Reading pre 1981 Vin numbers

the first three postions ( numbers/letters ) = manufacture make and type

4th pos. = brake system/GVWR 5th , 6th , 7th pos. =model or line , series , chassis , cab type 8th pos = engine type 9th pos. = check digit 10th = model year 11th pos. = assembly plant 12th is a letter and indicates sequence number along with postions 13 -17 (numbers) 12 th is A till 13 - 17 run through 00001 - 99999 then 12th pos goes to B ect..... I know this leaves you with questions - but what are you trying to get out of interpurting the vin? Try this wiki link

VIN number?

You can look at the early Kelley Blue Book to figure out the meaning of VINs on older cars.

When I was a kid in the '60s, I could read a VIN on most American cars and trucks because my Dad was a car dealer, and I had limitless hours to read KBBs.

Good info ... thanks

On Thu, 15 Mar 2007 10:43:51 +0000, samstone rearranged some electrons to form:

interpurting

Prior to adopting the 17-digit standard that was required in 1981, older Ford VINs looked like:

first digit = year second digit = assembly location third-forth = body style fifth = engine type remainder = sequence number

if my memory serves me correctly.

Thanks for the offer...

A private poster sent me this URL:

and it mostly works but fails to ID the model... telling me to `check the VIN'

For any other posters info... I don't just want the VIN decoded. What I'd really like is info about how to decode that vintage VIN myself.

VIN: F37HNFA0340

One fellow answered by pointing out that one can figure it out from early Kelly Blue book.... Maybe I can find one online.

One other question is where to look for a VIN on a 1979 Ford F350? I find what is probably it on the door frame but it does not match the vin on the title. Not the VIN and not the date of manufacture, so might be a replacement door.

I think the VIN should be in more than none place... possible on Engine and transmission?

[...]

Good info at that wiki thanks... Unfortunately it appears, judging from comments in the first few paragraphs that the info mostly concerns the post 1980 Standard with 17 characters.

I wasn't sure what all info is encoded in it and thought I might get such things as the rear-end gear ratio, engine model etc. I see from your rundown that the rear-end info is not included. Do you now what the various characters actually mean?

F37HNFA0340

Using your chart I know what the various chars are supposed to tell me but still not what they actually tell me.

A url from a private poster:

Tells the engine (351m) but was not able to ID the Model of truck (F350) and gave no info about how to interpret on your own.

I'm particularly interested in the rear-end gear ratio... anyone know where it might be stamped. tagged or etc?

sorry to throw you off on the > 81 info - There used to be a little metal tag attached to the diff. cover with one of its fasteners but these either rust/bust off or are not replaced after the cover was off. You can calculate the ratio of your diff by turning the drive shaft and counting the number of turns of the wheel/tire. a google search of: Calculating Ring & Pinion Gear ratio There are lots of sites this one has a nice little chart

i wasn't offering anything. I was wondering what a VIN number is. Is it like a vehicle identification number number?

Yes you were.... you offered to be a jerk and I thanked you for the attempt and let you off.

Your response has sealed the deal.

On Fri, 16 Mar 2007 06:50:11 -0400, reader rearranged some electrons to form:

The rear end ratio is not part of the VIN. There is usually a tag on the diff housing.

VIN is going to be on the dash left side viewable through the windshiled, been that way since 1970. secondary location tag on door, with tire info. Engine and trannys changed to often, so never there. sometimes there might be a tag on the frame rail. early ford cars had them stamped into the inner fender on unibody cars on the left side, as well as in the unibody "frame rail" on the left side rear. Build sheet may contain info if its still in the truck, reach up under the dash and check on top the glove box. And sometimes the VIn is full of s***. Ask me sometime about a 64 Falcon Futura I had.

Whitelightning

Whitelightning

Yeah, kind of like the Ford chassised bread van we had at the last place I worked. VIN said it was a 460 with an automatic.. Funny, it looks more like a 3.5L Cummins diesel with a stick shift.

Not the 1 ton trucks. I can see there is no indentation in the dash padding or any other tip off one was ever there.

The one on the door frame has wrong VIN and wrong year of manufacture so guessing it is a replcement door.

Thanks ... I'll check that glove box location.

You'll find it stamped in the top of the right frame rail, just behind the radiator core support. Get in there with a scraper wire brush, sand paper what ever it takes, and you'll find it.