Can you tell build date by VIN number?

[327-C10]

I joined a day ago just so I could ask this quest. I recently bought a 1968 C-10 with the VIN number ending ...S180024. From that VIN number can you tell the month or month and date of production. I would like to replace the 307 (not original) with a date correct 327 block. Can anyone help with the date of truck production? or how to find it? Or how to read the VIN number?

Thanks in advance for your help.
327-C10

[EA69TRK]

heres the link to the vin decoder on the site i dont think it tells the month of prodcution tho. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/Chevyear.html

[Longhorn Man]

80,023 trucks came off St louis's assembly plant before yours. I would say summer time is when yours rolled off.
This sticker which probably isn't still on the drivers side door in the jamb, under the latch assembly, is the only real way to tell when it was built.
As you see, my one ton just had a birthday.

[Longhorn Man]

Also... welcome to the board... hope you stick around, or come up with more questions about your 68 anyways

[ChevLoRay]

I have had 2 trucks, both '69's, that were built in St. Louis. In 1969, all of the St. Louis trucks used the 8XXXXX sequence. Mine is the 12,417th one built....and there was a buttload of '69's.

[Rudy67chevy]

My 67 was built in St. Louis

[Longhorn Man]

the 8xxxxx number means the truck came off the second assembly line at said plant.

[327-C10]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

the 8xxxxx number means the truck came off the second assembly line at said plant.

Thanks for all the information. Now I'm wondering if that means my C-10 is the 24th one built for the 1968 model year???????

[2tons of fun]

does it have the original dash pad?



i found a d/m/y stickker on the under side of mine, seeing as they build about 3000 +/- a week.......

[sjarrett71]

I've been cleaning my frame and found an actual date stamped into the side of it behind the front driver's side cab mount. I'm sure that's the date the drame was manufactured though, and not the build date of the truck.

[burb71]

From the way I read your # you have a truck that was built early in the 1968 model year #24
Not 80024
Your truck will have been built in Aug of 1967

[327-C10]

Originally Posted by burb71

From the way I read your # you have a truck that was built early in the 1968 model year #24
Not 80024
Your truck will have been built in Aug of 1967

Wow that sound great. Now I'll start looking for a July casting date 327. I recently rebuilt a 1964 327 that I storked to 383 . It was a small journal block so I had to have the stroker crank turned for the small journals. What a beast.

[Longhorn Man]

if the last 6 of his vin is 180024... then how do we get it is #24?
The 1 means it was the first assembly line at that plant (orr only assembly line at that plant) and that leaves #80024 as the sequential number.

[factorystock]

I agree with Longhorn Man, out of the 680,000+ total trucks all plants during 1968, yours was the 80,024 built at that plant. The build date is on the build sheet paper that may or may not still be intact under seat springs.

[ChevLoRay]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

the 8xxxxx number means the truck came off the second assembly line at said plant.

I read that all of the trucks built at St. Louis in '69 had VIN's that start with the numeral "8" for the last 6 digits.

Didn't know there was a second ass'y line...

[Longhorn Man]

nope. Most ppl don't know about the 8xxxxx thing, but it is in the assembly manual and other factory documentation I have seen overr the years.

[burb71]

Hey let me back up, Longhorn man is right I totaly over looked the # "1" in the code. mid to late build

[327-C10]

Originally Posted by factorystock

I agree with Longhorn Man, out of the 680,000+ total trucks all plants during 1968, yours was the 80,024 built at that plant. The build date is on the build sheet paper that may or may not still be intact under seat springs.

Ok. Sounding more like a late issued C-10. You will have to excuse me I crossed over to C-10s from the "Dark Side". Thirty plus years of Corvette restoration. With Vettes it is very important that an engine and it parts have casting dates in advance of the build date. It sound like an engine transplant might not be as important a factor with a C-10.

I think I'll just pull the 307 (110 hp? I can't believe Chevy made it) three speed and replace it with stuff I already have. Looks like it will be getting a 1966 327/350 backed up by a 1969 M-21 4 speed. Although the 307 does not run bad, I could swap the heads with 461s, cam and a 1968 327/300 intake and carb set up. All of which I have.

Going to the mountains for the Holiday. I'll see if there are any new posts on Tuesday.

Once again thanks for all the posts.
327-C10

[Longhorn Man]

you'll enjoy the freedom you have when fixing up old trucks.
Even though there's a lot of guys here who think they should be left stock, they don't turn there back on you when you say you want to update to disk brakes, HEI, a better carb... and adding options is always welcome in these circles...
Corvettes are cool, but (some) of the people in thise circles are too crazy about chalk lines, paint daubs, and date coaded brake fluid.

[ChevLoRay]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

nope. Most ppl don't know about the 8xxxxx thing, but it is in the assembly manual and other factory documentation I have seen overr the years.

Thanks for the info. I had a '67 Impala and a '67 Firebird Sprint and knew that those bodies both started with their VIN's have a 1xxxxx as the final 6 digits. I appreciate the info.

[2tons of fun]

got to looking at the vin for my new 70.

both of my trucks were built in freemont, nearly one year apart.