How to Decode the Vin on the 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle

The Chevrolet Chevelle was a line of cars produced during model years 1964 to 1977. The Chevelle line includes the SS, the Malibu, the El Camino, the Greenbrier, the Concours and the Nomad. The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of a 1969 Chevelle is located toward the front of the dash and is easily viewable through the windshield. The VIN has 13 characters, with the last six characters designating the sequential production number of the individual car.

Decode the first, second and third characters. The first character, which is invariably "1," designates that the car is a Chevrolet. The second and third characters will be a number between 31 and 38 (except 37). These numbers designate the series: 31 -- Chevelle, Nomad (6-cylinder); 32 -- Chevelle, Nomad (8-cylinder); 33 -- El Camino, Greenbrier, 300 Deluxe (6-cylinder); 34 -- El Camino, Greenbrier, 300 Deluxe (8-cylinder); 35 -- El Camino, Concours, Malibu (6-cylinder); 36 -- El Camino, Concours, Malibu (8-cylinder); 38 -- Concours Estate (8-cylinder).

Decode the fourth, fifth and sixth characters. The sixth character is always a "9," which designates the production year of 1969. The fourth and fifth characters designate the body type: 27 -- 2-door sedan; 35 -- 4-door station wagon, 2 seat; 36 -- 4-door station wagon, 2 seat with dual tailgate; 37 -- 2-door coupe; 39 -- 4-door sport sedan; 67 -- 2-door convertible; 69 -- 4-door sedan; 80 -- 2-door sedan pickup.

The seventh character designates where the final assembly of the car occurred. Unlike any of the other characters, the seventh character is most often a letter instead of a numeral, with the exception of cars assembled in Ontario, which were marked with a "1": A -- Atlanta, GA; B -- Baltimore, MD; G -- Framingham, MA; K -- Kansas City, MO; Z -- Fremont, CA; 1 -- Oshawa, Ontario, Canada.

Decode the eighth through 13th characters. The eighth character will most often be a "3," with the exception of some cars assembled in Baltimore and Kansas City, where production exceeded 100,000 vehicles. For cars built in these locations, it's possible that the eighth character will be a "4." The final five numbers (the ninth through thirteenth characters,) designate the order in which the car came off the line. For example, the first car off the line would have a VIN ending in "300001," and the second car off the line would have a VIN ending in "300002."

Put it all together. For example, a car with the VIN "138699A300100" would be a Chevrolet Concours Estate with 8 cylinders and 4 doors, built in 1969 in Atlanta, where it was the 100th Chevelle off the line at that location.