Topic: Needing help classifying my car

[OkieTransAm]

Well first things first, new here, not new to forums but new to this one, I bought a "79 trans am" and ever since ive gotten it theres been concerns and different things that are making it seem like its a different year than the vin shows. The vin matches the title i have in my name, and it shows the car is a 79 with a 403 (clearly doesnt have a 403 in it)

Well ever since i have had it other people have pointed out a few things that show it may be a 80-81? Like the Bird on the filler cover, it has the center console from possibly a 81 with the computer behind it. There has been a few other things that i cant remember but I'll post some pics.

Surely parts can be swapped and i could be worrying over nothing but ya never know right?

My question is where all is the vin stamped on the car? other then the dash and the door sticker (which is nearly unreadable to my eye) and the engine (since its not original) and the cowl tag(which is gone)

I found a build sheet behind the rear seat yet the vin on the build sheet doesnt match the vin on the car/title........maybe the seats were swapped? which makes me think ok the seats are blue all the trim is blue, did they swap the whole interior or is the build sheet actually for this car and the vin has been tampered with?


I really hope im overthinking things ha, onto pictures

[RENOVATIONS]

There are two partial VIN stampings on the firewall behind the AC/heat case which should match your  dash VIN and title.

[OkieTransAm]

There are two partial VIN stampings on the firewall behind the AC/heat case which should match your  dash VIN and title.

so in theory Removing the box would reveal the stamping? How hard is that task? (sorry this is the first T/A ive gone in depth working on) Worked on a 76 just simple things, carpet, shocks, oil change, simple stuff

[RENOVATIONS]

Yes, you will see the stampings after you remove the case...which will take some time to get off

[winks79]

Very strange indeed. No cowl tag. VIN is for a 79 Van Nuys built car that is on dash. Door VIN and manufacture date,(12/80), are from an 81'. Computer and all the equipment under dash is from an 81'. Gas door is from an 81', but a lot of people use those on 79' model cars too. Gauges are from an 81' model and so is the bezel. Brake master cylinder is from an 81' model. The color of the floor panels, which looks to be factory paint, was not a factory color in 79'. The color looks to be paint code 20, which is Bright Blue Metallic from 1981. Check your build sheet that you found and see if it shows the car being built the last month of Dec. 1980. Look at block #1 on build sheet the bottom #'s in that block should have a 12-something for the date it was built. For example my car is a 79' and was built in March of 79', it has 03-21 in that block, which is March the 21st. I'm not saying it is an 81' model, but more signs point to it being an 81' than a 79'.

[OkieTransAm]

Very strange indeed. No cowl tag. VIN is for a 79 Van Nuys built car that is on dash. Door VIN and manufacture date,(12/80), are from an 81'. Computer and all the equipment under dash is from an 81'. Gas door is from an 81', but a lot of people use those on 79' model cars too. Gauges are from an 81' model and so is the bezel. Brake master cylinder is from an 81' model. The color of the floor panels, which looks to be factory paint, was not a factory color in 79'. The color looks to be paint code 20, which is Bright Blue Metallic from 1981. Check your build sheet that you found and see if it shows the car being built the last month of Dec. 1980. Look at block #1 on build sheet the bottom #'s in that block should have a 12-something for the date it was built. For example my car is a 79' and was built in March of 79', it has 03-21 in that block, which is March the 21st. I'm not saying it is an 81' model, but more signs point to it being an 81' than a 79'.

thats what I found

[OkieTransAm]

Yes, you will see the stampings after you remove the case...which will take some time to get off

It shouldn't take to long since i dont have the compressor right? none of the lines are hooked up, just simple disconnecting and disassembly?

[winks79]

Getting even more strange. The build sheet is from a 1980 Formula according to the vin on the sheet. Also the car according to the build sheet you have was built in Nov 1979 with the interior that is in the car now. The door sticker is a different vin from a 1981 car that was built in Dec 1980. Lastly the vin you have on the dash is from a 79' TA with a 403, 2nd digit is a w which stands for Trans Am. Looks to be 3 different vins so far.

[OkieTransAm]

Getting even more strange. The build sheet is from a 1980 Formula according to the vin on the sheet. Also the car according to the build sheet you have was built in Nov 1979 with the interior that is in the car now. The door sticker is a different vin from a 1981 car that was built in Dec 1980. Lastly the vin you have on the dash is from a 79' TA with a 403, 2nd digit is a w which stands for Trans Am. Looks to be 3 different vins so far.

so thinking positive it could have been a interior swap or door swap? but in my opinion why would someone go through the trouble of putting a computer and swapping basically everything from another car to this one especially when the floorpans of this one are rusted out and the seat tracks and beyond gone

other than pulling the ac box what would be another step?

also whats the door vin? couldnt read it

[RENOVATIONS]

Sorry to say that everything posted points to a VIN swap.

The only VIN stamps to verify the issue are those behind the AC/heater case. Compare those to your dash and you will have a definite answer.

[OkieTransAm]

Sorry to say that everything posted points to a VIN swap.

The only VIN stamps to verify the issue are those behind the AC/heater case. Compare those to your dash and you will have a definite answer.

anyone have a writeup on how to pull the ac box with the motor still in the car? Easiest way?  I dont have the compressor so nothing was hooked up

[winks79]

The door vin is the vin # on the driver side door sticker that you took a picture of. I can make out enough of it to see that it is 1981 vin listed that is different from the build sheet and the vin you have on the dash. You can also make the the manufacture date on the door sticker which was 12/80 or Dec. 1980. I would agree in saying that more than likely this car is not a 79' model. Very fishy that there is no cowl tag to verify anything either. You do not need any special tools to remove the suitcase, it is just hard to get to some of the nuts to remove them.

[OkieTransAm]

The door vin is the vin # on the driver side door sticker that you took a picture of. I can make out enough of it to see that it is 1981 vin listed that is different from the build sheet and the vin you have on the dash. You can also make the the manufacture date on the door sticker which was 12/80 or Dec. 1980. I would agree in saying that more than likely this car is not a 79' model. Very fishy that there is no cowl tag to verify anything either. You do not need any special tools to remove the suitcase, it is just hard to get to some of the nuts to remove them.

ive changed the heater core on a 76 will i need to remove the heater box inside for any reason in order to get the ac box out? have to remove fender to pull ac box for easier access?

[winks79]

Will be easier if you just remove the inner fender well, not the entire fender. Can get to everything much easier.

[OkieTransAm]

Will be easier if you just remove the inner fender well, not the entire fender. Can get to everything much easier.

guess i gotta figure out where all the bolts for that are! this makes me more and more nervous, vins not matching is never a good thing