Choose your car
More makes and models are being added.
VIN plate
The Vehicle Identification Number identifies the car itself. On older cars it usually shows the make, series, engine type, model year, assembly plant and serial number.
Its location changed over the years: door pillars on many 1960s cars, the top of the dash from 1968 on.
Body tag
Most classics also carry a body tag (trim tag, cowl tag or fender tag, depending on the maker). It describes the body as it was built: paint, interior trim, seat type, build date and often body-related options.
What decoding can't do
Plates and tags can be swapped or reproduced. A clean decode tells you what the codes say; confirming a car's history also means checking engine and transmission stamps and original paperwork like a build sheet or window sticker.