I googled it with no answers found, so I'll ask...

[Jocigar]

what does it mean when there is an astric * at the end of dash pad vin tag?

[Spikedog08]

Picture?   

[Jocigar]

correction, * on both sides.

*BH27------123*

thanks

[303 Mopar]

'71-74 had an * at the beginning and the end of the VIN on the tag.

[Cuda Cody]

I think it was a year thing.  I would have to look, but if I recall it was around 1971 when they started using the asterisks on the dash VIN numbers. 

[Cudino]

Right, the asterisks on either side of the dash tag VIN# started in model-year 1971.  But note that the very early '71 cars still got the '70-style, non-asterisk tags.  The new format was phased in sometime during the September-October 1970 timeframe.

- Wade

[303 Mopar]

correction, * on both sides.

*BH27------123*

thanks

Here is the VIN tag from my '71 that had a build date of October 1970.

[Shane Kelley]

Mine has a build date of 10/12/70.

[1 Wild R/T]

I read something about it being federally mandated to make VIN tampering more difficult.... GM Ford even Porsche did it... Hasn't helped...

About 7 years ago a friend was involved in the sale of a very collectable Porsche (73 RSR)... A potential buyer questioned the numbers matching engine claim do to the lack of asterisks at either end of the stamped VIN.. The owner was adamant that the engine was original but in the end took a reduced price to satisfy the buyer... Cause lets face it numbers are all about the Benjamins.... Three months later the buyer had it up for sale again..... And of course it was claimed to be 100% numbers matching...

[Jocigar]

Thanks all that explains it.   sorry to ask, never noticed it before.  My 70 doesn't have it, so thought I would ask.

[Cudino]

Thanks for the great question Jocigar, and great info from everyone.  Probably someone with much more info that me could narrow this switchover date/VIN# even further, but here's the VIN tag from my early 1971 Challenger with SPD August 29th (1970), before the asterisks were started.  And I should add that I am only referring to VIN tags from the Hamtramck plant.

- Wade

[anlauto]

Great to hear from you Wade

[Cuda Cody]

Don't be sorry.  It was a great question.  And even if it wasn't a great question, we would still try to answer it.  We're all pretty friendly and happy to help.  I learn something new from this site all the time.

sorry to ask, never noticed it before. 

[303 Mopar]

Don't be sorry.  It was a great question.  And even if it wasn't a great question, we would still try to answer it.  We're all pretty friendly and happy to help.  I learn something new from this site all the time.

sorry to ask, never noticed it before. 

  I just learned this a couple of weeks ago, and I even owned a '71 and '70 and never noticed.   

[benlavigne]

August 29th SPD on mine, too, no asterisks!

Ben