VW Chassis Numbers
What is a Chassis Number and why does it matter?
Fundamentally, a VW chassis number is your Vehicle’s Identification Number. But, more important to a VW enthusiast is that knowing the number(s) of your vehicle will enable you to correctly identify the production year (and sometimes month) of your car which, in turn, enables you to deduce what parts, options, features, and modifications are appropriate for it. VW used to introduce improvements into their cars when they were ready, and didn’t wait until the next “model year” to implement them. For example, early 1973 Beetles and Supers had a generator and fuel pump (and pushrod) that was DIFFERENT from the mid 73′ and newer cars (alternator equipped).
The chassis number is typically located in more than one place on VWs, and those locations may change depending on the production year. One of the ways that Type 1 VW’s are unique from the unibody vehicles of today is that the body and chassis were separate and interchangeable components. Over the years, for a variety of reasons, many bodies were been removed and remounted on newer or older chassis. It is useful (and recommended) to compare the body and chassis numbers of a VW before buying it, in order to know if you are getting an original pan/body combination (if that matters to you), or a vehicle that has been diassembled and restored/changed in the years since it was originally produced at the factory. Although there are legitimate reasons for a VW to have different body versus chassis numbers, non-matching body and chassis numbers can also be a red flag for a stolen vehicle. You will want to have the DMV check both numbers before purchasing one. (Better safe than sorry!) You need to be certain to check ALL of the ID number locations on a vehicle in order to know exactly what you are getting (or have acquired).
TYPE 1 (Beetle, SuperBeetle, Ghia, Thing) CHASSIS NUMBERS
Possible Chassis Number Locations on a Type 1:
Under the back seat, stamped on the floor pan just forward of the transmission linkage access cover
On the chassis identification plate (a silver aluminum plate riveted in the trunk, near the spare tire).
On the vehicle ID plate fastened to the dash near the windshield on the driver’s side (vehicles made after January 1, 1969).
YEAR
|
Beetle
(German *asterisk |
SuperBeetle
(German |
Ghia
(Worldwide |
Thing
(Mexican Production) |
1940 | 1-000 01 | |||
1946 | 1-053 814 | |||
1947 | 1-063 796 | |||
1948 | 1-072 743 * | |||
1949 | 1-091 921 * | |||
1950 | 1-138 554 * | |||
1951 | 1-220 829 * | |||
1952 | 1-313 829 * | |||
1953 | 1-397 023 * | |||
1954 | 1-575 415 * | |||
1955 | 1-781 884 * | |||
1956 | 1 929 746 * | 929746 | ||
1957 | 1 394 119 * | 1060929 | ||
1958 | 1 160 440 * | 1600 440 | ||
1959 | 1 774 680 * | 1774 680 | ||
1960 | 2 528 668 * | 2528 668 | ||
1961 | 3 192 507 * | 3192 507 | ||
1962 | 4 010 995 * | 4010 995 | ||
1963 | 4 846 835 * | 4846 836 | ||
1964 | 5 677 119 * | 5677 119 | ||
1965 | 115 000 001 * | 145 000 001 | ||
1966 | 116 000 001 * | 146 000 001 | ||
1967 | 117 000 001 * | 147 000 001 | ||
1968 | 118 000 001 * | 148 000 001 | ||
1969 | 119 000 001 * | 149 000 001 | ||
1970 | 110 2000 001 * | 140 2000 001 | ||
1971 | 111 2000 001 | 111 2000 001 | 141 2000 001 | |
1972 | 112 3200 000 | 112 2000 001 | 142 2000 001 | |
1973 | 113 2000 001 | 133 2000 001 | 143 2000 001 | 183 2000 001 |
1974 | 114 2000 001 | 134 2000 001 | 144 2000 001 | 184 2000 001 |
1975 | 115 2000 001 | 135 2000 001 | ||
1976 | 116 2000 001 | 156 2000 001 | ||
1977 | 117 2000 001 | 157 2000 001 | ||
1978 | 118 2000 001 | 158 2000 001 | ||
1979 | 159 2000 001 |
TYPE 2 (Early Bus, Late Bus, Vanagon)
Possible Chassis Number Locations
|
YEAR
|
Early Bus (German |
Late Bus (German |
Vanagon
(Worldwide |
1950 | 0001 | ||
1951 | 8113 | ||
1952 | 20-035 112 | ||
1953 | 20-047 102 | ||
1954 | 20-069 409 | ||
1955 | 20-117 902 | ||
1956 | 20-160 716 | ||
1957 | 223 217 | ||
1958 | 315 209 | ||
1959 | 374 811 | ||
1960 | 469 506 | ||
1961 | 614 456 | ||
1962 | 802 986 | ||
1963 | 971 550 | ||
1964 | 114 4282 | ||
1965 | 215 000 001 | ||
1966 | 216 000 001 | ||
1967 | 217 000 001 | ||
1968 | 218 000 001 | ||
1969 | 219 000 001 | ||
1970 | 210 2000 001 | ||
1971 | 211 2000 001 | ||
1972 | 212 2000 001 | ||
1973 | 213 2000 001 | ||
1974 | 214 2000 001 | ||
1975 | 215 2000 001 | ||
1976 | 216 2000 001 | ||
1977 | 217 2000 001 | ||
1978 | 218 2000 001 | ||
1979 | 219 2000 001 | ||
1980 | 24A 00000 001 | ||
1981 | 24B 000 001 | ||
1982 | 24C 000 001 | ||
1983 | 24D 000 001 |
TYPE 3 (Fastback, Notchback, Squareback)
Possible Chassis Number Locations
|
YEAR
|
Type 3 (Worldwide |
1961 | 000 001 |
1962 | 011 041 |
1963 | 066 740 |
1964 | 221 975 |
1965 | 315 000 001 |
1966 | 316 000 001 |
1967 | 317 000 001 |
1968 | 318 000 001 |
1969 | 319 000 001 |
1970 | 310 2000 001 |
1971 | 311 2000 001 |
1972 | 312 2000 001 |
B>1973 | 313 2000 001 |
1974 | 314 2000 001 |
VW ENGINE INFORMATION and ENGINE CASE NUMBERS | ||
What engine was “original” for your car? Research ongoing — more to come! |