Checker VIN Decoder

This document is an attempt to consolidate Checker serial number and VIN information for most years from 1960 through 1982. As such, it has been compiled from multiple documents. Be sure to reference the section most applicable to your car. Finally, because of the change in chassis numbering from the 1960's to the 1970's, in theory it is possible for a 1960's car and a 1970's car to have the same serial number ... highly unlikely when the three parts are combined but possible.

Early 60's cars:

The following information is taken from a 1963 Checker Shop Manual pages ix and x.

Sample # A - 11L - 223 - 1223

Model:

A-11L - Taxicab with "L" head motor

A-11 - Taxicab with "Overhead Valve" engine

A-12L - Passenger car with "L" head motor

A-12 - Passenger car with "Overhead Valve" engine

A-12W - Station Wagon with "Overhead Valve" engine

223 - Factory Production Order Number

1223 - Serial or Chassis number of unit

Motor Number:

The Motor Number will be that number assigned by Continental Motors Corporation and will also be found on the left hand side of the engine block.

Transmission:

CA - Automatic Single Range (without Park)

PA - Automatic Dual Range (with Park)

S - Standard with Spur Gear

SF - Standard Floor Shift with Spur Gears

SH - Standard with Helical Gears

SHF - Standard Floor Shift with Helical Gears

SHO - Standard Overdrive with Helical Gears

Axles:

33 - 3.31:1

33P - 3.31:1 Powr-Lok

35 - 3.54:1

35P - 3.54:1 Powr-Lok

37 - 3.73:1

37P - 3.73:1 Powr-Lok

40 - 4.09:1

40P - 4.09:1 Powr-Lok

Brakes:

C - Standard Self Energizing

CT - Power Self Engerizing with Treadle-Vac

CH - Power Self Engerizing with Hydrovac

CM - Power Self Engerizing with Master-Vac

VA - Standard Self Adjusting

VAT - Power Self Adjusting with Treadle-VAc

VAH - Power Self Adjsuting with Hydrovac

VAM - Power Self Adjusting with Master-Vac

Steering:

S - Standard

P - Power

Gen./Alt:

30 - 30 Ampere Generator

35 - 50 Ampere Generator

40 - 40 Ampere Generator

40A - 40 Ampere Alternator (Prestolite)

60E - 60 Ampere Alternator (Prestolite)

MS - Standard Alternator (Motorola)

MH - Heavy Duty Alternator (Motorola)

Mid 60's cars:

The following information is taken from a 1964 or 1965 Supplement to the Checker Shop Manual.

Sample # A - 11 - 456 - 20001

Model:

A-11 - Taxicab

A-11E - Taxicab with 129 inch wheelbase

A-12 - Passenger car

A-12E - Passenger car with 129 inch wheelbase

A-12W - Station Wagon

A-12W6M - 6 Door Aerobus with 154 1/2 inch wheelbase

A-12W8M - 8 Door Aerobus with 189 inch wheelbase

456 - Factory Production Order Number (three or four digits with an implied leading zero)

20001 - Serial or Chassis number of unit

Motor Number:

601S - 6 cyl. 230 cu. in. Eng. - Std. Trans.

601A - 6 cyl. 230 cu. in. Eng. - Auto. Trans.

801S - 8 cyl. 283 cu. in. Eng. - Std. Trans.

801A - 8 cyl. 283 cu. in. Eng. - Auto. Trans.

802S - 8 cyl. 327 cu. in. Eng. - Std. Trans. (Aerobus only)

802A - 8 cyl. 327 cu. in. Eng. - Auto. Trans. (Aerobus only)

803A - 8 cyl. 327 cu. in. Eng. - Auto. Trans.

Years 1968 - 1969 are from a 1974 Motors shop manual

1968

1BC – 6-230 M/T

1BD – 6-230 A/T

2BD – V8-327 M/T

2BE – V8-327 A/T

2BF – V8-327 A/T

3BK – V8-307 M/T

3BL – V8-307 A/T

1969

6BG – 6-250 M/T

6BH – 6-250 A/T

6BS – V8-327 M/T

6BT – V8-327 A/T

6BV – V8-350 A/T HI-PO

6VW – V8-350 M/T Aerobus

6BX – V8-350 A/T

Transmission:

SF - Standard Floor Shift with Spur Gears

SH - Standard Column Shift with Helical Gears

SHO - Overdrive Column Shift with Helical Gears

CA - Single Range Automatic

PA - Dual Range Automatic

Axles:

33 - 3.31:1

33P - 3.31:1 Powr-Lok

35 - 3.54:1

35P - 3.54:1 Powr-Lok

37 - 3.73:1

37P - 3.73:1 Powr-Lok

40 - 4.09:1

40P - 4.09:1 Powr-Lok

41 - 4.10:1

41P - 4.10:1 Powr-Lok

Brakes:

C - Standard Self Energizing

CM - Power Self Engerizing with Master-Vac

VA - Standard Self Adjusting

VAM - Power Self Adjusting with Master-Vac

Steering:

S - Standard

P - Power

Gen./Alt:

MS - Standard Alternator (Motorola)

MH - Heavy Duty Alternator (Motorola)

Early 70's cars:

The following information is taken from a 1971 Checker Parts Manual.

Sample # A - 11 - 450 - 20001

Model:

A-11 - Taxicab with 120 inch wheelbase

A-11E - Taxicab with 129 inch wheelbase

A-12 - Passenger car with 120 inch wheelbase

A-12E - Passenger car with 129 inch wheelbase

A-12W - Station Wagon

A-12W8M - 8 Door Aerobus with 189 inch wheelbase

450 - Factory Production Order Number (sometimes only 3 digits with an implied leading zero)

20001 - Serial or Chassis number of unit (always 5 digits and sometimes a sixth alpha suffix)

2 - First digit of chassis number denotes model year (1972)

Motor Number:

V04271 CBK - 6 cyl. Federal (49 state) engine

V04271 EAJ - 6 cyl. California engine

V04271 EBS - 8 cyl. Federal (49 state) engine

V04271 EBT - 8 cyl. Aerobus (49 state) engine

V04271 EBW - 8 cyl. Aerobus California engine

Years 1970 - 1977 are taken from either a 1974 or 1978 Motors shop manual

1970

1CE – 6-250 A/T

2CA – V8-350 M/T Aerobus

2CB – V8-350 A/T Aerobus

2CC – V8-350 A/T HI-PO

2CD – V8-350 A/T

1971

CAD – 6-250 A/T

2DI – V8-350 A/T

2DJ – V8-350 M/T Aerobus

2DK – V8-350 A/T Aerobus

1972

CBK – 6-250 A/T

EAJ – 6-250 A/T California spec

EBS – V8-350 A/T

EBT – V8-350 A/T Aerobus

EBW – V8-350 A/T Aerobus California spec1

1973

EBD – 6-250 A/T

ECH – 6-250 A/T

ECJ – V8-350 A/T

ECK – V8-350 A/T Aerobus

EDA – V8-350 A/T

EDB – V8-350 A/T Aerobus

1974

ECT – 6-250 A/T

ECU – 6-250 A/T

EHF – V8-350 A/T

EJF – V8-350 A/T Aerobus

4SB - 6-250 A/T

4SC - 6-250 A/T California spec

4WD – V8-350 A/T

4WF – V8-350 A/T Aerobus

1975

5SB - 6-250 A/T

5SC - 6-250 A/T California spec

5WD – V8-350 A/T

1976

6SB - 6-250 A/T

6SC - 6-250 A/T California spec

6WD – V8-350 A/T

6WF – V8-350 A/T Aerobus

1977

7SB - 6-250 A/T

7MK - V8-305 A/T

7WD – V8-350 A/T California spec

7WF – V8-350 A/T Aerobus

Transmission:

PA - Dual Range Automatic (pre 1973)

HM - Turbo Hydromatic Model 400 (post 1972)

Axles:

33 - 3.31:1

33P - 3.31:1 Powr-Lok

35 - 3.54:1

35P - 3.54:1 Powr-Lok

Brakes:

DP - Power Drum Brakes

DDP - Power Front Disc Brakes

Steering:

S - Standard (manual)

P - Power

Alternator:

MH - Heavy Duty DELCO

Interior Paint:

L545 - Cab Gray

L1092 - Dark Brown

L236 - Alpine Blue

L7 - Kimberly Red

L5 - Chroma Black

Interior Trim:

1 - Cab Gray Vinyl

24 - Dark Brown Vinyl

25 - Blue Vinyl

26 - Red Vinyl

27 - Black Vinyl and Nylon

28 - Cab Red Vinyl

29 - Blue Vinyl and Nylon

30 - Dark Gray Vinyl

Instrument panel and related parts are painted Egyptian Black #EOU-804

Exterior Paint:

L3 - Rodeo Yellow

L4 - National White

L5 - Chroma Black

L6 - Cameo White

L7 - Kimberly Red

L8 - Briargate Green

L11 - Chicago Checker Green

L12 - National Ivory

L21 - Empire White

L22 - Flame Red

L25 - Gun Metal Gray

L36 - Canary Yellow

L37 - Shalimar Blue

L38 - Yolando Yellow

L40 - School Bus Yellow

L42 - Refrigerator White

L43 - Swift Red

L44 - Swamp Holly Orange

L45 - Bell Green

L46 - Lemon Yellow

L47 - Maxwell Blue

L55 - Royal Manderine Red

L61 - Commercial Red

L62 - Fulton Blue

L64 - Lodi Orange

L66 - Coral Flame Red

L67 - Orlando Red

L68 - Barn Red

L79 - Marine Blue

L85 - Chrome Yellow

L86 - Omaha Orange

L91 - Casino Cream

L96 - Coca Cola Yellow

L104 - Carnival Red

L107 - Twilite Turquqise

L117 - Lennox Cream

L123 - Brown Laquer

L125 - Ivanhoe Gray

L134 - Sab Diego Gold

L179 - Federal Yellow

L191 - Hunter Green

L192 - Sportsman Green

L210 - Cortez Gray

L211 - Bedford Blue

L235 - Sorrento Blue

L236 - Alpine Blue

L264 - Granada Gray

L265 - Shorewood Green

L266 - Westbrook Green

L267 - Tampico Tan

L373 - Azure Blue

L1012 - Black Frost

L1005 - Stone Ridge Silver

L1068 - Claret Maroon

L1076 - Indain Suntan

Note: two tone exterior combinations are identified with a "dash" between code numbers.

Later 70's cars:

The following information is taken from a 1978 Checker Parts Manual.

Sample # A - 11 - 2000 - 80001

Model:

A-11 - Taxicab with 120 inch wheelbase

A-11E - Taxicab with 129 inch wheelbase

A-12 - Passenger car with 120 inch wheelbase

A-12E - Passenger car with 129 inch wheelbase

A-12W - Station Wagon

A-128E - 8 Door Aerobus sedan back

2000 - Factory Production Order Number (sometimes only 3 digits with an implied leading zero)

80001 - Serial or Chassis number of unit (always 5 digits and sometimes a sixth alpha suffix)

8 - First digit of chassis number denotes model year (1978)

No Suffix - 6 cyl. federal (49 state) engine without Air Cond.

A - 305 V8 federal (49 state) engine

C - 350 V8 California engine

E - 250 6 cyl. California engine with or without Air Cond.

F - 250 6 cyl. Federal (49 state) engine with Air Cond.

Motor Number:

8SB - 250 6 cyl. Federal (49 state) engine without Air Cond.

8SJ - 250 6 cyl. Federal (49 state) engine with Air Cond.

8SC - 250 6 cyl. California engine with or without Air Cond.

8MK - 305 V8 2BBL federal (49 state) engine

8WD - 350 V8 4BBL California engine

Transmission:

HM - Turbo Hydromatic Model 400

Axles:

2.72 - 2.72:1

2.72P - 2.72:1 Trak-Lok

3.07 - 3.07:1

3.07P - 3.07:1 Trak-Lok

Brakes:

PDB - Power Front Disc Brakes

Steering:

P - Power

Alternator:

DELCO

Interior Paint:

L545 - Cab Gray

L53 - Brown

L710 - Blue

L708 - Red

L545 - Cab Gray

L717 - Black

Interior Trim:

1 - Cab Gray Vinyl

24 - Dark Brown Vinyl

25 - Blue Vinyl

26 - Red Vinyl

28 - Cab Red Vinyl

30 - Dark Gray Vinyl

31 - Cab Black

32 - Black Vinyl

33 - Black Vinyl and Cloth

Instrument panel and related parts are painted Egyptian Black #EOU-804

Exterior Paint:

Dupont Centari Paint

Example: DUP: 63203 57350

63203 - Lower Body Color

57350 - Upper Body Color

Note: Both Interior and Exterior paint codes are blank when the standard taxicab package (Cab Gray Vinyl) is furnished. Also, on A-11's the color of each individual exterior body panel could be individually specified, permitting custom taxi paint schemes from the factory.

80's cars:

The following information is taken from a 1981 Checker Shop Manual Supplement.

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN):

Sample # 1CMTS412XBK005261

1st position - 1 - Made in North America

2nd & 3rd position - CM - Checker Motors

4th position - Model - T = A-11 Taxicab, M = A-12 Marathon

5th position - Wheel Base - S = 120 inch standard, E = 129 inch extended

6th position - Number of Doors - 4

7th position - Engine Type - 1 = 229 Chevy V6, 2 = 267 Chevy V8, 4 = 350 Olds Diesel or 229 Chevy V6 LPG (82 only)

8th position - Restraint System Type - 2 = Type II Seat Belts

9th position - Check Digit - either X or other digit