Da VIN Code: Deciphering the Vehicle Identification Number

Your Classic Chevy's VIN is filled with info. I tell you what that info is below. Image via crankgypsy.com

Your classic Chevy’s VIN is filled with info. Find out what the numbers mean. Image via crankygypsy.com

Figuring out who a person is in the military, beyond just the basics of how they get paid, takes more than just “name, rank, and serial number.” You’ve got to know what specialized training they’ve received. This is what the Navy calls their rate and other services call their Military Occupational Specialty (MOS). Your classic Chevy’s VIN is like that. It’s far more than just a serial number like you find on electronic devices. Although VIN formats have changed quite a bit over the years, they remained the same during period between 1965-1971, so we’ll use it as our guide.

The VIN Contains Several Pieces of Information for You

There are several pieces of information beyond the car’s serial number that the VIN contains. These are:

Make-Chevrolet, Pontiac, etc.
Model-Camaro, Nova, GTO, etc.
Body style-coupe, convertible, etc.
Year of production
Plant where it was produced
Vehicle serial number-The serial number can also tell you the model year

What does your VIN tell you? Image via bringatrailer.com

The Make and Model

The first two digits of the VIN specify the make and model. The first digit is the GM Line Number, which in the case of classic Chevys is 1. The second digit is the Series Number, which identifies the model. For example, 2 is for Camaro, 3 is Chevelle/Malibu/El Camino/Monte Carlo, or Nomad, 4 is the Vega, and 6 is the Caprice/Impala.

Engine and Body

The third digit in the VIN determines the engine, with 1 indicating a four cylinder, (3, 5, or 7) being a six cylinder, and (2, 4, 6, and 8) being V8s. The next two digits are to designate the body style:

17-two-door sport coupe
35-four-door wagon, two-seater
11-two-door sedan
39-four-door sport sedan

Year and Plant of Assembly

The sixth digit tells us what model year the car is (1=1971, 0=1970, 6=1966, etc.) There were 19 plants at which a GM product could be produced during the period from 1965-1971:

A=Atlanta, GA
B=Baltimore, MD
C=Southgate, CA
F=Flint, MI
G=Framingham, MA
J=Janesville, WI
K=Kansas City, MO
L=Los Angeles, CA
N=Norwood, OH
P=Pontiac, MI
R=Arlington, TX
S=St. Louis, MO
T=Tarrytown, NY
U=Lordstown, OH
W=Willow Run, MI
Y=Wilmington, DE
Z=Fremont, CA
1=Oshawa, ON
2=St. There, QC

Knowing what the VIN can tell you can be very helpful when making a deal for a classic Chevy. Image via myrideisme.com

The Last Digits

The last several digits (8-12) of the VIN, tell where the car was built in the production run. If the first digit of this number is a 1, the car was produced in 1967. A first digit of 3 indicates the car is a 1968, while a 5 tells you it’s a 1969.

reading the VIN is easy if you know what you’re looking for. If you are having trouble, you can check out sites like VINwiz. Simply type in your car’s VIN and it’ll tell you how it left the factory. This way you can put it back to original if you so desire.