Classic cars are our specialty, but we decode any VIN, 1946 to today.
Fender tag (A/B/C/E-body, Hamtramck-style layout), 1969-1975
Where: Under the hood, driver's side inner fender. Read left to right starting at the bottom row and working up. Heavily optioned cars may have a second tag (row ends CTD). [MAXWEDGE] [SB69] [PLY7374]
| Row 1: engine code, transmission code, body/model code, engine and model-year/plant code, sequence number | E44 D34 LL41 G3R 374650 [MAXWEDGE] [SB69] |
| Row 2: body paint, interior trim, upper door frame paint, scheduled production date, vehicle order number | HB1 A2B5 GB5 721 425106 [MAXWEDGE] [SB69] |
| Scheduled production date (month 1-9, A-C, then day) | 721 [MAXWEDGE] [SB69] [PLY7374] |
| Row 3: upper body or vinyl top color, build country (U/C/I), radiator size, option sales codes | HB1 U 22 B41 M85 R11 [MAXWEDGE] |
| End marker: END, CTD (continued on second tag), EN1/EN2 (usually Hamtramck line) | V5X END [MAXWEDGE] [SB69] |
SB69 gives the line order for 1969-71 as: engine code, transmission code, VIN in three parts, roof/body paint, interior trim, upper door frame color, three-digit build date, six-digit vehicle order number, option codes.
Lynch Road tags (1969-1980 example per MAXWEDGE) add a top row of gate/line codes and an old-style engine/axle/transmission assembly row (e.g. 050 013 637) looked up in 'Models and Prices' guides; PLY7374 confirms for 1973-74.
The tag shows the scheduled build; MAXWEDGE and the forum threads note the broadcast sheet is the record of what was built.
Build-country code (MAXWEDGE): U = USA, C = Canada, I = International export. 1970 and earlier may show Y05, Y07, Y09 with the same meanings.
Radiator size code is a number such as 22, 26, 28 (inches) (MAXWEDGE, PLY7374). A St. Louis-built Plymouth B-body with no size code has the standard support, usually 22 inch (PLY7374).
Plymouth 1973-1974: Fender tag (B-body, by assembly plant)
Where: Under the hood, driver's side inner fender. Read bottom to top, left to right. [PLY7374]
| St. Louis (VIN 7th digit G): radiator support size code just before END | [PLY7374] |
| Windsor (VIN 7th digit R): similar to St. Louis but radiator size code at the start of the option codes | [PLY7374] |
| Lynch Road (VIN 7th digit A): gate series and line sequence across the top, then engine, transmission and axle assembly codes | [PLY7374] |
VON prefixes (PLY7374): B = Canadian sale, D = Driver's Ed, E = export, J = special order paint, K = special order police, M = early pilot car, Q or R = public relations/executive lease, T = Chrysler direct lease.
Plymouth 1975: Fender tag, 1975 Duster example
Where: Under the hood (same position as 1969-74 tags) [FBO75]
| VIN-style code then sequence number then vehicle order number | VS29L5G 165414 156110 [FBO75] |
| Scheduled build date; letter C = December (1974 calendar, for a 1975 model) | C16 [FBO75] |
| Option codes, list ends END | END [FBO75] |
Single forum example: E58 = 360 4-bbl HP, D34 = TorqueFlite (A727-A with the 360), L2A = Silver Cloud Metallic (PPG 2734), C6X9 = vinyl bucket seats, black. Posters in that thread said the common online decoder does not cover 1975. No full 1975-1980 tables were found.
Plymouth 1959: Data (body) plate
Where: Cowl strip (fender to fender, joins the firewall); passenger side on the LA-built Maywood example in P59 [P59]
| BODY NO | 252 09652 [P59] |
| TRM (trim) | 311 [P59] |
| PNT (paint; first letter top, second letter body) | XD [P59] |
| SCHEDULE (MMDD) | 0714 [P59] |
| SERIAL # | M256 135251 [P59] |
One worked example from a forum thread (decoded by a forum member): body 252 = V8 Belvedere 2-door hardtop; trim 311 = grey interior; XD = top X Iceberg White, body D Caribbean Blue; 0714 = July 14, 1959. Single example, no tables available: treat as unconfirmed beyond that car.
Serial M256 135251 is a VIN-style number (M = 1959, 2 = Plymouth V8, 5 = Belvedere, 6 = Detroit) per the same thread.
Imperial 1960: Body plate and build (punch card) record
Where: Radiator support, passenger side, facing the front [IMP60]
| Body type (3 digits) | 925 [IMP60] |
| Trim (3 digits) | 529 [IMP60] |
| Paint (3 digits) | 661 [IMP60] |
| Axle ratio option | 521 [IMP60] |
| Shipping date (MMDD) | 1014 [IMP60] |
The punch card columns (not the plate layout itself) are what IMP60 documents: body type columns 19-21, trim 22-24, paint 25-27, axle ratio at 52 (521 = 2.93:1), shipping date columns 77-80.
IMP60 gives examples only: body 925 = Crown convertible, 934 = LeBaron 4-door hardtop; trim 529 = white leather; paint 661 = WW1 Alaskan White; 379 = Sure-Grip differential; 535 = 40 amp generator. No full tables.
IMP60 says the A-Z codes on the plate it shows are not deciphered.
Worked example: Max Wedge's 1973 Dodge Dart tag
Max Wedge's example tag, read from the bottom row up. The car is a 1973 Dodge Dart; our 1973-74 paint and trim tables come from a Plymouth registry, so those lines say so.
| Code | Line | What it means |
| E44 | Bottom row: engine | 318 CI 2-bbl V8 [PLY7374] [MAXWEDGE] |
| D34 | Transmission | Standard 3-speed automatic (A904 per MAXWEDGE's 1973 Dart example) [PLY7374] [MAXWEDGE] |
| LL41 G3R 374650 | The VIN in three parts | Body and model code, then engine, model year and plant, then sequence number. Decode the full VIN on the Dodge page. [MAXWEDGE] [SB69] |
| HB1 | Second row: body paint | Blue Sky (1973) MAXWEDGE calls HB1 'Light Blue' for a 1972-first mix; same code, generic name [PLY7374] [MAXWEDGE] |
| A2 | Interior trim: seat type | Vinyl bench seat, sedans (also F2) Listed for 1973-74 Plymouth B-bodies. [PLY7374] |
| B5 | Interior trim: color | 1973 interior color Blue Listed for 1973-74 Plymouth B-bodies. [PLY7374] |
| GB5 | Upper door frame paint | True Blue Metallic (1973) Listed for 1973-74 Plymouth B-bodies. [PLY7374] |
| 7 | Scheduled build: month | July [MAXWEDGE] [PLY7374] |
| 21 | Scheduled build: day | 21st [MAXWEDGE] [SB69] |
| 425106 | Vehicle order number | The order number for this car [MAXWEDGE] [SB69] |
| HB1 | Third row: upper body or vinyl top color | Same code as the body paint above [MAXWEDGE] |
| U | Built for | USA [MAXWEDGE] [PLY7374] |
| 22 | Radiator size | 22 inch [MAXWEDGE] [PLY7374] |
| B41 M85 R11 V5X | Option sales codes | Option codes. These are not in our tables yet, so we do not decode them. [MAXWEDGE] |
| END | End marker | Last code on the tag. CTD instead means the list continues on a second tag. [MAXWEDGE] [SB69] |
Max Wedge calls HB1 'Light Blue' (a color first offered in 1972); the 1973-74 Plymouth registry names it Blue Sky. The first letter of a paint code is the year the color was first offered, not the car's year. [MAXWEDGE] [PLY7374]
Type your tag codes into the code lookup
Codes we decode
The tables behind the code lookup for these makes. Each code in the lookup shows its own source.
| Make | Code | Years | Codes | Sources |
| Chrysler Corporation (Imperial engine page) | Engine code (stamped) | 1958-1971 | 14 | [IMP58] |
| Imperial | Paint color | 1957 | 22 | [IMP57] |
| Imperial | Option / sales code | 1957 | 18 | [IMP57] |
| Imperial | Other | 1957 | 4 | [IMP57] |
| Plymouth | Engine code (stamped) | 1973-1974 | 10 | [PLY7374] |
| Plymouth | Transmission code | 1973-1974 | 16 | [PLY7374] [MAXWEDGE] |
| Plymouth | Paint color | 1973-1974 | 28 | [PLY7374] |
| Plymouth | Interior trim | 1973-1974 | 25 | [PLY7374] |
| Plymouth | Rear axle code / ratio | 1973-1974 | 9 | [PLY7374] |
| Plymouth, Dodge | Engine code (stamped) | 1969-1971 | 16 | [MI6971] [SB69] [SB71] |
| Plymouth, Dodge | Transmission code | 1969-1971 | 11 | [MI6971] [SB71] [SB69] |
| Plymouth, Dodge | Paint color | 1969-1971 | 26 | [SB69] |
| Plymouth, Dodge | Interior trim | 1969-1971 | 24 | [SB69] |
| Plymouth, Dodge | Rear axle code / ratio | 1969-1971 | 15 | [MI6971] [SB71] [SB69] |
| Plymouth, Dodge, Chrysler | Build date | 1968-1975 | 12 | [MAXWEDGE] [SB69] [PLY7374] [FBO75] |
| Plymouth, Dodge, Chrysler | Assembly plant | 1970-1975 | 3 | [MAXWEDGE] [PLY7374] |
| Plymouth, Dodge, Chrysler | Rear axle code / ratio | 1957-1974 | 6 | [FBO834] |
| Plymouth, Dodge, Chrysler | Other | 1969-1975 | 7 | [MAXWEDGE] |
Before you rely on a tag
- The tag shows the scheduled build. The broadcast sheet is the record of what was actually built. [MAXWEDGE]
- Lynch Road tags add a top row of gate and line codes and an old-style engine, axle and transmission assembly row. [MAXWEDGE] [PLY7374]
- We found no full code tables for 1975-1980 tags. The 1975 Duster example above comes from a single forum thread. [FBO75]
Decode the VIN too
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Other tag guides
- How to read a GM Fisher Body trim tag (cowl tag)
- How to read a Ford, Mercury or Lincoln door data plate
Sources
- [IMP58] Imperial Club, More Information on 1958 Imperial & Onward Fender Tag Decoding (VIN, engine pad)
- [IMP57] Imperial Club, 1957 Imperial Body-Plate Decoding Tips
- [PLY7374] 1973-74 Plymouth B-Body Registry, Decode VIN/Fender Tag
- [MAXWEDGE] Max Wedge, Documenting Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth and Mopar Fender Tags and Body Stampings
- [MI6971] Mopar Insiders forum, 1969-1971 Option Codes (fender tag codes)
- [SB69] 71 Super Bee Registry, 1969 Codes (covers 1969-1971 tags)
- [SB71] 71 Super Bee Registry, 1971 Options & Accessories B-Body Codes
- [FBO75] For A Bodies Only forum, Fender tag decoder 1975 Duster
- [FBO834] For A Bodies Only forum, Some info I have located on 8 3/4
- [P59] 59plymouth.net forum, VINs and Build Sheets
- [IMP60] Imperial Club, 1960 Imperial Body-Plate Decoding Tips
These are published secondary references, not factory documents. Where they disagree, we say so.