1969 chevelle VIN number Help !

[chevyman0429]

So like most iv always got and eye out hoping my original block for one of my 69 chevelles would show up. Yesterday I got and email from a guy in Oregon that says he has a JA coded A-10-69 built 396 block which has the Z stamped and the vin number is one digit off from my cars vin. My car was built out of the Fremont plant (z) has a build date of 01D and was sold out of California when new. The last number on his block is a 1 and the last number on my cars vin is 7. I guess what I’m asking is do the vin numbers run that close that there is/was a 69 chevelle out there that the vin is exactly the same except the last number. Could they have used a 1 instead of the 7 . Could this by my cars original block ?

[Rainer]

If we look at the production numbers for 1969, there were 503,352 1969 Chevelles built. This is all Chevelle models. SS396 production for that year supposedly was 86,307. So roughly 17% of all Chevelles built in 1969 were SS models, which means 17% came with a 396.

We can probably assume that the Fremont assembly plant built all models of Chevelles for 1969, so likely 17% of their production was SS396 models.

If we look at 100 cars on a production line, and if 17% are SS cars (determined based on actual production numbers), that comes out to one out of every 6 cars.

With the VINs being close, the date codes will naturally be close as well, so that's not necessarily additional proof, so to speak.

My conclusion: every 6th Chevelle built in 1969 was an SS396, so yes the VINs could run that close and therefore that is most likely not the original engine for your car. Of course, mistakes are always a possibility.

[chevyman0429]

Wow excellent break down and thanks a lot. Now maybe my heart will slow down some. Lol

[Rainer]

It would still be a neat block to obtain because its about as close as you can get to matching numbers. That is assuming its not outrageously priced.

I live in the PNW - any chance the guy with the block is named Lester? He had a 69 JA code 396 from a rusted-out 69 SS about 4 years ago.

[chevyman0429]

The gentlemen that has the block lives in Oregon.

[Rainer]

The gentlemen that has the block lives in Oregon.

Yes, by stating PNW (Pacific Northwest) I meant I am right in the area. I live in Washington, 10 miles across the border from Oregon. Lester lives in Oregon. He's a mechanic at a Chevy dealer in Portland.

[chevyman0429]

Yea I was still partially asleep lol. I’m not sure of his name I found it on eBay! Says he lives in Oregon city and the name on his eBay is MR Brian

[Bill Pritchard]

Any possibility that the last number on the block is actually a 7 instead of a 1? Depending on how clear the stamping is, they could be confused.

[chevyman0429]

Yes that’s what I thought but he says it’s definitely a 1.