RE: IML: Year ID question

1981 Imperials that have been converted to carburetor operation using the authorized factory kit are re-labeled to show the smog information for the year of the converted engine performance, which is 1983. One of the things that is probably causing your confusion is this label, which is under the hood, on the top of the “core support”, the structural member above and in front of the fan.

If your car has been converted, that will likely be the explanation. If it has not, you’re a fortunate man, but I haven’t a clue as to how this happened.

In any case, the Year of Manufacture is coded into the VIN, which is on the metal plate inside the windshield, forward of the driver, (under that fuzzy pad you have on there to protect the dash from warping, or to hide the warp if it’s too late already).

The VIN should be 2A3BY62J4BRXXXXXX. The second “B” is for 1981 – that is the true year of manufacture.

Dick Benjamin

From: mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Dave
Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2005 11:27 AM
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: IML: Year ID question

Hello fellow Imperialists!

I just got the paperwork on my 198* (Guido) and it has 1981 on some papers, and 1983 on others. How can I get the correct year from examining the car itself? I know it sounds cliche, but they all look alike!

Thanks in advance, and I'll take the answer off the air...

David C. Wilker Jr.
USAF (RET)
"I'm figuring out what's good for me, but only by a process of elimination"