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Classic Pickups · 1960s – 1980 · Chevy · GMC · Ford · Dodge

Decode a classic truck VIN — Chevy C/K, Ford F-Series, Dodge D-Series in one place.

Decode a

C10 Short-Bed

the way the factory built it.

1967-72 Chevy C10. Square-body C/K. Dentside Ford F-100 (1973-79). Bronco. Dodge Power Wagon. Ramcharger. Every classic pickup carried a make-specific VIN — here is the position-by-position breakdown for each of the big three.

17-character VIN? Check it free
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Pre-1981 VIN (11 or 13 characters)? The check above only accepts 17-character VINs — the 1981+ federal standard. Read the position tables below to decode your classic VIN by hand.
0 makes
Chevy/GMC + Ford + Dodge
0+ yrs
Coverage 1960s to 1980
0+
US truck assembly plants
0 frames
1/2, 3/4, 1-ton, 4x4
Why a classic VIN decodes differently

The 17-character VIN did not exist yet

Classic-truck searches rarely narrow to a single make — most people are cross-shopping a 1967-72 Chevy C10 against a 1973-79 Ford F-100 dentside against a Dodge D-series or a first-gen Ramcharger. This page covers all three big-three pickup families with their year-appropriate VIN conventions. Chevrolet and GMC pickups (1967-1980) use a compact truck-specific VIN with a series-body-engine-year-plant convention that differs from the passenger-car GM format. Ford F-series pickups (1961-1979) use an 11-character VIN structurally similar to the passenger-car Ford format but with truck-specific body codes. Dodge D-series pickups (1968-1980) share the 13-character Chrysler convention. Below are the position tables for each family, followed by the archives and registries you use to confirm a real short-bed, a real K5 Blazer with the removable top, or an original Power Wagon.

Position-by-position VIN decode

Read your VIN one character at a time

Different eras used slightly different conventions — the tables below cover each. Match your car's model year to the correct era, then read left to right.

1967-1972 Chevy C/K / GMC 1500 pickup

12-character VIN
CE147S1000011967 Chevrolet C10 Fleetside short-bed, St. Louis plant
PositionMeaningExample
1Chassis typeC
2Engine familyE
3-4Series (GVW range)14
5Body/cab style7
6Model year7
7Assembly plantS
8-12Sequential unit number100001
Pos 1: C=Conventional cab, 2WD · K=Conventional cab, 4WD (K10/K20) · P=Forward Control · S=Suburban
Pos 2: S=6-cylinder (250 L6) · E=V8 (small-block 283/307/327/350) · F=V8 (big-block 396/402)
Pos 3-4: 10=1/2-ton (C10/K10) · 20=3/4-ton (C20/K20) · 30=1-ton (C30) · 15=Blazer (from 1969)
Pos 5: 7=pickup (both stepside and fleetside) · 8=Suburban · 9=Blazer / Jimmy (from 1969)
Pos 6: 7=1967 · 8=1968 · 9=1969 · 0=1970 · 1=1971 · 2=1972
Pos 7: S=St. Louis MO · K=Kansas City KS · Z=Fremont CA · B=Baltimore MD · F=Flint MI · J=Janesville WI
Pos 8-12: Starts at 100001 each model year at each plant.

Notes: The Chevy/GMC pickup VIN through 1972 is TWELVE characters, not the 13 of the passenger cars. Engine code sits in position 2 (S/E/F for 6-cyl / small-block / big-block) but does NOT identify the specific displacement — a 307, 327, or 350 all show as E. The specific engine is confirmed by the block casting number, the block partial-VIN stamping, and — where present — the SPID (Service Parts ID) tag riveted to the glove box. Short-bed Fleetside 1967-72 C10s command the highest premium; the VIN alone confirms C10, but the short-bed vs long-bed identification requires physical measurement or the original build documentation.

1973-1980 square-body Chevy C/K / GMC (Rounded Line)

13-character VIN
CCL144S1000011974 Chevrolet C10 Custom Deluxe, St. Louis plant, 350 V8
PositionMeaningExample
1ManufacturerC
2Chassis typeC
3EngineL
4GVW class1
5Body style4
6Model year4
7Assembly plantS
8-13Sequential unit number100001
Pos 1: C=Chevrolet · T=GMC (GMC-badged trucks use T even though sharing the platform)
Pos 2: C=Conventional cab 2WD · K=Conventional cab 4WD · P=Forward Control
Pos 3: D=250 L6 · L=350 V8 4V · U=454 V8 (big-block, 3/4-ton and up) · Y=305 V8 · R=350 diesel Oldsmobile (from 1978) · V=379 diesel Detroit
Pos 4: 1=1/2-ton (10-series) · 2=3/4-ton (20-series) · 3=1-ton (30-series)
Pos 5: 4=Fleetside pickup · 3=Stepside pickup · 6=Suburban · 8=Blazer / Jimmy · 9=chassis cab
Pos 6: 3=1973 · 4=1974 · 5=1975 · 6=1976 · 7=1977 · 8=1978 · 9=1979 · A=1980
Pos 7: S=St. Louis · Z=Fremont · J=Janesville · F=Flint · K=Kansas City · N=Norwood

Notes: The square-body VIN adds a character to hit 13. Position 3 (engine code) is now IN the VIN, unlike the 1967-72 convention. That is what lets you confirm from the VIN alone whether a 1978 K5 Blazer is a 350 4V (L) or a big-block 454 (U). Big-block VIN codes are rare in 1/2-ton pickups (Chevrolet did not typically sell 454s below 3/4-ton for retail); a 1/2-ton VIN claiming U is worth double-checking against the block casting and RPO code documentation.

1961-1979 Ford F-Series pickup (F-100 / F-150 / F-250)

11-character VIN
F14GRC123451973 Ford F-100 Custom, Kansas City plant, 302 V8
PositionMeaningExample
1-3Model + GVWF14
4Model yearG
5Assembly plantR
6Engine codeC
7-11Sequential unit number12345
Pos 1-3: F10=F-100 1/2-ton · F15=F-150 1/2-ton (from 1975) · F14=F-100 short-wheelbase style through mid-70s · F25=F-250 3/4-ton · F35=F-350 1-ton · U15=Bronco (1966-77)
Pos 4: 1961-1979 uses a year letter/digit that changes by year (a lookup table by year — G for some years, N for others; earlier years use the last digit of the year). Refer to a year-specific Ford truck decoder.
Pos 5: R=San Jose CA · A=Atlanta GA · B=Oakville Ontario · E=Mahwah NJ · F=Dearborn MI · G=Chicago (some years) · H=Lorain OH · N=Norfolk VA · S=St. Louis · U=Louisville KY · Y=Wayne MI
Pos 6: C=240 L6 · F=302 V8 · G=250 L6 · H=351 V8 · N=360 V8 · P=390 V8 · R=460 V8 (Super Duty from 1974) · Y=200 L6
Pos 7-11: Sequential per plant per year.

Notes: The dentside Ford F-Series (1973-1979) is the collector-favorite era. Position 6 (engine code) is what tells you from the VIN whether a 1978 F-150 has the base 300 six or the 460 V8 — a substantial difference in value on Highboy 4x4 configurations. Bronco (1966-1977) uses the U15 body code — U15GR-format VINs identify the classic Bronco, distinct from later full-size Broncos. The Marti Report (which covers Ford Motor Company production records) covers 1967+ Ford trucks the same way it covers Fords passenger cars; a Marti Report on a claimed Ranger XLT big-block Highboy is standard-of-care due diligence.

1968-1980 Dodge D-Series / Power Wagon / Ramcharger

13-character VIN
D14BE8B1234561978 Dodge D100 Adventurer, Hamtramck plant, 318 V8
PositionMeaningExample
1Truck lineD
2-3GVW class14
4BodyB
5Engine codeE
6Model year8
7Assembly plantB
8-13Sequential production number123456
Pos 1: D=Dodge pickup 2WD (D100/D200/D300) · W=4WD Power Wagon (W100/W200) · AW=Ramcharger 4WD · AD=Ramcharger 2WD (1974-80) · B=van (B100/B200)
Pos 2-3: 1x=1/2-ton (D100/W100) · 2x=3/4-ton (D200/W200) · 3x=1-ton (D300)
Pos 4: B=conventional cab · S=Sweptline (Utiline stepside) · V=Ramcharger utility (from 1974)
Pos 5: B=225 slant-six · E=318 2V · G=360 2V · H=360 4V · K=400 4V · T=440 4V (rare in pickup applications, more common in medium-duty trucks)
Pos 6: 8=1968 · 9=1969 · 0=1970 · 1=1971 · 2=1972 · 3=1973 · 4=1974 · 5=1975 · 6=1976 · 7=1977 · 8=1978 · 9=1979 · 0=1980
Pos 7: B=Hamtramck · A=Warren MI (truck plant) · G=St. Louis · V=Fenton MO

Notes: The 1969-1971 Dodge Little Red Express Truck / Warlock / Macho Power Wagon nameplates carry the standard D-series VIN and are option packages on top of the base D100 or W150. Authenticating one requires the fender-tag sales code (M91 for the Adventurer package, N88 for the Warlock, etc.) plus the color and trim codes. Ramcharger (from 1974) is the SUV variant of the W-series; AW100/AW150 VIN prefixes.

Reading it like an authenticator

What the position tables don't tell you

Short-bed vs long-bed is NOT in the VIN

On 1967-72 Chevy C10s, position 5 in the VIN reads 7 for pickup — but does not distinguish short-bed from long-bed. That distinction is confirmed by measurement (short-bed is 6.5 ft, long-bed is 8 ft) and by the wheelbase on the SPID tag. Because short-bed C10s carry a substantial premium, this is the most-commonly-misrepresented detail on classic-Chevy pickup listings.

Big-block truck VINs are worth confirming

Big-block V8s (396/402 through 1972, 454 from 1973) are rare in 1/2-ton pickup applications. A 1/2-ton pickup VIN claiming a big-block should be cross-checked against the block casting number and the SPID tag RPO codes. Aftermarket big-block swaps into short-bed C10s are common and legitimate — but the VIN engine code and the block casting will not match.

4WD vs 2WD is in position 1 (Chevy) or the model prefix (Ford / Dodge)

On Chevy/GMC, position 1 = C for 2WD and K for 4WD. On Ford, the 4WD F-Series carries an F-model prefix but the 4WD distinction is confirmed by the transfer case and axle codes on the door-jamb sticker — not the VIN. On Dodge, the W prefix identifies 4WD (Power Wagon / Ramcharger) vs the D prefix for 2WD. A 4x4 badge on a truck whose VIN decodes as 2WD is a conversion — legitimate but not original-factory 4WD.

Coverage across the era

Which model year sits where

1960-1966First-gen C10 / F-100 fourth-gen

1960-66 Chevy C10 (Task Force / C-K first gen). 1961-66 unibody Ford F-100 with the pointed-nose grille. Dodge W-series Power Wagon in its full-military-derived form until 1968.

1967-1972Peak classic-Chevy pickup era

The 'Action Line' Chevy C10 / K10 / K5 Blazer (from 1969) is the single most collectible classic-pickup platform. Short-bed C10 Cheyenne and CST-package pickups command the highest premiums.

1973-1979Square-body Chevy + dentside Ford

Square-body Chevy/GMC (1973-1987 total run, but 1973-79 with the round headlights is the earlier collector variant). Dentside Ford F-Series (1973-1979). Ramcharger arrives for 1974. Highboy 4x4 F-250 (1967-77) is the collector 4WD Ford.

1980Last year before 17-char VIN

1980 is the final year of the pre-17-character truck VIN. From 1981 all US trucks switch to the 17-char format decoded free via NHTSA.

Where to authenticate

The archives serious buyers use

Position tables tell you what the car was supposed to be. These archives — some free, some paid — are what confirm what the factory actually built. Standard-of-care due diligence on any claimed halo car.

Free

GM Heritage Center — Vehicle Information Kits

Free downloadable factory brochures and option lists for Chevrolet and GMC trucks. The reference source for RPO codes, option packages (Cheyenne, Custom Deluxe, Silverado), and body-style illustrations.

Paid

Marti Auto Works — Marti Report (Ford trucks 1967+)

The licensed Ford production archive covers Ford trucks the same way it covers Ford cars. Basic Marti Report ($22) or Deluxe ($60) delivers dealer invoice, engine code, transmission, paint, trim, and DSO for any 1967-and-newer Ford F-series or Bronco.

Free

Chevy C10 forums / 67-72 Chevy Trucks

Owner-run community with decades of archived VIN and SPID-tag research for the 1967-72 Action Line pickup. Registry-style threads for short-bed authentication and rare-color CSTs.

Free

Ford Truck Enthusiasts

The largest Ford truck owner community. Reference threads for VIN decoding, factory brochures, and Bronco / dentside authentication.

Free

NHTSA vPIC (17-character VINs only)

The free federal decoder. Only supports 17-character VINs (1981 forward). Square-body Chevys from 1981+, Ford F-Series from 1981+, and every 1981+ pickup decode through vPIC.

Frequently asked

Classic Trucks VIN decoder — questions we get most

How do I decode a 1967-72 Chevy C10 VIN?

Read the 12-character VIN one position at a time. Position 1 is the chassis type (C for 2WD, K for 4WD). Position 2 is the engine family (S=6-cyl, E=small-block V8, F=big-block V8). Positions 3-4 are the GVW series (10=1/2-ton, 20=3/4-ton, 30=1-ton). Position 5 is 7 for pickup. Position 6 is the last digit of the model year. Position 7 is the assembly plant letter (S=St. Louis, K=Kansas City, Z=Fremont, etc.). Positions 8-12 are the sequential unit number. Note: 1967-72 C/K VINs are 12 characters, not 13.

How do I decode a 1973-79 square-body Chevy or GMC pickup VIN?

Read the 13-character VIN. Position 1 is manufacturer (C=Chevrolet, T=GMC). Position 2 is chassis type (C=2WD, K=4WD). Position 3 is the engine code (L=350 V8 4V, U=454, D=250 L6, etc.). Position 4 is GVW class (1=1/2-ton, 2=3/4-ton, 3=1-ton). Position 5 is body style (4=Fleetside, 3=Stepside, 6=Suburban, 8=Blazer). Position 6 is model year. Position 7 is assembly plant. Positions 8-13 are sequential.

How do I decode a classic Ford F-100 or F-150 VIN?

Read the 11-character VIN. Positions 1-3 are the model / GVW (F10=F-100, F15=F-150 from 1975, F25=F-250, U15=Bronco 1966-77). Position 4 is the model year letter/digit (a year-specific letter — reference a Ford truck year lookup). Position 5 is the assembly plant letter (R=San Jose, F=Dearborn, U=Louisville, etc.). Position 6 is the engine code (F=302, H=351, N=360, R=460). Positions 7-11 are the sequential unit number.

How do I decode a Dodge D100 or Ramcharger VIN?

Read the 13-character VIN. Position 1 is the truck line (D=Dodge 2WD, W=4WD Power Wagon, AW=Ramcharger 4WD, AD=Ramcharger 2WD from 1974). Positions 2-3 are the GVW class (1x=1/2-ton, 2x=3/4-ton, 3x=1-ton). Position 4 is body style (B=conventional cab, S=Sweptline, V=Ramcharger utility). Position 5 is the engine code (B=225 slant-six, E=318 2V, G=360 2V, K=400 4V). Position 6 is model year. Position 7 is assembly plant. Positions 8-13 are sequential.

Where is the VIN on a classic pickup truck?

Through 1967 the VIN was typically on the door jamb data plate or the driver's-side door post. From 1968 forward federal law required the VIN to be visible through the driver-side windshield. Cross-check the windshield VIN against the door-jamb sticker (which also carries the paint, trim, and axle codes) and the frame VIN stamping on the top of the frame rail. On Chevy/GMC pickups the SPID (Service Parts ID) tag on the glove box lists every factory option by RPO code.

Can NHTSA decode a classic pickup VIN?

No — NHTSA vPIC only supports 17-character VINs (1981 model year forward). A 1972 C10 has a 12-character VIN and a 1978 F-150 has an 11-character VIN; neither decodes through vPIC. Use the position tables above, and for Ford trucks 1967+ use the Marti Report for the original factory build documentation.

Do you decode 1981-and-newer classic pickups?

Yes — from the 1981 model year forward every US truck carries the 17-character VIN standard, decoded free through our NHTSA-backed lookup. That includes late square-body Chevys (1981-87), Bullnose Ford F-Series (1980-86), and early Dodge Ram (1981-93). Run the VIN through the free 17-char check on the classic VIN check page.

Keep decoding

Sister decoder pages

Classic Chevy VIN decoder

Camaro, Chevelle, Corvette, and passenger-car Chevy use a different (13-char passenger) VIN format.

Open decoder

Classic Ford VIN decoder

The Ford passenger-car format shares structural elements with the F-Series truck VIN but with car-specific body codes.

Open decoder

Classic Mopar VIN decoder

Chrysler passenger-car Charger / Challenger / Cuda VIN — same 13-character convention as the Dodge D-series pickup.

Open decoder

1981-and-newer classic VIN check

Late square-body Chevys, Bullnose Fords, and early Ram trucks all carry the 17-character VIN — decoded free through NHTSA.

Open decoder

For 1981-and-newer classics — run the check.

Our free 17-character VIN check decodes every modern classic through the NHTSA feed. Fox-body Mustangs, C4/C5/C6 Corvettes, third-gen Trans Ams, first-year Vipers, air-cooled 911s — instant, no signup.

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