How Do I Run a VIN History Check on a Classic Car?​

If you have a classic car, you may be wondering the long journey that it has taken to get into your garage.

Well, you can. With a classic vehicle history report , you can trace all of the previous adventures your car has been through.

Using the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of your classic car, you use a classic car VIN decoder to uncover the history report that includes:

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  Make
• 
  Model
• 
  Engine
• 
  Transmission
• 
  Year of manufacture
• 
  Location of manufacture
• 
  Title history
• 
  And more

Classic cars were typically made before the VIN became the standardized 17-digit code in 1981. But unlike modern cars, classic cars typically have a VIN that’s between 5 - 13 digits long – which can be trickier to decode.

However, you can still track its complete history with our classic car vin decoder here.

Our Classic VIN Decoder tool lets you decode any classic car VIN for FREE. You’ll get information about its year, make, model, transmission type, engine type, and an overview of the car’s history, including its Classic Car Value .

Simply put the VIN of your classic car into the form below.

How to Start Tracing the History Report of Your Classic Car?

If you’re completely lost in the history of your classic car, it’s highly recommended that you start talking to any of the previous owners or even other enthusiasts.

But if you have the car’s VIN, tracing its history will be a lot easier – albeit not easy. In the mid-1950s , manufacturers came up with their own ways of assigning the unique VIN of their vehicles. Prior to that, there was no such thing as VIN – only serial numbers stamped onto major parts of the car like the engine block .

With that said, there’s a good chance that the same identification number can be found in different car models from different manufacturers. This means that tracing the car’s history may be a little bit tricky.

Read Also: How to Check the VIN on a Classic Car | A Complete Guide

Where Can I Find the VIN on my Classic Car?

There are multiple different places where you can find the VIN on, so you may not immediately find them.

Here are some common spots where you can find the VIN on your classic car:

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  On the driver’s side dashboard
• 
  Under the steering wheel or column
• 
  On the engine firewall
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  Stamped on the metal frame of the car
• 
  On the driver’s door hinge
• 
  On the driver’s or passenger side frame
• 
  On the engine (but it may have been replaced)

During your search for the car’s VIN, you may find other identifiers like plate number, engine code ID, trim tag, and more. Identifying the VIN can be a bit confusing, but if it’s between 5 - 13 characters, it’s very likely to be your car’s VIN.

Additionally, these documents will also contain its VIN:

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  Owner’s manual
• 
  Bill of sale or other purchase records
• 
  Vehicle registration
• 
  Car title
• 
  Insurance policies
• 
  Maintenance records

Other than knowing the story behind the classic car you own, the VIN is also crucial to generating a vehicle history report. This report helps you to estimate the value of your classic car – or the one you’re thinking about buying.

Read Also: The Best Classic Car Restoration Shows

I Have My Classic Car’s VIN, How Do I Decode It?

If you have the VIN of your classic car, you can simply input it into the form above to decode its information.

By decoding the VIN, you will get information about the car’s:

• 
  Make and model
• 
  Type of car
• 
  Type of engine
• 
  Type of transmission
• 
  Year of manufacture
• 
  Location of manufacture
• 
  Title history

This information may help to narrow down the origin and history. But more importantly, any record of title (such as salvage, rebuilt, junk, etc.) can help to estimate the value of the vehicle if you’re eyeing to buy one.

If you're looking to purchase pre-owned classic cars, getting a classic vehicle history might be a wise investment. Classic vehicle history tells you information about:

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  Accident history
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  Ownership history
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  Auction record
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  Liens/loans
• 
  and more.

That's about all you can do in terms of decoding the VIN of your classic car. Hope this article helps!