1969 El Camino Vehicle Identification Number Plate

 

 

1969 VIN Breakdown

Do not confuse the Vehicle Identification Number plate information with that found on the Fisher Body Number plate (trim tag). The series depiction on the VIN  plate does NOT have the meaning as the Fisher Body Number plate.

The Vehicle Identification Number plate (VIN) has similar information to the trim tag such as the model, year, and assembly plant. One difference is the last six numbers relating to the assembly plant sequence as opposed to the trim tag's Fisher Body sequence and the series will designate a 6-cyl (odd third digit) or V8 (even third digit) on the VIN plate where the 3rd digit on the trim tag does not.

A typical 1969 El Camino VIN might read: 136809K474276 being a Custom El Camino V8 assembled in Kansas City. MO. and is the 174,276th 1969 model year Chevelle sequenced at the Kansas City, MO. assembly plant.

The VIN plate is located on the forward part of the dash so the VIN plate could easily been seen through the windshield of the car. The VIN plate was riveted a special bracket with unique 'rosette' rivets.

See more VIN plate examples here

First Digit: Division of General Motors
1 - Chevrolet

Second and Third Digit: Series Designation
33 - El Camino 6-cylinder
34 - El Camino 8-cylinder
35 - Custom El Camino 6-cylinder
36 - Custom El Camino 8-cylinder

Fourth and Fifth Digit: Body Style/Model
80 - 2-door sedan pickup

Sixth Digit: Year of Production
9 - 1969

Seventh Character (Alpha or Numeric Designation): Final Assembly Plant
B ~ Baltimore, Maryland
Z ~ Fremont, California
K ~ Kansas City, Missouri

Eighth through Thirteenth Digits: Sequential Production Number
The sequential starting number for the 1969 Chevelle was 300001 at all Chevelle assembly plants. Each assembly plant sequenced Chevelles of all series/models without regard to specific series/models. For example, if a series 13435 station wagon followed a 13667 Malibu convertible, the sequence number would be one unit higher for the wagon. It's also entirely possible to have the same sequence number from all five 1969 U.S. assembly plants (six if you include Oshawa, Ontario) with the only difference between the VINs being the plant code.

Production at the Baltimore assembly plant in July and the Kansas City plant exceeded 100,000 units in February so the VIN sequence from those time frames to the end of production would be 4nnnnn for the Baltimore and Kansas City plants.

VIN plate location

Riveted to the underside of the dash the VIN plate was located on the front, top portion of the dash so it could be visible by looking through the windshield.