3 years ago bought my dream car a 75 vette.  Not knowing much about cars I wonder if I was taken.  Based on what I was sold I thought I had the 350 with the 205hp, the center console even had the 205hp listed below the gear shifter.  Today I found how to read the VIN and the 5th number being a J means it is 165hp?  Is this true

It certainly is possible.  I bought an '80 that turned out to have a 305 in it, not a 350.  Did you check the engine code on the passenger side pad just below the head? 

If it is the correct engine with the car, it will have a code that matches some of the VIN numbers.  You may have to use some degreaser or a scraper to see if the numbers and alpha characters are on the pad.  If the engine has been rebuilt, it is also possible that the numbers have been milled off.

If your VIN had the "J", then it was originally an L-48, 165hp engine. Who knows what is in there now?
If you can get the engine ID numbers off of the "stamp pad", that will either confirm, or deny, your car still has the original engine. PLEASE do NOT use a scraper to clean off the pad, if you have any intentions of ever having the car judged at NCRS/Bloomington arenas!! Use a soft rag, and carb/brake cleaner to remove any grease/dirt from the pad. Scraping it with a screwdriver will hurt the pad finish, and your chances of a good score if being judged. If, however, you never intend to have it judged, you can use a little harsher method of cleaning the pad.
On the stamp pad, you will find alpha-numeric codes that identify what the engine was, originally. The VIN portion should reflect the same numbers as the VIN of the car.
It is possible that the engine is original, but it has been rebuilt for a little more HP, by a former caretaker...ya just never know...
Have a look-see at the numbers, and let us know what ya find!

My apologies, I learned something today.  Joel, thanks for the correction!

Fortunately, when I did use the scraper, it was on the 305 that the PO had installed in place of the original engine and it was so covered in gunk that nothing seemed to cut it.

Ain't no big thang, Dennis...only becomes an issue when judging the pad. I was pretty careful cleaning the one on the '74...or at least I thought I was. Got hammered on that the first time out!
I have learned that wooden utensils work pretty well, without harming the pad finish.
Again, this only really applies to those that are gonna have their cars judged NCRS/Bloomington...otherwise, scraping doesn't make a difference. Didn't mean to imply the scraping method was cause for the Pad Police to break in yer doors, and repo yer car!

Thanks for the advice, I will see what I can find

I have a 1981 with a "6" for the eighth digit in the VIN number.  One site I've checked shows this as a "L82" w/230 hp. rather than the regular "L81" w/190 hp (shown as a "*" in the eighth digit).  Anyone know anything about this?

[QUOTE=sgt4145]I have a 1981 with a "6" for the eighth digit in the VIN number.  One site I've checked shows this as a "L82" w/230 hp. rather than the regular "L81" w/190 hp (shown as a "*" in the eighth digit).  Anyone know anything about this?[/QUOTE]

I have a '75 also . First thing I did was start taking it apart and upgrading it. It drove nice on the highway and good gas, but not what I wanted out of a Vette. Here we don;t get inspections and I had the Stated Police come out and certify it an Antique so I could do whatever I wanted.
165 H.P. don't they put those in Hondas?