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Vehicle Identification
How to read your M-Code and Chassis plates
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Beginning in October, 1958 a vehicle id plate was
placed behind the right-hand front seat. This plate can tell you the exact date of
manufacture of your vehicle, factory options, export destination, paint and upholstery
colors, and model number and layout.
Before October, 1958, there was no M-code plate but a body number was stamped behind the front seat. Although the body numbers are sequential, it is basically useless. To find out more information on your early Bus, you need to request a VW Birth Certificate Chassis plates |
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| VIN stamping locations The VIN number was also stamped into the body. First, in the area over the transmission cradle, then underneath the VIN tag in the engine compartment and finally, in May 1959 at VIN 469447, the VIN stamping was moved to the area beside the battery tray. See below for stamped in VIN locations over the years |
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 1954 |
 1957 Buses |
 Early Trucks |
 1963 |
 1967 |
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M-code Plates
The M-Code plate is most commonly in this
format:
| DD M Y Date of manufacture in day/month/year format - year was removed in mid-1963 and placed as the first digit of the VIN # beginning for the 1965 model year.* Month is 1-9 for Jan. - Sept., then O, N, D for Oct, Nov., and Dec. respectively. |
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| XXX XXX XXX XXX M-Codes - optional extras |
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| XX Export Destination (missing for German-delivered vehicles) |
XXXY Model Number/Paint finish |
XXYYZZ Lower Color/Upper Color/Upholstery |
XXXXXXX VIN Number ** |
| Example | |||
| 07 2 Bus manufactured February 7th |
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| 425 002 025 114 425 = Seat belts and mounting points 002 = Unknown 025 = 6 pop-outs and US bumpers 114 = 6 opening side windows |
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| UA Los Angeles, CA |
2412 241 = Deluxe Bus, 9-seats, Left-hand drive 2 = Paint finish - Nitro-lacquer finish |
424271 42 = Lotus White lower paint 42 = Lotus White upper paint 71 = Aero Baltic |
6101003 6 = 1966 101003 = VIN # |
Chassis plates
| VOLKSWAGENWERK AG MADE IN GERMANY |
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| Typ: XX 2-digit model type |
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| Heizg. Typ 2/255A Pruiz ~~~S45 This line refers to the heating system and its conformance with German laws Heizg. is the German abbreviation for Heizger�t (Heating Device) Type 2/255A is the heater system type The ~~~ symbols are the German equivalent of the road certification test Pruiz, an abbreviation for Prufzeichen, refers to the certificate type. S45 is the certificate number. |
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| Fahrgest.-Nr.
XXXXXXXXX is the chassis or VIN Number |
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| Zul. Gesamtgew. kg. 2070 Maximum gross weight of the vehicle |
Baujahr Build year (does not commonly appear after 1954) |
| Zul. Achslast vorn kg. 950 Maximum axle weight - front |
hinten kg 1150 Maximum axle weight - rear |
| * Meaning some Buses in 1963 and 1964 have no
year on the M-code plate ** VIN #: Beginning for the 1965 model year the VIN #s are prefixed by the model and year (Example 215 for a '65 Panel) but the VIN # on the M-code plate only includes the year and production number (Example: 5045066). To get the full VIN #, you must add the 2-character model prefix. Full example: A '65 Panel might have a VIN of 215045066 while the M-code plate only states 5045066. Refer to other VIN locations mentioned above for the full VIN #. |
