I’ve forwarded these accolades to Gary & Tony. Rich B. From: chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Ray Melton
Sent: Friday, January 14, 2022 7:14 PM
To: c300@xxxxxxx
Cc: '300 Club' <chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: {Chrysler 300} Trim code plates & VIN tags Hello Rich - Thanks so much for your continued updates on Gary's health. I have an interesting anecdote to share with (both) Club members. In 1973, my late father (also named Ray Melton) had recently retired and was increasing his activity on restoring the 1957 Chrysler 300C convertible he acquired in 1968. My Dad was in touch with George Riehl and had become a member in the early 300 Club, where he learned about the services of young Gary Goers, particularly his expertise in providing high-quality, accurate interior upholstery components like leather seat and carpets. (Back then, all communication was done by snail mail and rotary-dial 7-digit phone numbers that started with names and letters!) Dad got in touch with young Gary Goers, who already at such an early age (28?) had a strong reputation for quality upholstery work on our letter cars. Dad arranged to drive "Big Red" from Albuquerque to Southern California so Gary could replace the damaged interior (seats and carpeting). Gary invited my Dad to stay in their family home for three days while Gary fabricated and installed a complete interior for the car. Dad then drove back to Albuquerque and continued the (eternal!) mechanical and cosmetic renovation of the car, which he campaigned until 1988, accumulating dozens of car-show trophies, while completely wearing out the car by driving it to meets ranging from Chicago to Dallas; to Denver to Reno; to San Diego to Indianapolis. After my Dad's passing in 1996, I found many pieces of correspondence with Gary Goers, George Riehl, Andy Jugle (Highway Hi-Fi records) and several other early Club members. Among those records was a yellowed invoice for Gary's comprehensive interior renovation: $830, including California tax! (and no charge for the room & board at Gary's place while the work was being done!) I met with Gary at the 2014 Club meet in Alamogordo, NM, and talked with him about those days long ago while showing him the old invoice, ludicrously modest by today's standards. Gary recalled the visit so long ago, then just laughed and said, "Yeah, that was pretty good for me at the time; it would probably be at least four times that today, but I don't regret a bit!" Class guy, although he was already (2014) in the throes of significant health distress, soon to become even worse. I'm now even older than these guys, and more and more, I appreciate the contributions they made back in the "good old daze"! We were so fortunate! Ray Melton ******************************************************* On 1/14/2022 5:56 PM, Rich Barber wrote: I visited recently with Gary Goers. His health has stabilized after removing most of his left leg (after a bad fall that shredded an ankle) and his health has stabilized. His creativity and good works carry on with the Query organization but there is no replacement for Gary, especially when he teamed up with Col. Tony Bevacqua. Tony is moving a lot slower on his feet but much faster in his new Corvette. God bless them both. Rich Barber Brentwood CA 60F @ 5 PM. Thanks to all for reminding me of Mark Obermann's new role in assuming data plate decoding services previously provided by Gil Cunningham; I may have overlooked that since my restoration was already complete and I was no longer in immediate need of that. Does anyone have current information regarding the health status of former Club heroes Gary Goers and Gil Cunningham; their past services and contributions are keenly appreciated and sorely missed. Age and health issues eventually overtake all of us, so it is encouraging to see another generation step up to carry the flame. Ray Melton ******************************************************************************* On 1/14/2022 2:08 PM, Carl wrote: Yes, the body plate (aka data plate aka fender tag) was in a different location on Imperials, either the core support of the drivers side firewall, because, of course, it was a snobby Imperial and just had to be different than a “Chrysler.” Later Mopars had the plate located on the inner fender, hence the term “fender tag” commonly used by the muscle car guys. Well equipped models sometimes had two “fender tags.” Body tag decoding is offered by certain club members who have expertise in certain model years. I can decode 1963, but that won’t help Ray much. The body tags do not encode all of the equipment/options on our letter cars. The build cards do list all the equipment as specified when the car was ordered, and Mark can decode those. Carl B. Ray, Yes, Mark Obermann assumed Gil’s decoding role a couple years ago - listed in our Club Roster and 300 Club News. Also on our Club’s website. The body tag on the earlier Chryslers was located in the engine compartment, as you say yours is on your C. Later cars - at least 1960 and newer - have the painted body plate affixed to the A-pillar with 2 screws, just below the windshield. The unpainted s/n plate is affixed to the A-pillar farther down, with 2 rivets. Interestingly, my buddy’s’60 Imperial coupe - a body on frame car - has its painted body plate affixed by two screws to the car’s upper right corner radiator core support facing the front of the car (upper left corner of the core support if looking at the car from the front). Noel Hello Bob - I have a 300C convertible s/n 3N572517 and am aware of only the "data plate" (sic) on the radiator core support and the VIN tag in the driver's side door jamb. I'm probably just a bit confused by nomenclature, but what do you mean by "fender tag"? Is that the same as the plate on the radiator core support? Is that more correctly called a "trim code plate"? Why is it called a "fender tag"? Are there any other places on the car that denote anything specific to the vehicle as produced by the factory? And a somewhat related question: I understand that Gil Cunningham is in seriously ill health and is no longer able to personally provide his long-time extremely valuable service of "decoding" the front data plate (and even a copy of the IBM punch card describing the build). Has anyone in the Club stepped up to perhaps take over that function? I am fortunate to have completed the restoration of "Big Red" several years ago while Gary Goers and Gil Cunningham (to name a few) were active - it's so true that you often easily take for granted something until it's gone...🙁 Ray Melton Las Cruces, NM ********************************************************************** On 1/14/2022 12:06 PM, Bob Jasinski wrote: Tim, Nothing is impossible. Having written that, I only know of one vendor that can/will reproduce trim code plates (fender tags), and that vendor requires thorough proof that the car was built to the specs shown on the plate. Same thing with the VIN tag. The difference is that the trim code plate can be removed because it is held on with screws, the VIN is spot welded to the door jamb. Any tampering with the VIN plate (removal and reinstallation) is a federal offense and the person doing it can end up in prison. This does not apply to new state issued VIN plates of cars with damaged or lost VIN plates. There are 300 letter cars out there that have been converted from coupes to convertibles and the guy that did it tampered with the plates and served prison time as a result. I was told I believe by a club member that the trim.plates can be manufactured to to say anything? That it is not a reliable source of a actual history? -------- Original message -------- Date: 1/13/22 7:22 PM (GMT-06:00) Subject: {Chrysler 300} Mecum report 300G and H Forgive me as I peck this out on a phone in a hotel room. The G at Mecum Kissimmee 2022 is a very shiny car with glistening chrome and straight panels. It has that glazed ham look you find when a muscle car shop unfamiliar with Forward Look cars is handed a letter car to do. It wears incorrect carpets and sits entirely too high in the rear. It appears as a car put together to impress at a sale as the majority of cars here are. The public oohs and aahs were frustrating. But it shows beautifully to those who don't know it. Its an 888 car (see photos) but the leather they used is wrong. Overall it is straight and very well over-done with too many minor details wrong. And yet it will sell for a breathtaking sum, the rising tide is welcome notwithstanding the mediocre effort to get details right. As for the H, it was locked up and inaccessible. However all four chairs in that car are, as my friend Kurt said - akimbo. They all appear to be tilted, mismounted, screwed up, whatever it should be called. Paint and chrome outside is nice, inside dull and worn in some areas. A good number two. It will sell for more than most of us would pay. Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone --
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