Projects 63 Dodge Polara Question

Hey @scotts52 , can you put up some pics of the vin plates/id tags for us?

 

?????

 

I'll see what I can do. The fender tag is complete but almost illegible due to peeling paint/ and rust. I tried to take a pencil rubbing of it but even that didn't go as smooth as I'd hoped. Vin starts off 6432. I stopped looking after that as those were the numbers I was looking.

The fender tag, as best as I can tell, reads like this:
Across the top is the alphabet. Under the A is the number 2. Under G is the number 1. Under J is 5. Under K is 7. Under N is either an 8 or a B. Under P is 1. Still can't make out the other 2 that are under the W and X.

Next to bottom line is so? Under that line is 0920. Next to that is Number. Under that is 0497.
Under BDY is 645
Under TRM is 653
Under PNT is MM? Then Y followed I think by another number.

 

See the alphabet row across the middle of the plate?
If there is a 9 stamped directly under the letter R it was a factory 426 Max Wedge.
If there is no number under the R it was a 383.

I just realized it was probably not a good idea to ask for pics of the plates. Sorry.

 

Yep, good call.

 

Drop it in the dirt
Add some lake pipes
Cut the windshield frame and sink the top bows.

make a killer drop top sled

 

Unfortunately no 9 but what Hemihotrod66 posted says 6432 equates to a 426 MW. So 2 different sources with 2 conflicting answers. IDK. I'd like it to be a 426 but either way I look at it I have a 1 of 28 made and now 1 of even less existing.

 

Everything I can find says the fourth digit is the ***embly plant code. I can't find anything about it denoting the engine option (other than what @hemihotrod66 posted). That doesn't mean one should be believed over the other. Much of this old identification stuff can be confusing. All that I have found is the same as shown below.

1963 Dodge VIN Decoding
Serial Numbers were stamped on a metal plate on the left front door pillar.

*** First Symbol - Model/Engine
4 = Dart - six cylinder
5 = Dodge 880 V8
6 = Dodge V8
7 = Dart 170/270/GT

*** Second Symbol - Series
1 = 170/330/Custom 880
2 = 440
3 = 270/Polara
4 = Dart GT/Polara 500
5 = 170/330/880/Custom station wagon
6 = 440 station wagon
7 = Polara/270 station wagon
8 = Taxicab
9 = Police Special
10 = Fleet car

*** Third Symbol - Year
3 = 1963

*** Fourth Symbol - ***embly Plant
2 = Dodge Main
3 = Detroit (Jefferson)
5 = Los Angeles, CA
6 = Newark, DE
7 = St. Louis, MO

*** Last Six Symbols - Production Sequence
Started at 100001

Either way, what a cool piece of motoring history......

 

Personally, I wouldn't care which engine it had. I'm a hot rodder so I'd go with the Max Wedge motor or maybe even like my buddy's 330 with a blown 392.

 

I agree it's a cool car. I almost bought a bucket seat one, not a convertible but it had the 383 commando. Should have bought it the 500's were the ****ter and getter's . Keep on the ID deal you'll figure it out. Cool car and rare. There's always a reason the engine is missing. I hope is a 426. But either way it's a pretty rare car. Lippy

 

Could it be that the Dodge Main plant only installed the 426 in the cars built there and non-426 cars were built at another plant. The 426 engines were built at the Detroit suburb Trenton Engine Plant. So being close and not many being built, 426's were maybe only shipped to Dodge Main. They shipped engines on racks on open trucks to the Detroit plants from Trenton Engine and I personally saw them on the roads.

 

I love those homely mopars, a grill only a autophile would love.

 

I've been wondering something similar. So far, I've found 2 of the 426 cars. 1 has a 9 on the fender tag and is authenticated as having come with a 426. The other doesn't have a 9 but the owner was able to trace it all the way back to the 2nd owner and it had the 426 in it. At the time it was purchased by the 2nd owner, it was just an old car and didn't seem like the engine had been swapped. Both have the vin with 6432. I'd like to find others to see if there's a trend.

 

A quick google search found 3 500 convertible cars with VIN starting 6432 that were suppose to be original and had 383's. So if 4th digit was a 2 it was a 426 theory may not be valid.

 

Here is the article link again: https://www.motortrend.com/features/1963-dodge-polara-factory-built/
Scroll down to the part with the heading "Body Number Plate".
The whole article is worth reading if you want identification........

As for the vin starting with 6432, I'm sticking with the fourth digit being ***embly plant code........ just like all the other Dodges of the same era. In fact, I would bet your house on it.

 

I looked at that copy of Galens book. I'm not sure I would take it as being completely correct. I have owned two '63 Polara 500's thru the years. One I bought from the orginal owner, both were 383 4bbls, one auto, one 4spd. However the '63 440 hdtp Max Wedge Aluminum car I had was a 6232 and was built in Detroit. Also, that car looks like it could have the orginal master cylinder, if so, it doesn't have the Max Wedge brake line that curved to the left to get around the exhaust manifold. It also doesn't look to have the wiring high on the fenderwell, which was done for the same reason. Gene.