Since around 1980, the standard for VIN numbers has been a 17 digit alphanumeric code that represents a vehicle's country or origin, manufacturer, manufacturing division, vehicle description, and accuracy of VIN, model year, assembly plant and serial number. But what were VIN numbers like before 1980? One of the major differences between then and now is that it was not mandatory for the VIN numbers of yesterday to include 17 characters. Most were simply serial numbers that represented the make, model, and year of the vehicle, while others went the extra mile to include characters to correspond with assembly plant and type of engine.

VIN and Manufacture Year

For the majority of collectors, the year a car was manufactured is probably the most important information about an antique or classic car. This should be easy to find as most early model cars included a code for the year in the serial number. But, for some, it may also be important to know if the car was the first of its kind off the assembly line, the hundredth, or even the last. This number is known as the "production number."

Lack of Set Standards

Because a true set standard for VIN numbers did not really exist before 1980, one set of instructions on how to decode a classic car VIN does not exist. It would be tough to gather complete data on the VIN numbers of all classic automobiles. However, with a fair amount of leg work and a little luck, collectors may be able to find the production number and information on how to decode the VIN on his/her specific classic car.

For example, if you take a look at all Buicks that were manufactured from 1954-1963, you'll notice that the serial number only consisted of 6 digits including: year (1st digit), assembly plant (2nd digit), and sequential production number (last 4 digits).

For all Ford Mustangs manufactured between 1960 and 1969, the VIN number consisted of 11digits including: model year (1st digit), assembly plant (2nd digit), model and body (3rd & 4th digits), and engine (5th digit) with the last seven digits consisting of the sequential production number. Some classic cars in earlier days included a code for price class, while others did not. Chrysler, for example, used a 13-digit VIN number from 1966-1974, which included a code for price class (2nd digit). The last 8-13 digits represented the sequential production number.

Classic Car vs. Vintage Car

Generally speaking, a car is considered an antique if it is at least 25 years of age. However, according to the DMV, a "classic" car is a car manufactured between 1925-1948 and a "vintage" car is a car manufactured between 1919-1930.