I have a bad feeling that mt 85 Trans Am is freally a re-VIN'ed Firebird... My body tag under the hood has a S code for Firebird and my VIN # has a W code for Trans Am. The eighth digit is H, which I found on Trans Am World's website to be: H = 305 ci V8 LG4 MFI w/AT (1985-1986). I got this car with a 305 4bbl Qjet and 5 speed manual. I even tried compnine.com and it said that my VIN is not in the system. I'm so confused!! Can someone help me out, If this is really a re-VIN'ed Firebird I am not going to keep it, I just rebuilt the original motor too! I also noticed that the VIN tag under the windshield looks a little funky, it is mostly covered up by a piece of windshield tape and the one rivet that I can see looks tampered with. Here is my VIN # and a picture of my body tag. Any help would be great.

VIN #: 1G2FW87H2FL612666

 

Let me first say I'm no VIN expert.

As a simple test, I went out to AutoCheck.com (my preferred VIN history site) and entered your VIN. Their system shows 15 historical records, so your VIN with the "W" does appear to be correct. So given that, I'd say your car is a genuine Trans Am.

Info right here on TGO shows the LG4 was an engine option for the Trans Am in 85.The LG4 would have had a carb.

It's possible the trim tag is just stamped wrong. I think it's pretty well accepted that random stuff like that happened at the factory. Given that the VIN appears to be valid, that's all I'd really care about.

 

The 2FS87 on the trim tag appears correct for a Trans Am. Like you, some members who have noticed that were also concerned. The VIN itself, as noted on the VIN tag, should have 1G2FW to denote a Trans Am - like yours apparently has per your post. Also note that the last digits of your posted VIN (612666) also appear on the tag to match.

Don't worry that the VIN doesn't appear in the Compnine's database as that doesn't mean anything about the validity of the car or VIN. First, Compnine is a "3rd party" and is not directly part of GM. Second, Compnine's database does not have complete records for our ThirdGens. Compnine's database only has Canadian export VINs for the early ThirdGens. If your 1985 Trans Am isn't an export, it won't appear in their database. It's not until the VIN is around 1990 or newer will it appear in their database.

 

VIN tag doesn't look like it's been tampered with, it looks like just a piece of the tape that's normally on the underside of the dash pad has come off and slid into the VIN window, obscuring the VIN.

IIRC, the prefix that appears on the cowl tag (2FS87) usually differs from the prefix of the actual VIN of the car. I decoded one on a '78 Rally Sport a few weeks ago, and remember seeing the same thing. Am looking at pix of a very correct, low mile '79 T/A that we sold a year or two ago, and it also shows a different prefix on the cowl tag than the VIN. Your cowl tag does however show the last 6 digits of your VIN, which is reassuring as well. Also shows correct codes for Bright Blue paint, which it appears you have.

It's well known that compnine doesn't list anything built before 1990. I am 99% sure that everything is legit on your car, and you have nothing to be concerned about.