How to Identify the Vehicle Indentification Number in a 1950 Chevy

One can learn a lot about a car through its specific vehicle identification number, commonly referred to as the VIN or VIN number. The VIN in modern cars is arranged according to a standard template, but older VINs have an arrangement specific to the manufacturer. Therefore, to decode a VIN in a 1950 Chevrolet, the Internet is a very useful resource.

• 1

  Locate the vehicle's identification number on the right side of the cowl under the hood, or on a plate attached to the rear face of the left-hand door-hinge pillar.

• 2

  Decode the first symbol, which is a number representing the plant where the vehicle was assembled. Oldride.com has a list of assembly plants for 1950 Chevys and their corresponding number.

• 3

  Decode the second and third symbols, which constitute a two-letter representation of the vehicle's model. For example, "HJ" represents all series 1500 vehicles, and "HU" represents all series 3900 vehicles. Oldride.com has a list of all 1950 Chevy model types and their corresponding two-letter symbols.

• 4

  Decode the fourth symbol, which is a letter representing the month in which the vehicle was assembled. Oldride.com has a list of which letter corresponds with each month.

• 5

  Decode the last symbols in the VIN, which represent the vehicle's specific production sequence number. Each series was separately numbered, all beginning with the number 1001.