1970 Cuda with Very High VIN (BS23H0B438707)

[MoparCarGuy]

@6bblgt

One the last 1970 Cudas built is advertised for sale in New York. VIN BS23H0B438707 with a Scheduled Production Date (SPD) of 730 (July 30, 1970) would possibly have been built on the last day of production.
SPDs are not exact but this is a very, very, late 1970 Cuda.

Previous info from expert member, 6bblgt, showed these known "high" VINs with BS23H0B438932 being the highest in his records.

[Cuda Cody]

It's so cool.  The VIN is thousands away from the last VIN, but then the scheduled build day is the 7/30/1970.  What a super neat Cuda too! 

Could it be the color combo that held up production?

[cuda hunter]

Color combo being a standard color FK5? 
Wasn't that color available in 71 also?
Being an X9 interior I wouldn't think that would hold it up either.
However, with the change over from 70 to 71, perhaps 70 style seats were out of stock on the last day of Scheduled production. 
 
All speculation of course. 

Awesome car!!

[MoparCarGuy]

@Cuda Cody
Confused, this Cuda is only a couple of hundred away from highest known VIN sequence number. 
438707 is 225 less than 438932.
It does not have indications of being delayed. @6bblgt may have an in-process record for BS23H0B438707.

@cuda hunter
The interior is P5X9 Houndstooth. That is a rare set of seats!

[70_440-6Cuda]

my scheduled date was June 12, 1970.  VIN 376092.  I read that VIN order does not necessarily equal build order, and Chrysler grouped orders by engine, transmission, axle, trim, and plant load so a later-ordered car with common specs could be built earlier.  I also understood the the last six digits of the VIN are Vehicle Order Number (VON) assigned when the order was released, not when the car was built?

When I was looking up details on my cars build I also came across some info that there were a lot of parts shortages in summer of 1970, especially on 6 pack carbs and intake and dana parts.

My understanding is the VIN #s were plant based, not vehicle based (so not specific to e-body) which would account for the gap between mine and the one posted here, and that the sequencing was based on order date, so roughly 62k vehicles (of all types built in the plant) were scheduled for production between when my order was released and this car's order was released.

Not sure about all that, but that is my understanding - and that is a lot of vehicles to run through an assembly plant in a short amount of time if so

[MoparCarGuy]

my scheduled date was June 12, 1970.  VIN 376092.  I read that VIN order does not necessarily equal build order, and Chrysler grouped orders by engine, transmission, axle, trim, and plant load so a later-ordered car with common specs could be built earlier.  I also understood the the last six digits of the VIN are Vehicle Order Number (VON) assigned when the order was released, not when the car was built?

When I was looking up details on my cars build I also came across some info that there were a lot of parts shortages in summer of 1970, especially on 6 pack carbs and intake and dana parts.

My understanding is the VIN #s were plant based, not vehicle based (so not specific to e-body) which would account for the gap between mine and the one posted here

Yes, the cars were not always built on the Scheduled Production Date (SPD). It could have been built days or weeks earlier or later from the scheduled date.

The last six digits of the VIN have nothing to do with the Vehicle Order Number (VON). The last six digits of the VIN comprise the SEQUENTIAL NUMBER which is listed on the Broadcast Sheet's Line 1 under the VIN. See photo.

The VON was pulled from the dealership order form number in the upper, right-hand corner for dealership ordered cars. The below dealership order form for a 1970 Barracuda has a RED number at the top-right corner of 166876. That is the number that would become the VON on that customer order. It was a tracking mechanism.

Special VONs were issued for other reasons. There are many different VON prefixes (see code graphic).
The VON is also on the Broadcast Sheet and is on the fender tag directly above the SEQUENTIAL NUMBER. (see fender tag graphic bottom right).

This info should help everyone with some of the details.

[70_440-6Cuda]

am I correct that the VIN was the sequential number for ALL vehicles built in that plant?  That would explain the large gap between mine and this one

[cuda hunter]

@cuda hunter
The interior is P5X9 Houndstooth. That is a rare set of seats!

     How did I miss that?  Heading out the door for work I guess.

[cuda hunter]

1340 cars built per day average throughout the 70 model year at Hamtramck.

With this car being 730 and only one more day left in production it would be possible that the last car built COULD be in the 441396 range.

[JH27N0B]

Color combo being a standard color FK5? 
Wasn't that color available in 71 also?
Being an X9 interior I wouldn't think that would hold it up either.
However, with the change over from 70 to 71, perhaps 70 style seats were out of stock on the last day of Scheduled production. 
 
All speculation of course. 

Awesome car!!

FK5 was a one year only color.  Which is surprising as they made a lot of FK5 cars in '70. 
It was replaced in '71 with GK6.  Which is a little browner and no touch of orange in the hue. I compare it rootbeer.  My convertible is FK5 and my '71 is GK6.  Needless to say I've grown fond of these colors, even though the classic car market in general is not fond of browns. I like FK5 better and IMHO they should have continued it through 71 and beyond.

[MoparCarGuy]

am I correct that the VIN was the sequential number for ALL vehicles built in that plant?  That would explain the large gap between mine and this one

Not sure exactly what you are asking. The reason there is a gap in numbers between your car's VIN versus the one we are discussing is simple. Your 1970 Cuda 440-6 VIN BS23V1B376092 has Sequential number 376092 scheduled for June 12, 1970 and BS23H0B438707 was scheduled for July 30, 1970. Nothing more than that.

As @cuda hunter pointed out, with 1,340 cars assembled per day and 49 days between those two scheduled dates, there were would have been approximately 65,660 cars built. Subtracting 376092 from 438707 is 62,615 which is 1,278 average average daily rate of assembled cars. Close enough as the model year was winding down.

I also noted that BS23H0B438707 has a reproduction door VIN decal with the VIN as BS23H1B438707 but a 7-70 production month-year. Somebody made a mistake with the repro decal. EDIT: I checked a lot of original door VIN decals and cannot rule out that 438707 has a factory error for the model year on its door VIN decal. Certainly possible at the end-of-model year as everyone is talking 1971's being introduced in August 1970.
The Dash VIN, Fender Tag VIN, Cowl VIN, and Radiator Support VIN all match as 1970. Photos below.

[Katfish]

So I learned something, if I'm understanding correctly.
I just assumed the last digits were model specific and sequential.
But it sounds like it's for all the models?
So xxxxx could be a Dart and xxxxy a Charger and xxxxz a Challenger?

[cuda hunter]

So I learned something, if I'm understanding correctly.
I just assumed the last digits were model specific and sequential.
But it sounds like it's for all the models?
So xxxxx could be a Dart and xxxxy a Charger and xxxxz a Challenger?

That is correct.  However, each plant only produced specific cars.  So Hamtramck (B) plant would only put vins on Cuda's Challengers, Valiant, coronet and dart in 1970.

[Bgendel]

I have this car listed on Bring a trailer. If you have any questions let me know. https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1970-plymouth-cuda-87/

[70_440-6Cuda]

So I learned something, if I'm understanding correctly.
I just assumed the last digits were model specific and sequential.
But it sounds like it's for all the models?
So xxxxx could be a Dart and xxxxy a Charger and xxxxz a Challenger?

This is what I meant earlier - if in fact I understood it as you just pointed out, which would help explain the 60,0000 difference in VIN #s, they were not specific to only yht Barracudas but rather any vehicle in that plant.  Interesting stuff, and even more interesting that so many here have SO much info!  Awesome car either way -

That is correct.  However, each plant only produced specific cars.  So Hamtramck (B) plant would only put vins on Cuda's Challengers, Valiant, coronet and dart in 1970.

So I learned something, if I'm understanding correctly.
I just assumed the last digits were model specific and sequential.
But it sounds like it's for all the models?
So xxxxx could be a Dart and xxxxy a Charger and xxxxz a Challenger?

That is correct.  However, each plant only produced specific cars.  So Hamtramck (B) plant would only put vins on Cuda's Challengers, Valiant, coronet and dart in 1970.

This is what I meant earlier - if in fact I understood it as you just pointed out, which would help explain the 60,0000 +/- difference in VIN #s, they were not specific to only the Barracudas but rather any vehicle built in that plant.  Interesting stuff, and even more interesting that so many here have SO much info!  Awesome car either way - as @Katfish said, I just assumed the VINS were sequential specific to Barracudas, which in hindsight would not make sense