firebirdgangsta

Hi. I got a 1983 Firebird S/E, I'm trying to get it registered/retitled etc. I got the VIN off the door sticker but I'm not totally sure it's the original door. The VIN plate got rusted over and it's impossible to read. I think I could pencil trace it if I could get under there. My skills aren't that awesome when it comes to pulling the dash apart. My question is, is there a way to get in there to the plate by pulling the dash board off? I really don't want to pull off the windshield.

navy02ws6

I'd try running the VIN on the door through compnine.com -- if it's in the database, that would at least be a quick way to tell if its NOT the correct VIN for your car. If it is, then that would probably save a whole lot of work.

firebirdgangsta

Thanks. My reasons for thinking that the doors weren't original were the fact that they don't sag like older coupe doors do, and they seem to be in better condition than everything else in the car. I did check the site but it wasn't in their database yet. I'm just gonna go with it.

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

An 83 won't be on the Compnine site. Not much before 89 is even on there. My 87 GTA isn't.

I thought the VIN tags were aluminum, which wouldn't rust? Try using some cleaner (soapy water, something) to see if it is really rust or not. Maybe it is just dirty? I can't see it, so I dunno. Maybe it is obvious it is rust......

The dash pad is pretty simple to pull & may be all you need to pull to get to the VIN tag to read it/trace it.

firebirdgangsta

As far as I know they're just steel. And yes it is rust. I wasn't too sure about it at first but it's flaking a little around the characters and it's the typical rust brown, that's why I can't really tell what they are. (I'll post a picture later if necessary) I'll probly just pull the dash out a bit and try to get in there. It would be a bad idea to touch the windshield much because this weird thing is happening where the layers of the glass are starting to separate a little around the edges and a small crack is forming from it. (I'll swap out the glass later on).

Awesome-X

They're made of steel and they do rust. I have 5 third gens and 2 of them are rusted beyond reading.
The door sagging doesn't really say anything for the car. Only one of my third gens doors sag.
The vin numbers are printed on the doors, the back hatch lid, and under the rear bumper.
You can do a google search on your vin #. Just type it in and a site should come up that will at least tell you your engine size and whatnot. That would give you something to go on.

firebirdgangsta

Never heard of the VIN being in the other places. Thanks for that I'll check it out. I actually just did some searching and it turns out that it is the right number as far as I can tell. It says that it's an S/E and originally had a 2.6 liter L4 and an auto tranny. I think it's right because it has the original emissions crap still sitting in it and it's not being used (because of the 350 V8) and it's set up for an auto tranny (hence the TH350 in it), and it is an S/E. Somebody modified it before I got it.

Maverick H1L

iTrader: (8)

Should also be VIN stickers on the inside sheet metal of the quarter panels. If you're really not sure, then remove the front passenger's side fender and the VIN may be stamped into the top of the frame rail that the fender bolts to (not sure if Norwood did this or not, and it seems hit-or miss). Not many people replace the entire front half of the car...

SolarGoldRaptor

The VIN stickers didn't appear before 1985 or later. My 84 doesn't have them, my 89 does.

There are two hidden partial VINs : one is under the rectangular hole behind the AC box, the other is on the cowl panel lip under the windshield on the passenger side (my 89 doesn't have this one but my 84 does), you can see it by removing the dash pad.
Unfortunately, those are only useful if you want to make sure the body is original, because it only shows the brand, the year, the factory and the last six digits.
But if you have the complete VIN from the door tag, you could make a comparaison.
Is the VIN tag really rusted out or is it just big surface rust ? The only way to get access to the VIN tag is to pull out the windshield.

You can also look under the seats or the carpet, you may be lucky and find a buildsheet.

Trevmust

Is it possible for my to get a new vin tag? Like with the same numbers and everything but new. Mine is pretty rusty as well

navy02ws6

You can get what they call a "state issued VIN tag" through the DMV/Police Dept, but they look nothing like GM ones, and even say "state issued" on them. They are most often issued when a vehicle is stolen and the VIN has been removed, so having one usually doesn't do anything good for resale value.

As long as you still have the VIN legible somewhere else on the car (driver's door jamb stickers, RPO, sticker, etc.) I would just keep your rusty one, unless it is partially broken off and missing digits.


Edit: oops, didn't see that you were from the Great White North. This probably won't apply directly to you, but your local law enforcement should be able to direct you on what you can and can't do when replacing a VIN tag.

Trevmust

Im just concerned cuz it looks terrible :/

Maverick H1L

iTrader: (8)

Well, the thing about the VIN tag is that there is only ONE way to get at it to clean it or replace it, and you HAVE to remove the windshield. If the windshield needs to be replaced (and most of our older cars I've seen do as most of the windshields I've seen are coming apart aka delaminating), then clean it when it's off with a wire brush on a grinder (DO NOT use a flap wheel as it WILL remove the numerals) and then I would put some clear polyurethane spray or something over it to protect it in the future.