After digging around for old 300/Charger VIN break-downs and comparing my VIN database and the registry, I believe the VIN breaks down as follows. I had started this with the intention of discovering what portion identifies the transmission, but it does not seem there there is anyway to identify the transmission type by VIN alone.

[1] Country of Origin
2 = Canada
[2] Assembler
B = Dodge
[3] Vehicle type
3 = Passenger
[4] GVWR & Pass. Safety
L = Restraint System Advanced Multistage Front Air Bags Sales Code (CG3) With Side Air Bags
[5] Vehicle Line
J = Challenger
[6] Series
4 = SE
5 = R/T
7 = SRT8
[7] Body Style
4 = 2 Door Pillared Hardtop
[8] Engine
T = 5.7L HEMI
V = 3.5L 6-Cyl
W = 6.1L HEMI
[9] Check Digit
0-9 or X. This value is used in an algorithm to validate the VIN. See Wikipedia for details.
[10] Model Year
8 = 2008
9 = 2009
[11] Assembly Plant
H = Brampton Assembly
[12-17] Vehicle Build Sequence
These last 6 are your serial #

In summary, EVERY single Challenger will start with the VIN: 2B3LJ (This is confirmed in that the 53,000 VINs I looked up yesterday 100% of challengers started with those codes)

 

What about fender tags??

 

So...who really has car #1?

 

Ron Pratt from Chandler, Arizona bid $400,000. He took home #1 2008 Challenger SRT8 at Scottsdale Barrett-Jackson auction in Jan. 2008. Turn off your pop-ups and put in DODGE Challenger for the 2008 Scottsdale auction.
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/appli.../w_search.aspx

 

Craig Jackson of Barrett-Jackson was the one that bid and won the #1 Challenger.

Jay Leno got Joani"s #2 Challenger.

 

Jay Leno has #4 a Black Challenger. Craig Jackson has #3 also a Black Challenger. Ron Pratt from Chandler, Arizona has #1 Challenger.

 

Heres a Reuters Press Release:

http://www.reuters.com/article/press...08+PRN20080122

 

So if I deduct 952 from my last six digits that would be VIN of car # 1. I think Joani brought up thread about no rhyme or reason with VIN and dash badge number.
So they put badge #1 on car delivered not produced.Badge #= delivery??

 

Vin #s were selected sequentially across all LX platform cars. Then badge numbers for the subset of Challengers were doled out when the cars made it to striping and badging as I understand it. So I dont think the badge numbers line up with Vin #s in any particular order either.

 

I stand corrected.......http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyfJuhk4YT8