{"id":4013,"date":"2021-03-03T20:03:50","date_gmt":"2021-03-04T01:03:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/elcohaulicssanonymous.com\/ELCO\/?p=4013"},"modified":"2025-01-09T20:51:35","modified_gmt":"2025-01-10T01:51:35","slug":"decoding-the-vin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elcohaulicssanonymous.com\/ELCO\/decoding-the-vin\/","title":{"rendered":"Decoding the VIN"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Decoding the VIN Tag:<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>
The VIN, or\u00a0Vehicle Identification Number<\/em><\/strong> is the primary identifier of each individual vehicle.<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
It is an alpha-numeric combination of digits that includes the information of the Make, Model, Body Style\/Type, Year of Manufacture, Assembly Plant, Engine Type, and Serialized Build Sequence.<\/em><\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
On the ’59, it is 10-Digits; on the ’60 and ’64, it is 12-Digits; from ’65 through ’80 it is 13-Digits, and from ’81 on up, it is 17-Digits.<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
1981 was also the first year the VIN description was changed from “Passenger Car<\/em>” to “Light Duty Truck<\/em>” category.<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
1985 was the first year for W80 to be assembled in Mexico.<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
For a<\/span>\u00a0 COMPLETE VIN Breakdown<\/strong><\/a> for all Generations of El Caminos, see the related <\/span>document here<\/a>.<\/span><\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
1959; 10-digit VIN:<\/span><\/strong><\/div>
  1. First Digit: <\/span><\/div>
    • “G” is 6-cylinder El Camino.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
    • “H” is 8-cylinder.<\/span><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
    • Second and…<\/li>
    • Third digits are the year “59”.<\/li>
    • Fourth digit is the Plant it was assembled.<\/li>
    • Fifth – Tenth are Production Sequence Numbers.<\/li><\/ol>
      1960; 12-digit VIN:<\/span><\/strong><\/div>
      1. First Digit: “0” is the year 1960.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
      2. Second<\/span>\u00a0through Fifth <\/span>digits are the Model Series:<\/div>
        • “1180” is El Camino, 6-cylinder.<\/div><\/li>
        • “1280” is El Camino, 8-cylinder.<\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
        • \u00a0Sixth digit is the Plant it was assembled.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
        • Seventh – Twelfth digits are Production Sequence Numbers.<\/div><\/li><\/ol>
          1964; 12-digit VIN:<\/span><\/strong><\/div>
          1. First Digit: “4” is the year 1964.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
          2. Second and…<\/span><\/div><\/li>
          3. Third <\/span>digits are the Model Series:<\/div>
            • “53” is El Camino, L6.<\/div><\/li>
            • “54” is El Camino, V8.<\/div><\/li>
            • “55” is El Camino Custom L6.<\/li>
            • “56” is El Camino Custom V8.<\/li><\/ul><\/li>
            • \u00a0Fourth and…<\/span><\/div><\/li>
            • Fifth digits are the body type: “80” for 2-Door Sedan Pickup.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
            • Sixth digit is the Plant it was assembled.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
            • Seventh – Twelfth digits are Production Sequence Numbers starting with 1#####.<\/div><\/li><\/ol><\/div><\/div>
              1965-1970; 13-digit VIN:<\/span><\/strong><\/div>
              1. First Digit is the brand: “1” is Chevrolet.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
              2. Second and…<\/span><\/div><\/li>
              3. Third <\/span>digits are the Model Series:<\/div>
                • “33” is El Camino, L6.<\/div><\/li>
                • “34” is El Camino, V8.<\/div><\/li>
                • “35” is El Camino Custom L6.<\/li>
                • “36” is El Camino Custom V8.<\/li>
                • *”38″ is El Camino SS396 (1968 ONLY).<\/li><\/ul><\/li>
                • \u00a0Fourth and…<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                • Fifth digits are the body type: “80” for 2-Door Sedan Pickup.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                • Sixth digit is the last digit of the model year.\u00a0<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                • Seventh digit is the Plant it was assembled.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                • Eighth – Thirteenth digits are Production Sequence Numbers starting with 1#####.<\/div><\/li><\/ol><\/div><\/div><\/div>
                  1971; 13-digit VIN:<\/span><\/strong><\/div>
                  1. First Digit is the brand: <\/span><\/div>
                    • “1” is Chevrolet.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                    • “5” is GMC.<\/li><\/ul><\/li>
                    • Second and…<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                    • Third <\/span>digits are the Model Series:<\/div>
                      • “33” is El Camino\/Sprint, L6.<\/div><\/li>
                      • “34” is El Camino\/Sprint, V8.<\/div><\/li>
                      • “36” is El Camino\/Sprint Custom V8.<\/li><\/ul><\/li>
                      • \u00a0Fourth and…<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                      • Fifth digits are the body type: “80” for 2-Door Sedan Pickup.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                      • Sixth digit is the last digit of the model year: “1” is 1971.\u00a0<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                      • Seventh digit is the Plant it was assembled.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                      • Eighth – Thirteenth digits are Production Sequence Numbers starting with 1#####.<\/div><\/li><\/ol><\/div>
                        1972-1977; 13-digit VIN:<\/span><\/strong><\/div>
                        1. First Digit is the brand: <\/span><\/div>
                          • “1” is Chevrolet.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                          • “5” is GMC.<\/li><\/ul><\/li>
                          • Second <\/span>digits are the Model Series:
                            1. “C” is El Camino.<\/div><\/li>
                            2. “D” is Custom El Camino.<\/div><\/li><\/ol><\/li>
                            3. Third and…<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                            4. \u00a0Fourth<\/span>\u00a0digits are the body type: “80” for 2-Door Sedan Pickup.<\/span><\/li>
                            5. Fifth digit is the Engine.<\/span><\/li>
                            6. Sixth digit is the last digit of the model year.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>
                            7. Seventh digit is the Plant it was assembled.<\/span><\/li>
                            8. Eighth – Thirteenth digits are Production Sequence Numbers starting with 1#####.<\/li><\/ol>1978 to ’80; 13-digit VIN:<\/span><\/strong><\/div>
                              1. First Digit is the Brand:<\/span><\/div>
                                • “1” is Chevrolet.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                                • 1978:<\/span><\/div>
                                  • “5” was GMC Truck.<\/span><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
                                  • 1979 & ’80:<\/span><\/div>
                                    • “T” for GMC Truck.<\/span><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
                                    • Second digit is Carline Series: “W” is El Camino series.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                                    • Third and…<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                                    • Fourth digits are Body Style: “80” is Pickup Delivery 2-Door.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                                    • Fifth digit is the Engine.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                                    • Sixth digit is the Year:\u00a0<\/span><\/div>
                                      • “8” is 1978.<\/li>
                                      • “9” is 1979.<\/li>
                                      • “A” is 1980.<\/li><\/ul><\/li>
                                      • Seventh digit is the Plant it was assembled.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                                      • The rest are Production Sequence Numbers.<\/span><\/div><\/li><\/ol>
                                        1981 & Later; 17-digit VIN:<\/span><\/strong><\/div>
                                        1. First Digit is Country of Origin:<\/span><\/div>
                                          • “1” is U.S.A.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                                          • “2” is Canada.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                                          • “3” is Mexico.<\/span><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
                                          • Second digit is Manufacturer Identity: “G” is GM.<\/li>
                                          • Third digit is brand:
                                            • “C” is Chevrolet Truck.<\/li>
                                            • “T” is GMC Truck.<\/li><\/ul><\/li>
                                            • Fourth digit is the GVWR Brake System: “C” is GVW 4001-5000 – Hydraulic Brake System.\u00a0<\/li>
                                            • Fifth is Model Series: “W” is El Camino.\u00a0<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                                            • Sixth and…<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                                            • Seventh digits are Series & Body Type.:<\/span><\/div>
                                              • “8” is El Camino<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                                              • “0” is Pickup Delivery 2-Door.<\/span><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
                                              • Eight digit is the Engine.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                                              • Ninth digit is a “Check Digit”.<\/li>
                                              • Tenth digit is Model Year:<\/span><\/div>
                                                • “B”-81 <\/span><\/div><\/li>
                                                • “C”-82 <\/span><\/div><\/li>
                                                • “D”-83<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                                                • “E”-84<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                                                • “F”-85<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                                                • “G”-86<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                                                • “H”-87.<\/span><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
                                                • Eleventh digit is the Plant it was assembled.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
                                                • Twelfth through Seventeenth digits are Production Sequence Numbers<\/span><\/div><\/li><\/ol>
                                                  *On 5th Generation El Camino, it can NOT<\/strong> be determined if it is a “true SS” by the VIN, it is only by the RPO coding on the build sheet, or RPO tag.<\/span><\/div>

                                                  The only year identifiable as being an El Camino “SS” by the VIN, was 1968.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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