Team Chevelle

Facts and Figures for 1966

Decoding VIN Numbers

Vehical Identification Numbers are unique to each car and describe the manufacturer, body style, engine and production number. Check for your number on the post next to the door hinge on the drivers side, compare this with your registration to make sure they match. Then Decode as follows:

1966 Chevelles have 12 numbers in the VIN, and one Letter (identifies manufacturers plant)(number in Canada)

For Example: 138676B139275 decodes this way. 1 / 38 / 67 / 6 / B / 139275

  • First Letter indicates manufacturer, 1 indicates Chevrolet, this is all you will ever find here.
  • The next two letters are the series designation, 38 is for Super Sport.
  • The next pair indicates the body style, 67 is for Convertible.
  • The following number is easy, it is the year manufactured, in this case 6 is for 1966.
  • Now the letter code is for where the car was built, B is for Baltimore, Maryland.
  • The last six letters are for the unit number, all these start with the number 1, this is the 39,275th model built.

    • Here is the complete VIN identification list

    1 indicates Chevrolet. Thats all there is to this one.

    Second and Third numbers indicate series: 

    31	Chevelle 300 series or El Camino		6 Cylinder
32	Chevelle 300 series or El Camino		8 Cylinder
33	Chevelle 300 Deluxe, El Camino or Wagon		6 Cylinder
34	Chevelle 300 Deluxe, El Camino or Wagon		8 Cylinder
35	Malibu, Custom El Camino or Wagon		6 Cylinder
36	Malibu, Custom El Camino or Wagon		8 Cylinder
38	SS 396						8 Cylinder

    These numbers are also located on the Cowl Tag. 

    Fourth and Fifth numbers indicate body style:
11	2 door Sedan
17	2 door sport coupe
35	4 door station wagon, 6 passenger
37	2 door sport coupe
39	4 door sport sedan
67	2 door convertible
69	4 door sedan
80	El Camino

    . These numbers are also located on the Cowl Tag. 

    The Sixth number is the model year, no explanation needed.

    The letter code refers to the manufacturers plant. 

    A	Atlanta/Lakewood, Georgia
B	Baltimore, Maryland
F	Flint, Michigan
G	Framingham, Massachusetts
K	Kansas City, Missouri
L	Los Angeles, California
R	Arlington, Texas
Z	Fremont, California

    If you have a three letter code, (usually found on the Cowl Tag) then decode this way: 

    ATL	Atlanta
BAL	Baltimore
FRA	Framingham
BF	Fremont
BK	Kansas City
Kan	Kansas City
FL	 Flint

    If you have a number instead of a letter here, your car is a Canadian, Eh?:

    1 Oshawa, Ontario
    2 St. Therese, Quebec

    The last series of numbers is the sequential production number (or unit number if you will), these all start with the number 1. The remaining numbers indicate the unit number for your particular car. The only thing interesting about these numbers is a low number like 100020 means your car was one of the first off the line, this example being the 20th one built at that particular factory.

    Beam me UP!

    Engine Codes for 1966

    Engine codes consist of a group of letters and numbers stamped into the engine casing:

    Six cylinder numbers are located on a pad behind the distributor.

    Eight cylinder numbers are on a pad at the right front side of the engine block (follow the fuel line 1/2 way down).

    These codes are stamped into the engine block when the engine was built, and designate what car the engine was destined for. There should be a serial number stamped alongside the engine code that will match your VIN.

    Note: 1966 engines may not have the serial number stamping on them and all Canadian cars I have seen do not have a VIN stamped into this pad.

    For example: T0226ED decodes this way, T / 02 / 26 / EV

  • The first letter is for the manufacturers plant, in this case T is for Tonawanda...all 396s were built here.
  • The next pair of numbers is for the month manufactured, 02 would be February.
  • The second set of numbers is for the day of the month, 26 is simply the 26th day.

    • The last two letters are the fun ones, they tell what the engine was for, ED is a 396-325Hp, 3 or 4 spd.

    Own a big block? Be sure to check the actual casting numbers on these various engine parts.

    Distributors, Alternators and Starters have numbers too!

    There is one other valuable code on the block and that is the date casting number, on small blocks look on the right rear of the engine, behind and below the distributor. Big blocks are on the center right side of the engine block, just above the oil pan.

    They decode like this, B 26 6 would be:

  • B is the month, in this example, February.
  • 26 is the day of the month, this being the twenty sixth.
  • 6 is the year of manufacture, 1966.

    • This date casting number should be checked with the stamped engine number. The date on the stamping should be within a few weeks after the casting number. This is one of the best ways to tell a re-stamped engine, as quite often the re-stamped engine says that it was "built" months before the block was even cast.

    Here is the complete list: 

    T	Tonawanda 
F	Flint
V	Flint 327 engine
K	McKinnon Industries, Canada
S	Saginaw Service

    01-12 Is the corresponding month of the year, it is OK to use your fingers and toes.

    01-31 Is the corresponding day of the month, it is OK to use your fingers, toes, and any available digits.
    Beam me UP!

    Casting Numbers for '66 396 Engines

    These are the numbers that are cast right into the part when it was made, not stamped on afterwards. 

    3855961	Engine block for 325-360- and late production 375 Hp 
3855962	Engine block for 375 Hp. thanks Mr. Bill
3902406	Engine block for '67.... late production 66... 
3827702	Oval port cylinder heads.
3883984	Intake manifold for Rochester carb, 325 Hp.
3873858	Rectangular port cylinder heads, 375 Hp.
3866948	Intake manifold for Holley carb, 360 Hp.
3855069	Intake manifold, Aluminum high performance for Holley carb, 375 Hp.
3883999	Exhaust manifold-left, all Hp.
3868874	Exhaust manifold-right, all Hp.

    Distributors

    These are date coded real simple.You will find the numbers stamped on the ring at the top of the distributor. They decode like this: The first digit is the year, the second is the month A=january, B=february etc....note: there is no I in this list so September is a J. The third and fourth numbers indicate the day of the month. 

    1110388	194 cid
1110362	230 cid
1111150	283
1111249	327
1111116	327 w/smog
1111137	396-325hp w/transistor ignition
1111109	396-325hp
1111139	396-360hp w/transistor ignition
1111499	396-360hp
1111074	396-375hp w/transistor ignition
1111100	396-375hp

    Alternators

    These are date coded the same as Distributors. 

    1100693	37 amps, base model 
1100696	42 amps, optional 
1100750	61 amps, with Air Conditioning.
1117765	62 amps, optional.

    Starter

    These are date coded the same as Distributors. 

    ?		283 Engines.
?		327 Engines.
1107365	396-375hp Engine.

    De-Coding Cowl Tags

    US and Canadian Cowl Tags vary slightly, but they are both located on the firewall just above the windshield wiper motor, these are held in place by special open holed rivets.

    1. This is the date code for when the vehicle was built. The day of the year.
      This is in a lower location on Canadian Cars.
    2. The model year of the car, (1967 in this example).
    3. This is the division series, and decodes the same as for the VIN.
    4. Location 4 is for the body style and again this decodes the same as for the VIN.
    5. This is the manufacturing plant where your Chevelle was built.
    6. Here is the unit number for your car, this is how the factory tracked it through production.
    7. The trim number for your interior.
    8. The seat type installed.
    9. Body Colour, lower first and then upper.
    10. Installed Options, (usually only on Canadian models) these are decoded under the Option List.
    1966