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Tue Oct 29, 2002 7:21 pm

I confused. Everywhere I search for VIN info, they talk about M-plates. I have had later buses and know what the m-plate is but I have what I thought was a 60 model 15 window. I assumed the 3rd digit was the year. I resently realize VW didn't number them that way on the early vehicals. My problem is there is not a plate behind the front seat. There are the numbers 350613 stamped into the sheetmetal behind the right side front seat. Yet the plate in the engine compartment for chassis number reads 378049. I'm fairly sure the plate is original because the "made in western germany" tag is overlapping it and the type code is vw2/24 for a deluxe. What is the stamped number that is behind the front seat? If I go by the chassis # on the plate, the bus is a 58. Am I wrong?

Tue Oct 29, 2002 7:53 pm

either way, my book shows it as a 58

Tue Oct 29, 2002 8:20 pm

the number on the front seat bench is the body number. it has no purpose but to confuse you.

the number in the engine compartment is the chassis number/vin number whatever you would like to call it.

the last bus recorded to be built in august of 58 has body number 351608 and chassis number 379407.

hope that helps.

Tue Oct 29, 2002 9:24 pm

lind,
you state 'the number on the front seat bench is the body number. it has no purpose but to confuse you.' and so i am. i own a 59 deluxe built Nov. 12 '58 (12118, vin 409568) but my vin on the plate behind the front bench matches the one stamped into my engine compartment. shouldn't they all match, that is: unless the bus was cobbled together at some point in time? please clue me in.
-mark

Tue Oct 29, 2002 11:06 pm

early busses do not have vin plates behind the front seat, as mentioned. they just have a body number stamped in the bulkhead, also as mentioned. if your bus has a vin plate, it won't have a body number stamped in the bulkhead, and vice-versa. the body numbers do not match the vin number. why? dunno. vw internal reality. granted there have to be some "restored" busses with different bulkheads of different years in them to add to the possible confusion.
also, the "third digit being the year" didn't start until 65.

Wed Oct 30, 2002 12:22 am

maybe I should have been a little clearer on that. I was refering to the posted question and that bus specifically.

if you have any questions on paint plates, I would be happy to share any info that I have. I have been researching them for almost ten years now.

the body number stamped into the bulkhead ended sometime after chassis number 398980 (body number 362463) and before chassis number 401079 which is the earliest paint plate that I have seen. if anyone else knows of any buses built in between these two numbers, I would be interested to get the numbers to narrow it down as to what day the pain plates showed up. I have it down to the second week of october 1958.

Mon Nov 04, 2002 3:28 pm

Thanks Guys. 58 it is the number is actually 378649. I thought it was a 60 because the body # is 350613 hince the third digit being "0" for 60. Anyway I'm happy to learn it is older.