Body numbers

[Purple73Cuda]

Is there anyway to find out model of car and engine size from just the body numbers? I found a '74 Barracuda/'Cuda shell with just the cowl and radiator support numbers. There is no broadcast sheet, no fender tag and no VIN tag.

[burdar]

The entire VIN isn't stamped on the cowl or on the rad support.  Just the sequence #.

How do you even know it's a 74?

Is there a title to the car?  That will tell you what you want to know.

[Purple73Cuda]

The # is B4******. It has no title.

[burdar]

Is it just the shell or are there other components still bolted to it?  Is the K-member with the torsion bars still on it.  If it has the small bars it won't be a Cuda.

What about the rear suspension?  Are there holes in the frame where the rear swaybar brackets would bolt?  Could you get the HD suspension on just a Barracuda?

Where the tail panels painted black on all models or just the Cuda?

Looking at these things may only tell you if you have a Cuda or Barracuda.  You still don't have any way of telling if it is a 318 or 360 car.   

[kissalien]

The entire VIN isn't stamped on the cowl or on the rad support.  Just the sequence #.

How do you even know it's a 74?

Is there a title to the car?  That will tell you what you want to know.

The year will be stamped. As reponded B4 in this case. B=Hamtramck which was the only E-body plant after 1970. 4=1974

[Purple73Cuda]

Is it just the shell or are there other components still bolted to it?  Is the K-member with the torsion bars still on it.  If it has the small bars it won't be a Cuda.

What about the rear suspension?  Are there holes in the frame where the rear swaybar brackets would bolt?  Could you get the HD suspension on just a Barracuda?

Where the tail panels painted black on all models or just the Cuda?

Looking at these things may only tell you if you have a Cuda or Barracuda.  You still don't have any way of telling if it is a 318 or 360 car.  

What sizes are the t bars? As I understood the t bars are the same between 318 and 360 cars. I could be wrong.How about rear springs? Are they different? I will have to do some research on the '74 cars. I thought that front and rear sway bars were standard equipment.

[burdar]

I'm going on what I know for Challengers so I don't know how much of that translates to the Cuda.

The standard Challenger with a 318 had smaller T bars in other years so I assumed the 74 would also.  The 318 Rallye Challenger had the same T bars as the 340/360.

The rear swaybar was only available on on the Rallye.  It was supposed to be just the 340 but alot of 318 Rallyes also had the rear swaybar.(mine does)  I don't know if HD suspension was available on the base modle or not.

[Alaskan_TA]

In most cases, if you apply for a state issued VIN tag, your state DMV or BMV will contact the FBI to get the full VIN of what it was based on the body numbers. 

[hebeegbz]

dmv good call , the 2nd and 5th didgit some  times on a dealer search will also come up if the car hasnt been of the road many years . I have to ask about drill holes on the rear panel ie trim and emblems ,body stripes will show on cars that get a chemical strip along the qtrs the paint wont lift as fast if the car ever had a stripe even after its been removed unless previously blasted or sanded .

[torredcuda]

Same car?
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=55489.0

[hebeegbz]

Same car?
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=55489.0

Well isn't that interesting hmmm.