1967 Monaco fender tag decode request

[MoPar~Man]

I don't think I've posted my fender tag, so here it is. Seems the '67-68 tag decoding is not necessarily fully documented?

VIN is DM23F79351274

I'm not sure if the windshield is tinted, if it is it's not very distinct. AM radio is probably the only option I know it has. Should be light-green top, dark green body. Narrow lower sill/fender trim and 1-inch wide belt-line trim. 318 with 3-speed column shift, front bench seat. Canadian car.

 

[RemCharger]

2.94 open
June 8

 

[MoPar~Man]

Trim code M1F is a Fury III code for Green, cloth and vinyl?

DM23 code is for Polara 500 2dr Hardtop? So much for being a Canadian Monaco eh?

Paint code FG2 is light green top, dark green body, 2 no idea, does it mean 2-tone or something else?

Still would like to know what some of those other codes are on the 1'st and 2'nd lines.

 

[My three 67 Polaras]

j4 is the lower sill moulding. I have seen j4 show up on both a Polara 500 that came standard with a lower body moulding/wheelwell mouldings, and also a Polara 383 that the optional lower moulding was ordered ala carte. According to the service manual, upper and lower case abc options "INCLUDES SOME SPECIAL AND STANDARD EQUIPMENT TO AGREE WITH CAR ORDERED"
g2 I don't know.
R1 is AM radio

M is medium price class. I don't know as much about Monaco's, but a Polara 500 is a medium price class. A Monaco without the 500 option might be the same. Standard Monaco mouldings in the attached illustration. j4 can mean the standard lower mouldings for Monaco. The belt line mouldings were standard as well.

The 2 with the paint is definitely two tone paint. I have such a car (WP2)

From what I have seen, a car can have options from the factory that do not show up on the fender tag. They were inconsistent in listing all of them on the tag. It may have boiled down to who was doing it or how much of a hurry they were in. Millions of questions I could ask the fender tag guys from back in the day. And they would be like, "and this matters because????"

 

[My three 67 Polaras]

It should have mouldings like this car, with the standard Monaco package.

 

[MoPar~Man]

So the DM23 code indicates that a standard Canadian Monaco was technically a Polara 500.

My car (bought by my dad new in '67) does have Monaco badges on C pillar and glove box door and door trim panel (above arm rest).

It does have AM radio, front/rear bumper guards and map light (I think also glove box and trunk light). It has remote mirror and instrument panel clock but I'm a little fuzzy if I added those from junkyard parts 35 years ago. I think your option sheet says the clock was optional except Monaco 500?

It does have the narrow lower trim (the entire length including wheel openings) and the 1" wide full length belt line trim. Also has door sill trim. It does not have fender top-mounted turn signal indicators, does not have passenger-side mirror. 14" 5.5 rims with what I believe are the standard hub caps / wheel covers.

The main items it does not have are the real Monaco tail lights (it has Polara lights) and the front center grill Monaco badge (it has the plain Polara grill).

Am I right about the M1F being a Fury III seat/trim code?

I think my car has a tinted windshield, but it's somewhat subtle if it has it. Maybe this is on the tag?

Your option sheet indicates power steering was an option? For all models?

So R1 is radio, J4 is lower side trim, the unknowns are g2, w6 and X2 ?

So maybe tinted windshield, bumper guards, clock and power steering are the unknown codes? Did Polara's have the map light or clock?

 

[69CoronetRT]

From what I have seen, a car can have options from the factory that do not show up on the fender tag. They were inconsistent in listing all of them on the tag. It may have boiled down to who was doing it or how much of a hurry they were in. Millions of questions I could ask the fender tag guys from back in the day. And they would be like, "and this matters because????"

What was coded, when it was coded and even where it was coded on the tag varies plant to plant, year to year and even within a model year.

Even when you account for these variables, there are coding protocols. It is not left up to an individual's whim as to what was coded. Comparison of tags from the same time frame show consistent coding.

Tags are designed to be a durable traveling device used to impart a variety of specific identifiers and build instructions ranging from Body in White numbers, administrative items such as VINs and VONs/SOs or assembly and constructions information.

Typically tags show paint colors, interior and exterior trim or badging requirements, and items requiring a modification to the body such as specific panels (radiator yoke size, four speed hump) brackets (consoles) or holes to be punched in the body (radio, tach, moldings) Option groups listed on a tag typically include several modifications under one umbrella i.e specific stripes or body modifications)

So, by design, not all options would be coded on a tag. For example, power steering is usually not coded as it didn't require any body modifications.

 

[MoPar~Man]

So, by design, not all options would be coded on a tag. For example, power steering is usually not coded as it didn't;t require any body modifications.

So something might be on the car that doesn't or won't show up on the tag. Is the converse true? Will the tag show a code that can't be matched to an option?

If there are gaps in our knowledge (or my knowledge) of what some of these codes indicate, then I'm just exploring that here.

Edit: Even though these various trim options seem trivial now, they were a major source of additional dealer revenue so it probably was significant that these codes were consistently and correctly documented, applied / installed and delivered.

 

[LocuMob]

the unknowns are g2, w6 and X2 ?

X2 - Tinted Glass Windshield only

 

[cbarge]

Trim co5de M1F is a Fury III code for Green, cloth and vinyl?

DM23 code is for Polara 500 2dr Hardtop? So much for being a Canadian Monaco eh?

Paint code FG2 is light green top, dark green body, 2 no idea, does it mean 2-tone or something else?

Still would like to know what some of those other codes are on the 1'st and 2'nd lines.

As I mentioned in another post, Canadian built 67 Dodges had their own VIN different thsn theAmericans.
DM in Canada is a Monaco.
Later tonight when I get home after working 12hr shift I will decode it for you and share the Canadian only documents pertaining to your vehicle.

 

[cbarge]

the unknowns are g2, w6 and X2 ?

W6 is " built to Canadian specs"

 

[cbarge]

From my 1967 CHRYCO parts catalogue, the Canadian line up.
DM or Medium trim is Monaco.

 

[69CoronetRT]

So something might be on the car that doesn't or won't show up on the tag. Is the converse true? Will the tag show a code that can't be matched to an option?

Edit: Even though these various trim options seem trivial now, they were a major source of additional dealer revenue so it probably was significant that these codes were consistently and correctly documented, applied / installed and delivered.

There are a lot of additional cost options that show up on the window sticker but not the fender tag. (see below for only one example). Each year and plant has it's own coding protocols and quirks.

Are there codes that are on a tag that can't be linked to an option? Yes. I can think of a few limited examples off the top of my head. Other examples likely exist

Again, fender tags are not designed to show all options. They are designed to be a durable traveling messenger of paint, trim and modifications to a specific body.

The trim level would only address the base cost of the model upgrade. (There's only a $58 difference, less than 2% additional, between the DM23 and DH23 models shown above or about $460 in 2023) This amount unto itself would have little effect on dealer revenue and profitability. The financial aspect between the dealer and factory would be counted for via invoices.

 

[cbarge]

There are a lot of additional cost options that show up on the window sticker but not the fender tag. (see below for only one example). Each year and plant has it's own coding protocols and quirks.

Are there codes that are on a tag that can't be linked to an option? Yes. I can think of a few limited examples off the top of my head. Other examples likely exist

Again, fender tags are not designed to show all options. They are designed to be a durable traveling messenger of paint, trim and modifications to a specific body.

The trim level would only address the base cost of the model upgrade. (There's only a $58 difference, less than 2% additional, between the DM23 and DH23 models shown above or about $460 in 2023) This amount unto itself would have little effect on dealer revenue and profitability. The financial aspect between the dealer and factory would be counted for via invoices.

View attachment 626890

I Agree.
For example, my 68 Newport has a black vinyl top, and rear window defrost --both " day two" dealer installed and not on the fender tag nor broadcast sheet. It would show up on the dealer's invoice but that is long gone.

 

[MoPar~Man]

This is where I got the DM code being a Polara 500:

https://www.tpocr.com/dodgebp7.html

It shows that Monaco is code DH. And the same site has this page for the M1F trim code:

https://www.tpocr.com/plymbp7.html

So the above page is wrong, showing Monaco's as DH? Or is it correct - for US cars?

I see that the '67 Canadian Chryco page showing the price-class lineup shows code L (low) for Polara 500 and M (medium) for Monaco.

On a tangent - was there a reason why various Dodge's and a Plymouth were given a premium class option package, but not, say, the Monaco (or any Chrysler or Imperial) ?

 

[cbarge]

On a tangent - was there a reason why various Dodge's and a Plymouth were given a premium class option package, but not, say, the Monaco (or any Chrysler or Imperial) ?

Marketing.
Based on there research at that time, Canadians were cheap...er more frugal when it came to buying cars.
So Chrysler Canada dressed down the Dodge full size line up under the hood and inside the cabin to keep costs down.
Compared to the Plymouth Fury III, only a difference of 75.00 more for the Monaco ( base price with 318 engine, 6 cylinder cars cheaper)

The Plymouth VIP was a "premium" model that competed with Chebbie Caprice and Phord LTD.
Chrysler was top of the line so no need to have a premium model
Imperial was still its own car line in 67.
A footnote the U.S. Monaco 500 is a "premium" model since the U.S. Polara 500 was the " sporty" model.

 

[cbarge]

From my Chrysler Canada Color and Trim selector...
M1F...green cloth and vinyl bench seat standard interior for 2dr fastop, 4dr hardtops and sedans.
Not shown but your car will have Fury III door panels but with Monaco badges.

 

[cbarge]

Paint code FG2 is light green top, dark green body, 2 no idea, does it mean 2-tone or something else?

F is light green metallic G dark green metallic 2 is 2 tone paint.

 

[cbarge]

Engine code 41 is 318 Poly.
LA 318 will be 42...

 

[cbarge]

Code 53 is tire size.
8.25-14 white side wall..