RE: IML: IML Year ID question

["Dick Benjamin" <dickb@xxxxxxxxx>]

That is really interesting, Bill - I will check my two service manuals at
the shop today.

The printing date on the Parts book I am using is "October 1980", so they
picked up this situation fairly early.

Of course, as is true of all literature, there are errors and omissions,
some of which don't come to light for many years.  As you know, I play with
Studebakers and Packards, and I'm still finding errors in the literature, 50
years later!  

Sales literature is notorious for showing impossible features and colors,
and unavailable options, and this is true for all brands. I have a 68
Imperial which was repainted at the dealer because when it came in it didn't
match the magazine ads for the car published in Time and other magazines in
October 1967!  The buyer INSISTED that the car look like the one in the ad.
Mark McDonald has seen another one painted the same way (with a contrasting
color band between the lower trim strips above the rocker).  I wonder if my
friend had to pay them to do that (the original owner was a fellow Packard
collector and friend, unfortunately passed away in 1987).

Dick Benjamin

-----Original Message-----
From: mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bill Watson
Sent: Monday, January 17, 2005 1:00 AM
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: IML: IML Year ID question


And I am sitting here with the 1981 Service Manual (RWD), and it shows three
selections for the second character :

B = Dodge
C = Chrysler
P = Plymouth

No "A" is listed   The 1982 and 1983 editions show "A" for Imperial.

The fifth digit shows "Y" for Imperial in all three editions.  And this
would not be the only time Chrysler has made errors in their service
manuals.  The 1967 Dodge car service manuals listed incorrect VIN engine
codes.

I do not have the parts book for 1981.  But, as Dick does, and he has owned
1981 Imperial(s), I would have to bow to his experience and knowledge.  So
all 1981-1983 Imperials have "A" for the second character.  Which does makes
more sense,

Do not know why Chrysler chose "B" for Dodge.  I do know that "E" was used
for Fargo trucks (export markets) up to 1987 and then for the Eagle.
Chrysler Corporation Vehicle Identification Plate for trucks of the
mid-1970's through 1987 (driver's door or post) lists Plymouth, Dodge,
DeSoto and Fargo trucks.  Perhaps "B" was chosen for Dodge to prevent
confusion with the DeSoto truck  (although I cannot find listing for a Make
code for DeSoto).


Bill
Vancouver, BC


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Dick Benjamin
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, January 16, 2005 5:41 PM
Subject: RE: IML: IML Year ID question


My information comes from the parts book for 1981, a copy of which I am
looking at as I type.

Regarding the second character in the VIN:

A is for ImperiAl.
C is for Chrysler
P is for Plymouth
And, B is for? - - - - - - - - - Dodge!?! (Bdodge?   Bodge?  Blewitagain?)

  I know Bill Watson is infallible, but something got lost in the
translation, I'm afraid.

Dick Benjamin

-----Original Message-----
From: mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Mark and Theresa
Elliott
Sent: Sunday, January 16, 2005 4:27 PM
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: IML: IML Year ID question

The information that I got from Bill Watson a few years ago (when I was
building the Imperial Registry), said that an 81 is a "C" and 82 and 83s
are "A".  I haven't verified this independently.  If some one can prove me
wrong, please do so, so I can get the Imperial Registry and the VIN decoder
fixed.

Mark Elliott
At 12:46 PM 1/16/2005 -0800, you wrote:
>From: "Dick Benjamin" <dickb@xxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: RE: IML: IML Year ID question
>Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2005 17:29:29 -0800
>Reply-To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Um... The second character will always be an "A" for an Imperial.  Lesser
>cars have lower characters (meaning further down the alphabet, of course,
>and not implying a difference in moral fiber at all).
>
>Dick Benjamin





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