General Motors passenger-car VIN, 1972–1980

Character by character

Where to find it: Plate attached to the top left of the instrument panel, visible through the windshield (Chevrolet vehicle information kits 1972–1977, General p. 3; 1979 Chevrolet Service Manual p. 0A-1; 1972 and 1977 Pontiac Service Manuals). Cadillac: forward lower edge of the windshield trim molding on the driver's side (1973 Cadillac Shop Manual p. 0-1). Chevrolet 1978 and 1980: plate on the top left of the instrument panel (full-size, Malibu, Monte Carlo, Nova, Camaro, Citation) or on the left windshield pillar (Chevette, Monza; 1980 Corvette) (information kits, General p. 3). Buick 1972: top of the instrument panel on the driver's side, visible through the windshield (1972 Buick Chassis Service Manual p. 00-8). Oldsmobile 1972, 1976, 1978: left upper instrument panel, visible from outside (Oldsmobile service manuals, Section 0/0A). Cadillac 1972, 1974, 1977: plate riveted to the cowl bar at the lower left corner of the windshield (Cadillac shop manuals p. 0-1 / 0A-1).

Division codes

Model year codes

Series codes

Body style codes

Engine codes

Assembly plant codes

Where the sources disagree

• {"code":"L","field":"plant","modelYears":{"from":1975,"to":1977},"claims":[{"claim":"L - Leeds-GMAD","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1975-monte-carlo","locator":"PDF p. 6 (also 1976 and 1977 Monte Carlo kits, PDF p. 6)"}]},{"claim":"L - Van Nuys-GMAD, with K - Leeds-GMAD","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1975-nova","locator":"PDF p. 4 (also 1976 and 1977 Nova kits, PDF p. 4)"}]}],"resolution":"Published as Van Nuys-GMAD: the Nova kits list Leeds separately as K, as every other Chevrolet list 1970\u20131979 does."}
• {"code":"1, 2","field":"plant","modelYears":{"from":1972,"to":1977},"claims":[{"claim":"Canadian plant No. 1 Oshawa (1972\u20131975)","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1972-chevelle","locator":"PDF p. 78"}]},{"claim":"Canadian plant No. 2 / #2 Oshawa (1976\u20131977)","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1976-chevelle","locator":"PDF p. 34 (also 1976/1977 Monte Carlo, 1977 Chevelle kits)"}]}],"resolution":"Both published, each scoped to the years its kits cover."}
• {"code":"B","field":"plant","modelYears":{"from":1973,"to":1974},"claims":[{"claim":"Diagram prints plant position as 4 (1 C 35 D 3 4 500001)","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1973-chevelle","locator":"PDF p. 30"}]},{"claim":"Worked example VIN 1C35D3B400025 uses B - Baltimore-GMAD","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1973-chevelle","locator":"PDF p. 30"}]}],"resolution":"Diagram character treated as a misprint; 1974 kit repeats it (1 C 35 H 4 4 500001) with example 1C35H4B400025. No code 4 published."}
• {"code":"T","field":"series","modelYears":{"from":1978,"to":1980},"claims":[{"claim":"***T - Chevette models (legend for VIN position 2)","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1978-chevette","locator":"PDF p. 4 (General p. 3)"},{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1980-chevette","locator":"PDF p. 4 (General p. 3)"}]},{"claim":"Position 2 is B for Chevette (interpretation line 1 B 08 ..., examples 1B08E8Y100025 and 1B089AY100025; card B-Chevette)","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1978-chevette","locator":"PDF p. 4 interpretation and EXAMPLE"},{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1980-chevette","locator":"PDF p. 4 interpretation and EXAMPLE"},{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1978-chevrolet","locator":"PDF p. 4 card"}]}],"resolution":"B (Chevette) for VIN position 2. T is the Chevette car line (T-car, first letter of model designation 1TB08), not a VIN series code; do not publish T as a Chevrolet series for 1978 or 1980 (T is Malibu in both years)."}
• {"code":"L","field":"plant","modelYears":{"from":1978,"to":1980},"claims":[{"claim":"L - Leeds-GMAD","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1978-monte-carlo","locator":"PDF p. 11 (General p. 3)"},{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1980-monte-carlo","locator":"PDF p. 44 (General p. 3)"}]},{"claim":"L - Van Nuys-GMAD, with K - Leeds-GMAD","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1978-camaro","locator":"PDF p. 3"},{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1978-malibu","locator":"PDF p. 117 (K - Leeds)"},{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1978-chevrolet","locator":"PDF p. 4 card: K-Leeds MO, L-Van Nuys CA"},{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1980-camaro","locator":"PDF p. 5"},{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1980-malibu","locator":"PDF p. 45 (K - Leeds)"}]}],"resolution":"Van Nuys (the 1978 corporate card and the Malibu kits list Leeds as K). The Monte Carlo kits repeat the 1975-1977 Monte Carlo misprint already recorded in the pack. 1980 L is scoped to Camaro (series P) only; Monte Carlo L left unpublished."}
• {"code":"1, 2, #","field":"plant","modelYears":{"from":1978,"to":1978},"claims":[{"claim":"#1 - Oshawa-Canadian Plt.","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1978-chevrolet","locator":"PDF p. 62"}]},{"claim":"#2 - Oshawa (Canadian Plt.)","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1978-monte-carlo","locator":"PDF p. 11"}]},{"claim":"# - Oshawa (no digit printed), \u0027(Canadian Plt.)\u0027 under Z - Fremont","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1978-malibu","locator":"PDF p. 117"}]},{"claim":"1-Oshawa Ont., 2-Ste. Therese PQ","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1978-chevrolet","locator":"PDF p. 4 card"}]}],"resolution":"1 = Oshawa (card and full-size kit). 2 is Ste. Therese per the card; the Monte Carlo kit\u0027s \u0027#2 - Oshawa\u0027 repeats the 1976-1977 wording already in the pack conflicts. In 1980 every kit that lists Oshawa prints #1."}
• {"code":"1R07V8U10025","field":"example","modelYears":{"from":1978,"to":1978},"claims":[{"claim":"Example VIN printed with 12 characters","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1978-monza","locator":"PDF p. 4 EXAMPLE"}]},{"claim":"Interpretation line 1 R 07 V 8 U 100001 (13 characters, 6-digit sequence)","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1978-monza","locator":"PDF p. 4 Vehicle Designation Interpretation"}]}],"resolution":"Misprint; do not use as a golden example. Series R, body 07, engine V, year 8, plant U are each independently supported."}
• {"code":"Corvette 0A pages","field":"year","modelYears":{"from":1978,"to":1978},"claims":[{"claim":"Section 0A \u0027General Information\u0027 pages (0A-1, 0A-2) bound into the 1978 Corvette kit have the model-year digit retouched from 9 to 8 (text still says \u0027a specific 1979 model\u0027; Fig. 0A-2 plate reads 1Z87L9S100001; Fig. 0A-3 sample 1Z878?S100001 with the sixth character overwritten; engine code \u00278 or 4\u0027)","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1978-corvette","locator":"PDF pp. 4-5 (printed 0A-1, 0A-2)"}]}],"resolution":"Not used as 1978 evidence: the pages are 1979 Corvette Shop Manual pages. 1978 Corvette series Z comes from the 1978 GM card only; 1978 Corvette engine codes stay open."}
• {"code":"6 / L","field":"engine","modelYears":{"from":1980,"to":1980},"claims":[{"claim":"6 - V8-350 (230 H.P.)","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1980-corvette","locator":"PDF p. 54 (General p. 3), factory VIN legend"}]},{"claim":"\u0027L=350ci, 230hp\u0027 as the fifth-digit variant, VIN range 1Z878AS400001 through 1Z878AS440614","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1980-corvette","locator":"PDF p. 4, a non-factory reference page (\u00271980 NUMBERS\u0027 / \u00271980 FACTS\u0027, production 40,614 coupes) inserted at the front of the kit"}]}],"resolution":"Published 6 per the factory General p. 3 legend. The PDF p. 4 insert does not look like a Chevrolet document (it reads like a later enthusiast reference page, with block, head, carburetor and distributor part numbers and \u0027uncertain usage\u0027 notes); it is treated as secondary and not used."}
• {"code":"Y","field":"engine","modelYears":{"from":1972,"to":1972},"claims":[{"claim":"1972 chassis service manual (A-body engine table): V = 455 cu. in. 4-bbl., L75 with M20 4-speed wide ratio; no code Y","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-vik-1972-cutlass-442","locator":"PDF p. 258 (reproduced Chassis Service Manual p. 0-2), Fig. 0-2 Vehicle Identification Plate Data, engine table"}]},{"claim":"GM of Canada F-85 catalogue, 1972-73 table: Y = 455 L75 4-bbl. (marked for the M20 4-speed), with no code V","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-pc-1964-1976-oldsmobile-f85","locator":"catalogue p. XI (F85-Yellow0011), 1972-73 Engine, Carburetor and Transmission Availability (\u0027ENG. CODE\u0027; catalogue p. IX names VIN position 5 \u0027ENGINE CODE\u0027)"}]}],"resolution":"For 1972 keep the US all-series service manual\u0027s V. The catalogue\u0027s Y is recorded for 1973 only (its sole source there), scoped to the Cutlass lines; V is not added to 1972 from the catalogue and Y is not added to 1972."}
• {"code":"N","field":"series","modelYears":{"from":1973,"to":1975},"claims":[{"claim":"1973: N = LeSabre Custom, L = LeSabre, P = Centurion","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-sm-1973-buick","locator":"p. 0A-6 (PDF p. 5), NAME CODE list"}]},{"claim":"1974: N = LeSabre, P = LeSabre Luxus (no L, no Centurion)","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-sm-1974-buick","locator":"p. 0A-6 (PDF p. 5), NAME CODE list"}]},{"claim":"1975: N = Le Sabre, P = Le Sabre Custom","sources":[{"id":"vin-gm-sm-1975-buick","locator":"p. 0A-5 (PDF p. 5), NAME CODE list"}]}],"resolution":"Not a contradiction: the name codes were reassigned between model years. Each entry is scoped to its own year; a decoder must not carry 1973 name codes into 1974-1975 (or the reverse)."}

Decoded in full elsewhere

• CamaroFacts: Camaro VINs are decoded in full by CamaroFacts; this pack decodes only the shared GM layout.
• VetteFacts: Corvette VINs are decoded in full by VetteFacts; this pack decodes only the shared GM layout.