How to Decode Your 1967–1972 Chevy C10 VIN

Every C10 has a history, and one of the best places to start learning about yours is the vehicle identification number, better known as the VIN.

Maybe you've owned your truck for twenty years and never bothered to decode it. Maybe you just brought home a project and you're curious about what it originally came with. Or maybe you're looking at buying a C10 and want to make sure the numbers match the truck.

Whatever brought you here, knowing how to read your VIN can tell you quite a bit about your classic Chevrolet pickup.

Today we're looking at the 1967–1972 C10, Chevrolet's second-generation pickup. These are the trucks known for their classic body lines, unmistakable front ends and a following that continues more than fifty years later.

Where Is the VIN Located on a 1967–1972 C10?

Before we decode anything, we need to find the number.

On 1967–1972 Chevrolet pickups, the VIN is located on the identification plate attached to the driver's side door pillar.

The earlier trucks used a gross vehicle weight and serial-number plate. By 1970, Chevrolet was using a combination vehicle identification and rating plate.

If you're working with an older restoration or a truck that's been repainted several times, you might need to look closely to read the characters.

Once you've located the VIN, write it down exactly as it appears.

Original Chevrolet VIN identification plate from the Forever C10 owner's personal truck.

Understanding the C10 VIN

Here's where things get interesting.

Chevrolet used a combination of letters and numbers to identify the truck's original configuration. Those characters can tell you the chassis type, engine category, weight class, body type, model year, assembly plant and production sequence.

But there's something important to know before you begin.

The VIN format changed slightly for 1972.

From 1967 through 1971, Chevrolet pickups generally used a 12-character VIN. In 1972, Chevrolet added a manufacturer identification character at the beginning, bringing the total to 13 characters.

That extra letter is why a 1972 VIN looks a little different from one found on a 1969 or 1970 C10.

Let's Decode a 1972 Chevrolet C10

For our example, we're using this VIN:

CCS142F100043

Here's what each part tells us.

Put everything together, and this example identifies a 1972 Chevrolet half-ton, two-wheel-drive pickup originally equipped with a six-cylinder gasoline engine and assembled in Flint, Michigan.

The final six digits identify its position in the plant's VIN production sequence.

That's quite a bit of information from a few letters and numbers.

What About 1967–1971 C10 Trucks?

The earlier trucks use almost the same basic identification system, but without the extra manufacturer letter at the beginning.

For example, a 1970 Chevrolet C10 might carry a VIN such as:

CS140F100083

This identifies a conventional two-wheel-drive, half-ton Chevrolet pickup originally equipped with a six-cylinder gasoline engine, built for the 1970 model year at Flint, Michigan.

The important difference is that the first character on these earlier trucks identifies the chassis rather than the manufacturer.

Once you understand that change, reading the two VIN formats becomes much easier.

Can Your VIN Tell You Which Engine Came in Your C10?

Yes, but only to a point.

For the common Chevrolet pickup codes we're discussing, the engine designation identifies whether the truck originally came with a six-cylinder or V8 gasoline engine.

What it doesn't tell you by itself is the exact engine displacement.

And here's something else to remember. Just because the VIN identifies a six-cylinder truck doesn't mean there's still a six-cylinder under the hood.

Plenty of C10s have received engine swaps over the years. A truck that originally left the factory with a six-cylinder might be running a 350 small-block today.

That's why the VIN is useful when researching a truck's original configuration, especially if you're trying to restore it to factory specifications.

Does the VIN Tell You Everything About Your Truck?

Not quite.

Your VIN provides important identification information, but it isn't a complete record of every factory option.

It generally won't tell you whether your pickup originally had a particular trim package, interior color or every optional accessory.

For those details, original factory paperwork and identification labels can be especially valuable.

On many C10s from this period, the glove-box Service Parts Identification information provides additional details about the truck's equipment.

If yours still has its original label, it's worth preserving. 

Also remember that a glove-box door could have been replaced sometime during the truck's life. When verifying originality, the identification labels, vehicle paperwork and physical details should all be considered together.

What If the Numbers Don't Match?

If you're buying a classic C10, checking the VIN should be part of your inspection.

Make sure the number on the identification plate matches the vehicle's title and registration.

A difference doesn't automatically mean something dishonest happened. Older trucks can have complicated histories, and paperwork mistakes do occur.

But a mismatch is something you should investigate before buying.

The VIN is an important part of establishing the identity of the truck.

Wear Your C10's History

At Forever C10, we've always believed there's more to these trucks than what you see sitting in the driveway.

Every C10 has a story, and the factory identification number is part of it.

That's what inspired our Know Your VIN and Know Your Factory Specs T-shirt designs. They're built around the same identification details that help owners understand their classic pickups.

If you're someone who appreciates the history behind these trucks, check out our VIN-inspired designs at ForeverC10.com.

C10 Family, Have You Decoded Yours?

Here's something we'd like to hear from the C10 family.

Have you ever decoded your truck's VIN to see how it originally left the factory?

And if you have, did you discover anything surprising?

Maybe your truck started life with a six-cylinder and now has a big-block. Maybe it still carries its original engine and transmission. Or maybe you've built it into something completely different from what Chevrolet originally intended.

That's one of the things we love about the C10 community. Some owners are dedicated to factory originality, while others are building the truck they've always wanted.

Either way, knowing where your truck started makes its story that much more interesting.

FOREVER C10

Keeping the history and culture of 1960–1987 Chevrolet C10 trucks alive.