, the engine, the door tag, the windshield tag, and the build tag if the car is unaltered.
[quote}I have read in other publications that Ford did start VIN stamping engines and transmissions earlier than 1968 for high performance models. Purely conjecture on my part but perhaps this came about due to the stories of engine swapping in the Hertz GT-350H cars. Perhaps the Shelby guys could shed some light on that idea.[/quote]
My brother’s 67 289 HiPo and toploader are both VIN stamped. (San Jose built Mustang)
Mike
That is because 4 speed transmission thefts were a big problem in the 1960’s. Congress enacted a bill that required all 4 speed transmissions to be stamped with a VIN beginning in 1965.
My brother’s 67 289 HiPo and toploader are both VIN stamped. (San Jose built Mustang)
Mike
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Did not mean thrown together, but they used a mixture of Ford parts on the shelf at the time. The 428 Cobra Jet was assembled with alot of already produced parts.
I haven’t come across a 68 or newer C6 yet without a vin stamp mostly Dearborn built. But, that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.
