Repro Fender Tag

[Benji]

My fender tag is completely rusted through in several places and about 1/3rd of it is unreadable. I understand that repro tags are available but I've been told they are not exactly like the originals. Anyone know what the differences are?

Benji

 

[Donny]

Not sure, but I'm going to get one made from this guy, he answers email quickly too.

 

[69Coronetrt]

My fender tag is completely rusted through in several places and about 1/3rd of it is unreadable. I understand that repro tags are available but I've been told they are not exactly like the originals. Anyone know what the differences are?

Benji

RE differences...it depends on a lot of things. Each year is different. What was coded on the tag varied by plant and even by time of year. The actual placement of the code on the tag could change too. The physical appearance of the tag depends on the plant. Some plants handled the tag differently than others.

69+ Lynch road tags are almost impossible to do correctly as the top line gate, base and sequence numbers are not found on any paperwork. If you know what to look for, fake LR tags are pretty easy to spot. (If you know what to look for...ANY fake tag is easy to spot.)

Most of the fake tags I've seen contain incorrect codes. Guys that make these tags either don't have the time or interest to really learn how to correctly fake them.

The best way to have a new tag made is from the original.

BigJimmy got an expensive lesson on remade tags....

http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/showthread.php?t=17779

 

[Donny]

forgot the link, sorry!
http://www.datatags.com/

 

[69Coronetrt]

forgot the link, sorry!
http://www.datatags.com/

Yep. Those are the guys that made a bad tag for my car for a PO. They didn't use any factory documentation and they put wrong codes on the tag.

Purchase repo tags without having the original at your own risk. Bad tags will always raise more questions than they are worth. It can be a pretty expensive piece of worthless metal.

 

[Benji]

I have the broadcast sheet with all the codes and the car is unmolested according to the sheet. I assume that will help?

Benji

 

[69Coronetrt]

I have the broadcast sheet with all the codes and the car is unmolested according to the sheet. I assume that will help?

Benji

It will be the ultimate documentation to your car. However, just having the BS doesn't tell you what should or should not be on the fender tag. There are things on the BS that don't appear on the tag, things that do appear on the tag and things that MIGHT appear on the tag. There are things that do appear on a tag that do not appear on the BS.

It cannot be stressed enough: Different plants coded differently. Each year and plant has specific details. Details change throughout the year.

Are you willing to take a chance and pay someone that doesn't know these details $200+ for something that, probably, won't be accurate? Are you OK spending that much money on repo parts that are incorrect?

Sometimes having no tag can be better than having a bad tag. If you HAVE to have a tag, have some fun with it and find something that doesn't match your car. Find a /6 C body tag and put it on the car.

 

[Benji]

I have the old tag to use as a template for the new one, plus I have good clear photographs of at least 10 other C500 tags I've collected that I could use to determine what codes go in that particular line that can't be read due to the rusted out areas of the original tag (which is three codes.) I assume they would reproduce the tag exactly as the example I would furnish them.

For instance every tag I have ever seen has the engine code bottom left, then the tranny code, then the VIN, the next line up left to right shows the color of the body, color of the top, then the upholstery color and so forth. Four of the tags have four lines, three have five, and three have six lines all end with END. I'm positive I could furnish them with accurate info.

Benji

 

[Crunchy_Frog]

Check http://www.trimtags.com/

 

[69Coronetrt]

Check http://www.trimtags.com/

that's the company that made the bad tag for Jimmy.

 

[696pack]

I beleive any of the repo tag companies are capable of making a tag that is undetectable from an original IF they have the correct insructions from the purchaser. I think this is what Doug is saying.

Example:
I have the original fender tag for my 69 six pack car. The tags on A12 cars came unpainted or just fogged with little paint and were subject to more rust and battery acid damage and my car's tag was no exception. My original tag is still perfectly readable from the back but looks terrible from the front so I wanted a new tag. The first repo tag company I used mad a common mistake that is used by most knowledgable Mopar people for spotting a repo for the 69 L.R. cars. It was my mistake because I did not alert the tag maker of this. The second tag I had made I made sure they knew EXACTLY what I wanted and not it is an EXACT copy.

 

[Budnicks]

It makes you wonder how many clones out there have fake tags on them, or re-bodied rusted out high dollar or well optioned cars that people just swapped VIN #'s, tags & various VIN stamping's, for the untrained eye it could be a very expensive lesson to learn.... Does Glen Govier do that type of service ? {reproduce the fender tags}

 

[Benji]

Hundreds or maybe even thousands of 318 plain Jane Chargers are now hemi or 440 RTs I suspect. Some suggest checking the radiator support for the real VIN but since over 80% of all collisions are frontal collisions with a lot of them requiring the core support be replaced the number could be missing but still be a legit car. Checking inside the left quarter panel trunk rain gutter would be better way of verifying the VIN but here again a car that is over 40 years old may have had several quarter panels in its lifetime.

I was a auto body man for a number of years and replacing the core support in a frontal collision was just about a no brainer as the hood, both fenders, the front valance panel and the radiator all attach to it and it must be straight in order to get all the body panels to align properly.

I know Galen provides replacement tags but I don't know what documentation he requires in order to do it. Requiring the old tag or the build sheet would prevent lots of fraud I would think, but lots of tags are in the same shape as mine, rust holes galore and a number of lines are unreadable. The build sheet is a piece of 40+ year old fragile paper stuffed under the carpet or pinched in the springs and may have disintegrated into fragments years ago.

There is no easy answer is there?

Benji