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Fri May 11, 2007 3:41 am

why do i have two set of numbers?

Fri May 11, 2007 4:03 am

The one on the centertunnel is the VIN or Chassisnumber and the one on the floorpan support is the framenumber.

Fri May 11, 2007 6:01 am

51semaphore wrote: why do i have two set of numbers?

Actually, you will have 3 numbers. One on tunnel , and two under the front hood. One on the metal plate behind spare, and one right below the plate, stamped in to the body.

Fri May 11, 2007 6:34 am

lurkinstock wrote: 51semaphore wrote: why do i have two set of numbers?

Actually, you will have 3 numbers. One on tunnel , and two under the front hood. One on the metal plate behind spare, and one right below the plate, stamped in to the body.
which ones should match? the body and frame or none of them?

Fri May 11, 2007 7:06 am

lurkinstock wrote:

Actually, you will have 3 numbers. One on tunnel , and two under the front hood. One on the metal plate behind spare, and one right below the plate, stamped in to the body.

There's a set of numbers punched into the floor pan next to the main brake line. Never seen that before

Fri May 11, 2007 7:08 am

51semaphore wrote: lurkinstock wrote:

Actually, you will have 3 numbers. One on tunnel , and two under the front hood. One on the metal plate behind spare, and one right below the plate, stamped in to the body.
which ones should match? the body and frame or none of them?

The VIN is stamped in two places & should match. The numbers are stamped on the center tunnel (near the shift coupler access panel) & on the front VIN plate (just on the bulk head under the fuel tank).
The 3rd set of numbers that lurkinstock mentioned is the body number. It is stamped onto the body just below the VIN plate

Fri May 11, 2007 8:24 am

The number stamped on the floorpan next to the brakeline is the framenumber. Not many know about it and it have got lost in many cases while restoring the pans...

My Hebster still have that one too.. :wink:

Fri May 11, 2007 2:15 pm

Hebster52 wrote: The number stamped on the floorpan next to the brakeline is the framenumber. Not many know about it and it have got lost in many cases while restoring the pans...

When did that stop?

Wed May 16, 2007 2:37 am

Unfortunately the only site with that information have closed down. www.kabriolett.com And I never thought it would close down so I didn't save the data on my Harddrive either... :cry:
I have mailed the site owner though hoping to share the data.
Keep your fingers crossed.

Wed May 16, 2007 6:31 am

Hebster52 wrote: Unfortunately the only site with that information have closed down. www.kabriolett.com And I never thought it would close down so I didn't save the data on my Harddrive either... :cry:
I have mailed the site owner though hoping to share the data.
Keep your fingers crossed.
does this mean i have a non restored pan?

Wed May 16, 2007 7:07 am

Hebster52 wrote: Unfortunately the only site with that information have closed down. www.kabriolett.com And I never thought it would close down so I didn't save the data on my Harddrive either... :cry:

Wow, when did that happen. I haven't been on that site since mid March.

Wed May 16, 2007 7:13 am

The past month... :cry: I was there checking if there is any activity the last time in April...

Wed May 16, 2007 7:14 am

51semaphore wrote: Hebster52 wrote: Unfortunately the only site with that information have closed down. www.kabriolett.com And I never thought it would close down so I didn't save the data on my Harddrive either... :cry:
I have mailed the site owner though hoping to share the data.
Keep your fingers crossed.
does this mean i have a non restored pan?

Most likely, Yes. :D Or atleast the complete floors have not been replaced.

Sun May 27, 2007 10:00 pm

Ok, the site mentioned above is back online. :D

Here you can see where to find different numbers on the pre-53 chassis:

Chassisfinder.

And here how those numbers are dated:
Agefinder.

I cannot see the numbers on the picture in the first post clearly but you should be able to date the chassis with the links above. Probably within one month earlier than the VIN.

Fri Feb 26, 2010 2:16 pm

So a lot of info is spread out above.

I'm still unclear about the Frame Number

Chassis (Vin) Number - is stamped on the ID plate in the front and on the chassis above the access hole (under rear seat).

Body Number - is stamped below the Vin plate behind spare tire.

Frame Number - is stamped on the frame rail on driver side, under the rear seat. And on the backbone near the Hand Break.

So is the above correct.
I'm a bit confuesed as to why they would have a chassis number and a frame number, when they are all stamped on one item. It's not like these items are bolt on like the body and engine, tranny, etc.

Also if i understood this, both numbers on the Frame (under rear seat and ebreak numbers) should match?

Please advise,
Spanish Flea

Fri Feb 26, 2010 2:47 pm

Spanish Flea wrote: So a lot of info is spread out above.

I'm still unclear about the Frame Number

Chassis (Vin) Number - is stamped on the ID plate in the front and on the chassis above the access hole (under rear seat).

Body Number - is stamped below the Vin plate behind spare tire.

Frame Number - is stamped on the frame rail on driver side, under the rear seat. And on the backbone near the Hand Break.

So is the above correct.
I'm a bit confuesed as to why they would have a chassis number and a frame number, when they are all stamped on one item. It's not like these items are bolt on like the body and engine, tranny, etc.

Also if i understood this, both numbers on the Frame (under rear seat and ebreak numbers) should match?

Please advise,
Spanish Flea

Because the VIN is the "build" number for the car, or at least the complete chassis. I would expect that for every VIN, VW had records of the frame, engine, tranny, front beam, etc. that was used on it, maybe even the body. The VIN is the high level number for the car. Put another way, the VIN represents the collection of frame, tranny, beam, engine, etc.

Fri Feb 26, 2010 4:52 pm

Actually in the early days there were many numbers: 6 major ones
All the major components had their own number:

1) The tunnel (it moved around a bit over time, but early in the area of the gearshift/hand brake. later moving up the tube, on the driver side of the tube and ending up on top at the rear. This is the VIN number today. and is the ID of the car and should match the tag behind the spare tire.

2) The frame number, on the inside of the frame behind the driver. The frame number was dropped in May of 1955.

3) the front beam on top of one of the front beams.

4) The body number: tricky each body has a number below the vin tag behind the spare and is in the metal of the body. The problem is that VW restarted the same series of numbers three times: First at the beginning. through July 1955, stopping at # 828 328.
Second started at 1 August 1955 and started from 000 001 and ran to end of June 1957, stopping at number 1584 654.
Third started on 1 August 1957 at 000 001 and ran to the end of June 1958 at the final body number 364 474 at which point the body number was dropped completely.

5) the tranny has a number.
6) the engine has a number.

Some countries registered cars by engine number, others by various other numbers like the tranny number.
Many countries had requirements that all the numbers on major components remain un-changed over the life of the vehicle. Which is why replacement engines were restruck with the old number for a while.

Each country had differing rules as to which number or numbers had to jibe with the numbers in the paperwork that came with the car. Some used the engine number others used the chassis number Licence plates and driver's licences are another field of study.This was a totally different world. Don't forget that in Austria part of the country drove on the left and part on the right. All the time until Hitler annexed Austria and said every one on the same side.

Fri Feb 26, 2010 6:40 pm

Hebster52 wrote: Ok, the site mentioned above is back online. :D

The information is available right here on good old theSamba also: Frame Numbers

Fri Feb 26, 2010 11:19 pm

Frame Number

Punched-in by hand on the flat surface at the head end of the frame

16 May 45 -- 052 016
Now: punched-in by hand intothe frame tunnel, right-hand
side, underneath the rear seat.
Formerly: punched-in by hand on the flat surface at the

22 June 49 -- 1-0107101 Fr. 115 523
Frame Number
Now: punched-in with stencil in longitudinal direction
into flat surface of the frame tunnel

1 Oct. 52 -- 1-0397 023 Fr. 415 437
Red.g. 000 001
Frame Number Red.g. 456 614

Now, standard arrangement:
on the inside of the frame end plate, right-hand aide
For export: on the inside of -the left front brake line clamp

3l May 55 -- Fr. 924 002
-- Fr. 261 290
Now: no longer punched-in

Mon Mar 01, 2010 5:27 pm

i checked my june 52 split and i could not find a serial number in the rear crossmember behind driver's seat. the metal is intact, nu messing and no welding .. floors are mint condition so i'm guessing original to the pan. should have been something there?
any opinions? :oops: