1965 Chevelle Vehicle Identification Number Plate
United States
1965 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 1965 El Camino VIN might read: 138805Z111376 being a Malibu V8 2-door sedan pickup assembled in Fremont, CA.; DD was initially to be used by dealers for "Delivery Date" but few were stamped. The VIN plate was riveted to the A-pillar on the driver side with unique 'rosette' rivets.
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 - Deluxe El Camino 6-cylinder
36 - Deluxe El
Camino 8-cylinder
Fourth and Fifth Digit: Body Style/Model
80 -
2-door sedan pickup
Sixth Digit: Year of Production
5 - 1965
Seventh Character (Alpha Designation):
Final Assembly Plant
A ~ Atlanta, Georgia
B ~ Baltimore, Maryland
Z ~ Fremont, California
K ~ Kansas City, Missouri
Eighth through Thirteenth Digits: Sequential Production
Number
The sequential
starting number for the 1965 Chevelle
was 100001 at all U.S. 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 1965 U.S. assembly plants with the only difference
between the VINs being the plant code.
Production at the Kansas City plant exceeded 100,000 units sometime in mid to late June so the VIN sequence from that time frame to the end of production would be 2nnnnn for the Kansas City plant.
VIN plate location
Although this photo is a 1967 Chevelle, this is the location for 1964 through 1967 VIN plates; 1964 VIN plates were spot welded where 1965 through 1972 VIN plates used special rivets.
