Not only do I know the VIN of mine, I still have literally all of the original paperwork from the day it was delivered, including a fantastic build sheet and the trade-in agreement for his '67 Impala SS ($600 trade value). I even have the Manufacturer's Statement of Origin, which was supposed to be submitted to the state to get the first title issued. I don't think I've ever seen another original MSO.
You could try submitting the VIN to the NICB website. It won't tell you where the car is or who owns it, but it will theoretically let you know if the car's been crushed or stolen. Scrapyards weren't always scrupulous back in the old days, but it's worth a shot.
Yeah, Carfax doesn't go back that far; I think '81 or '82 is the first year. If you wanted to know anything more, you'd have to do a title search or hire someone who does such things. I assume you sold the car running and driving, which is not the case with my Challenger. It was sold as parts: Mike took the trans, Bill took the dash and doors and hung onto the shell for years. Bill might still have the VIN because he wanted the (perfect) dash pad, but I'd bet one American dollar that car's still titled in my name.
$50k was a big price for an A12 when I bought mine for not that much no not even close.
Absolutely. Somewhere 'round here I posted how much lighter they are than OE or aftermarket steel rods. I think balancing is going to require ~10lb to be removed from the crank. It should build RPM very quickly if that's the case.
I found the post. It's approximately six pounds off the crankshaft (still significant) but there's another 9+ I've already removed from the reciprocating parts (pistons, pins, rods):
It's still "another league" lighter overall. With a 238° solid cam, ported T/A heads and a Six Pack setup, she oughta rip pretty well.I love my paint scale.
Goofing around in the garage a little last night, I did some comparisons between factory bits and what's going in the Challenger's 340. The piston/pin assemblies are 220g lighter each, which is a total difference of 1,760g. The BME connecting rods are significantly lighter than OE--300g each. That's another 2,400g, for a total of 4,160g or 4.16kg.
If you're reading while this sitting in a country with a flag on the moon, that means I'll have removed around 9.2 pounds from the rotating/reciprocating weight attached to the crankshaft. Roughly estimated, they'll have to remove another 6 pounds from the crankshaft just to get it in balance. A 340 is a quick-revving engine in the first place; I can't wait to see how quickly one will rev with ~15 less pounds swinging around inside it.
...and off the rails it went. Frank's 340 is not my engine, nor was the one he sold. At this point, I'm back to Square One. I'll keep sniffing, but I'm not determined to the point where I'll stop working on what I've already got.
That's "qualifying engine" lighter...
I've never been sold on the worth of chemical dipping an entire shell and EDP coating.
