How to do a VIN Number Search on an Old Car
by Stephanie Ellen
A Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) can give you a wealth of information about your classic car if you are familiar with manufacturer names and model numbers. For example, a VIN beginning with YM23J63 indicates that your car is a 1966 Chrysler Imperial Crown, LeBaron, medium class, two-door hardtop with a B8 engine. The VIN can also be used to track your car's history: a check of the car's VIN on a national database will tell you if your car has been stolen or reported as totaled.
Step 1
Navigate to the National Insurance Crime Bureau's (NICB's) VINCheck web page (see Resources).
Step 2
Type the old car's VIN into the "Enter VIN" text box.
Step 3
Click the box next to "You must check here to acknowledge your understanding and acceptance of the terms and conditions of use."
Step 4
Type the verification code shown into the text box, then click "Search" to receive a report on your vehicle.
References
Tips
- If no report is shown, then your vehicle has never been reported as stolen or totaled.
Writer Bio
Stephanie Ellen teaches mathematics and statistics at the university and college level. She coauthored a statistics textbook published by Houghton-Mifflin. She has been writing professionally since 2008. Ellen holds a Bachelor of Science in health science from State University New York, a master's degree in math education from Jacksonville University and a Master of Arts in creative writing from National University.
