I just recently bought a 1964 malibu SS. Is there any way from the vin or cowl that I can find out what type of engine was in the car? It is a 5837 car.

The rest of the plate

3C
STYLE64-5837 BODYVN7513
TRIM741 PAINT 959
ACC W 2KMS 3C

Originally posted by gchandler:
I just recently bought a 1964 malibu SS. Is there any way from the vin or cowl that I can find out what type of engine was in the car? It is a 5837 car.

The rest of the plate

3C
STYLE64-5837 BODYVN7513
TRIM741 PAINT 959
ACC W 2KMS 3C Only that it was a V8, a 6-cyl would be 5737.

3C ~ March, 3rd week
5837 ~ Malibu V8 SS sport coupe
VN ~ Van Nuys assembly
7513 ~ Fisher Body unit number
741 ~ Med. Metallic Blue Imitation Leather - buckets
959 ~ Two tone paint scheme. Lower Ermine White, upper Silver Blue.
ACC(essory options)
W ~ Tinted Windshield (only) (RPO A02)
2 ~ 2nd group
K ~ Air conditioning (RPO C60)
M ~ Powerglide transmission (RPO M35)
S ~ Rear antenna (RPO U73)
3 ~ 3rd group
C ~ Padded dash (RPO B70)

The VIN would read something like:
45837 ~ (196)4, V8 Malibu sport coupe
L ~ Van Nuys
1xxxxxx ~ sequence production number; 6 digits starting with number 100001.

If it 'appears' to have the original engine, there will be an ID code stamped on the pad in front of the passenger side head like T0319JD which would be Tonawanda, March 19, 283-2 w/PG. I have all the Chevelle engine ID codes, tag info, paint colors, interiors, etc. at my ChevelleStuff web site in my sig block.

Just an FYI, the 64 Chevelles had the year at the beginning of the VIN; ie, 45837L and the sequential build numbers. It changed in 65.

The 64 Reg. production Chevelle did not get the 327ci Eng. until later in the year. (3C ???)

It could have changed many times past 40 years, But the 195hp 283ci had single exhaust.
The 220hp 283ci had dual exhaust.
The 283ci had V emblems.
The 327ci had "V" with flags.

The 3C is stamped at the top just as shown in the text. I can send a picture if there is desire. As for the engine, it is not origional. It is a fairly built 355. The guy that I purchased the car from has it set up as a nostalgia style dragster.
Thanks for the help. I was struggling to figure out the paint codes as all the referance materiels that I have only go back to 1965.