1970 El Camino Vehicle Identification Number Plate

 

 

1970 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 1970 Chevelle VIN might read: 136800B164799 being a Custom El Camino V8 assembled in Baltimore, MD. and is the 64,799th 1970 model year Chevelle sequenced at the Baltimore, MD. 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
0 - 1970

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

Eighth through Thirteenth Digits: Sequential Production Number
The sequential starting number for the 1970 Chevelle was 100001 at most Chevelle assembly plants with Arlington and Oshawa being the exceptions. Arlington started Chevelle numbering at 200001, and Oshawa, Ontario started Chevelle numbering at 500001. Each assembly plant sequenced Chevelles of all series/models without regard to specific series/models. For example, if a series 13480 El Camino followed a 13667 Malibu convertible, the sequence number would be one unit higher for the El Camino. It's also entirely possible to have the same sequence number from four 1970 U.S. assembly plants (Atlanta, Baltimore, Flint, and Kansas City) with the only difference between the VINs being the plant code.

Production at the Baltimore assembly plant in early June, the Kansas City plant exceeded 100,000 units sometime in early May, and the Van Nuys plant exceeded 100,000 units sometime in mid to late June so the VIN sequence from those time frames to the end of production would be 2nnnnn for the Baltimore, Kansas City, and Van Nuys plants and those last sequence numbers could also match some from Arlington since their sequence numbers started with 200001.

VIN plate location

These photos are of 1970 Chevelles, the location is the same for 1968 through 1972 VIN plates; 1965 through 1972 VIN plates used special rivets. Note the two different styles of riveting done.