New guy here, but not new to forums and I know how much people hate having the same question asked over and over again. I've searched all through the forums to see if this has been brought up before, but nothing quit like this has. Here goes.. VIN: 3K91T104452 3 = 1973 K = Kansas City Plant 91 = 2 door sedan standard T = Inline 6 engine 104452 = Production run So I have a 1973 2 door sedan with a factory installed V8 302 in it. This is not a car that somebody put a V8 in. It is 95% unmolested. Has anybody ever run into this kind of issue where the VIN doesn't match the car set up? Tag on inside of the door says the same.
Do you have the Marti report to prove how it was built? The vin's stamped around the inside of the car and the ones on the engine and transmission have been known to have errors in the sequence or an extra number thrown in. But something like this would have been an unthinkable error for sure.
I don't have the Marti report and honestly don't know how to go about getting one. I haven't crawled all over and under this car yet, but from what I could tell from what I've seen under the hood and underneath, it's a factory job.
What are you seeing that indicates it's a factory job? You're looking at a 47 year old car that could very well have had a transplant in the 80's using stock pieces. If that happened 30 or more years ago it could be coated in decades of grime and look like it has always been that way. I would be inclined to believe the tags, pretty unlikely it was a mix up at the factory.
Here is a link to Kevin Marti's web site. He is the official keeper of the records and is recognized worldwide. He has different packages for sale, but even his most basic will give you build info. https://www.martiauto.com/
If it was a transplant, then more than likely it was a body one and not engine due to it having 5 lugs. Would you agree?
Real quick - you can at least narrow down the date code on the V8 to see if that is also a 1973. If it was say, a 1971, that would give you solid proof it was swapped in. To find the date code, look right above the oil pressure sending unit, which is next to the fuel pump. You will see a small machined flat spot and that is where you will usually find a 4 digit code. It will tell you the year, month and day the engine was assembled. picture courtesy of:
Cars are unibody can't swap body without swapping chassis. Anyway beginning '73, all MavericK & Comet were five lug. I know of someone that has a original 390 Cougar, VIN calls out 289. On top of block, just behind intake is a partial VIN of original car it was installed. If the digits match first, second & last six it's orig. If they are mostly different, it's a swap. I've seen stamps missing digits and maybe off by one. Meaning 123456 could have been stamped 123446, I know of a '68 Shelby that is off by exactly 10,000. Same stamp is on transmission. Orig would read 3K104452
If it is original it would be a cool conversation piece. Wouldn't be many people you come across that could say theirs was too.
