Re: 64 or 66 VIN Law/Regulations??

[<dougrc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

    I'm passing this along to you guys... Try this web sight...

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/vehicle_identification_number



> 
> From: <mail@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: 2005/12/22 Thu AM 11:41:11 EST
> To: <mail@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: 64 or 66 VIN Law/Regulations???/Sweet dreams
> 
> Mahoney wrote:
> The 13-place VIN followed what once was called "the "rivet label law"
> and
> followed the 10-place ID (so well documented by Mopar fans online)
> 
> http://tinyurl.com/8yw6e
> 
> and followed the first national VIN --- way back in 1954 (although GM
> was using 12 places by 1960); it grew to 17 places in 1981 and was in
> the "Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966" that is for sale at  
> 
> http://tinyurl.com/b77qa
> ---------------------------------
> I'm confident that from memory and by comparing various serial numbers
> prior to 1966, I've pieced together the requirements. I just wasn't
> ready to go from memory alone! 
> 
> There was no "national VIN" required prior to the 1966 10-13 character
> mandate. AMC only used 5-8 place serial numbers prior to 1966 (minimum
> was a latter code for model/engine and a four digit consecutive serial
> number, max was a two letter code with the first letter model/engine,
> second letter plant or knock-down export indicator, then 4-6 digit
> number). There may have been a law requiring that the engine size/type
> be listed prior to 66, but that would have been all. The other
> information was extraneous and depended on the manufacturer. 
> 
> I'm sure manufacturer input was used to create the 13 and 17 character
> VINs, along with insurance companies and law enforcement agencies. Chevy
> was using a 13 character VIN in 1965 with all the required info. I have
> found a few Ford sites that state 11 characters through 1980, so the 13
> character VIN wasn't mandated. From what I recall reading certain
> information was required along with a six digit consecutive number, and
> the entire VIN had to be unique. PLACEMENT of the numbers (except the
> consecutive number as the last six) was left totally to the
> manufacturer. 
> 
> Year, engine type (and/or size), car line, and body type had to be
> indicated. Interestingly, there wasn't a code required for manufacturer.
> That makes sense -- you'd presumably know if the car was an AMC, Ford,
> etc. by badging and/or other markings if nothing else. Assembly plant
> may not have been a requirement, but everyone had a plant listed in
> 66-80 VINs in one way or another (AMC got creative and used the starting
> consecutive number to indicate plant). That left two optional
> discretionary positions. So the minimum would have been 10 characters,
> but I'm not positive there was a 13 character limit. 
> 
> Placement of the VIN itself was left up to the manufacturer until
> January 1968 or 69 (I'll have to check my notes!), when the law stated
> that the VIN had to be visible through the windshield. This was to make
> it easy for law enforcement and insurance companies to check cars
> without disturbing the owner or damaging the vehicle. Prevents
> repossessing the wrong vehicle and such... ;>
> 
> 
> 
> MSgt Frank Swygert
> 436 CES/CECM (MilCon)
> 302-677-6436, Cell 302-363-0530
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>