1970 Chevy Malibu VIN decoding.

Are there any differences in the vin numbers between a 1970 chevelle and Malibu ? Does any one number or letter that identifies the vehicle as a Malibu ? Thank you  

Mcoa Welcome to CHP:

  In my opinion (IMO) the difference between the Chevelle and the Malibu. In the day the Chevelle was really more of a Muscle Car. It had a wide varity of Engines, Transmissions, Rear Ends, interiors options. Coming to think about it. I don't know if you could get a Small Block in a Chevelle.  
  The Chevelles were really a Nasty production car. There are some COPO Chevelles out there. If you come across one, and it's For Sale hah, hah. It will have a price tag like our national debt...LOL... Those guys wouldn't sell those cars, unless their lives depended on it, and that's questionable...They are just testing the water (IMO).  
  The Malibu was more of a Semi Luxury Car. Although you were limited to Engine options, and Trans. Rear Ends. Interiors were only bench seats, as the Chevelle had a center console, and Bucket seat.  
 If you went to a dealership, and wanted to order a Hi Performance Malibu. With a 375/396 You would be taking delivery on a Hi-Performance Chevelle in 8 to 12 weeks...LOL... "That was about delivery time back then 1966 to 1972".
 I don't know if Yenko Built any Malibu Hi-Performance cars? Thats were the other Gurus can maybe shed some light on the difference between the Malibu vs Chevelle. Did Yenko build any Hi-Po Malibu's?

I hope that answers our question. Check back, once the other Gurus come on. You may have a lot more information. I will also learn something too.
Thanks...
Bob.  

I can't say exactly for 1970, but I have a factory service manual for 1975 and it lists the model designations by vin code and there is a difference between model or series. The Malibus are all 1ACxx depending on model and the Malibu Classics are 1ADxx, again depending on model, i.e.; 2dr sport coupe, 4dr sedan, 4dr wagon. I don't think the "Classic" model came about before the '73 model change.

Hope this helps.


p.s. According to the wiki page...in 74 the Laguna package was dropped and replaced with the Classic package...but that doesn't explain the 75 & 76 Lagunas I've seen on the G3GM forum.  

Mcoa:
Are there any differences in the vin numbers between a 1970 chevelle and Malibu ? Does any one number or letter that identifies the vehicle as a Malibu ? Thank you

I say the short answer is no. This website should explain it:

http://chevelle.www7.50megs.com/vin.htm  

since Matt made me feel like a useless information poster, i'm gonna make his link clickable as it proves my information unworthy



http://chevelle.www7.50megs.com/vin.htm


Anybody know what year vins became federally standardized?
BOB...  

68scott385:
since Matt made me feel like a useless information poster, i'm gonna make his link clickable as it proves my information unworthy



http://chevelle.www7.50megs.com/vin.htm


Anybody know what year vins became federally standardized?
BOB...

Scott
California was always ahead of us as far as emmission standards. I remeber the 1968 Ford I had a Vin Number. I had a 1964.5 Mustang K-Code 271/289 and that did not have a Vin. Number. I'm guessing the mid 1960's.
Bob  

Aw now Scott ... wiki has a pretty good rundown of the evolution of vehicle ID numbers, and I'm sure the evolution will continue. The answer isn't simple! 1981? Whenever I make links clickable they seem to lead back to the forum thread so I figure the ol cut n paste still should work for sure.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_Identification_Number  

Been a rough couple of days Matt, wiki'ing vins wasn't my first response.

I know that 1981 was the first year for the 17-digit vin & the second year for the alphabetic year indicator. Before that, well GM anyway, used a 13-digit vin starting in the early-70s.

My 67 C20's vin was a series of numbers, my mid-70s & up cars' vins have a decipherable (that is a word, right?) code...1 = Chevy, H57 = Monte Carlo, H = 350/2bbl, 5 = 1975, etc, and the rest of the models were similar.

Now...
i'm off to read the wiki
the wonderful wiki of VIN...  

Thank you for all of your help. According to most of the decoding charts you provided, the 3rd number identifies either chevelle and Malibu.  Thats what i needed to know. Thanks again guys for your help.
Joe  

Glad you found what you needed to know.