TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sun Apr 15, 2018 8:12 pm

Greetings Everyone,

I just purchased a 1974 beetle. I am trying to figure out how to read the vin number. When I looked at TheSamba, I can't find what I am looking. So I Googled what I was trying to find. The only thing that I came up with is it made in 1974 and it is a super beetle. So how can I find a website or something to figure out the rest of the vin number?

Sun Apr 15, 2018 8:28 pm

Look under technical/vin chassis numbers above usually the number is stamped on the case just below the generator/alternator stand: Some aftermarket cases did not have numbers.
This AH case was from a 1974 and it had a Motorola Alternator on it:

Sun Apr 15, 2018 8:45 pm

Um I have to disagree with Dan. The Vin Vehicle Identification Number is stamped on the tunnel, should be in the front left windshield and on the drivers door post. The engine number in the vehicle may not be what came from the factory.
On the front of the trunk lip right hand aka passenger side of the vehicle is another tag riveted to the car. Its called the production plate. Decoding it will tell you the week and day it came down the line... Look here

http://www.hallvw.clara.net/dating.htm

Sun Apr 15, 2018 8:50 pm

Yeah your right, I had case numbers on my mind!

Sun Apr 15, 2018 9:09 pm

Thrown under the bus wrote: Greetings Everyone,

I just purchased a 1974 beetle. I am trying to figure out how to read the vin number. When I looked at TheSamba, I can't find what I am looking. So I Googled what I was trying to find. The only thing that I came up with is it made in 1974 and it is a super beetle. So how can I find a website or something to figure out the rest of the vin number?

Look at this webpage for details on the super beetle VIN numbers;

http://www.superbeetles.com/chassis.htm

The year of manufacture and the model (super beetle in this case) are the ONLY information encoded in the VIN number - the rest of the number is a sequential serial number assigned by VW. You may be able to find information narrowing the serial number down to a specific month, but that isn't encoded into the VIN number itself. These cars were made well before the development of the modern standardized VIN number system.

Mon Apr 16, 2018 10:29 am

The chassis/VIN number on a Beetle doesn't tell you much. It tells you the model, the model year, and the sequential production number and that's about it.

Mon Apr 16, 2018 10:45 am

This site will give you a birth date

http://www.inerd.it/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=21&Itemid=32

Rick

Mon Apr 16, 2018 11:32 am

David_nc_72std wrote: The year of manufacture and the model (super beetle in this case) are the ONLY information encoded in the VIN number - the rest of the number is a sequential serial number assigned by VW. You may be able to find information narrowing the serial number down to a specific month, but that isn't encoded into the VIN number itself. These cars were made well before the development of the modern standardized VIN number system.
The OP is probably thinking about the 1981-later 17-digit VINs. These encode much more standard info about the car as it left the factory.

Since the last VW Germany-built classic Beetle last rolled off the assembly line in the late 70's ('79?) they didn't benefit from the 1981 17-digit VINs. Pre'81 cars did not have as much info and there was no single VIN standard across the industry.

Tue Apr 17, 2018 6:37 am

Just a personal thing but it drives me nuts anyway.

VIN number = vehicle identification number number

Obviously the second "number" is not needed.

Sorry but it's one small unimportant thing that "bugs" me.

Steven

Tue Apr 17, 2018 8:37 am

why do you think it's not needed?

Tue Apr 17, 2018 6:17 pm

mark tucker wrote: why do you think it's not needed?

Tell me your PIN number, then I'll let you know

Tue Apr 17, 2018 6:26 pm

why don't we discuss it over some pizza pie?

Tue Apr 17, 2018 8:41 pm

Thank you everyone taking the time to answer my question.