Hello,

I'm looking to buy a Cutlass and the guy has a VIN of 33687AR122769.

Does that make sense? Can anyone tell me anything based on it?

Thanks

 

First of all, the letter "A" might be a misread on someone's part. There should be a number where that "A" is in the VIN.

Here's the breakdown of the rest of it:

3 = GM division = Oldsmobile

36 = model series = Cutlass (V8)

87 = body type = holiday coupe

A = model year = should be a number

R = assembly plant = Arlington TX

122769 = plant sequential number

See if you can get a better read on what was written as an "A". I'm thinking this car is 1971 or newer. A 1 would be model year 1971, a 2 would be model year 1972, and so forth.

When the Dept of Licensing here in Washington State read my VIN back in 2003, they read a "B" for what should have been an "8". I really had to jump through hoops to correct a mistake that was theirs to begin with.

Randy C.

 

What year is the car? This VIN format was used from the 1965 to 1971 model years, so it needs to be in that range. As Randy pointed out, the sixth character of the VIN should be a digit for the model year, so it will be something from 5 (for 1965) to 1 (for 1971). The "A" is not possible and has been read or transcribed incorrectly. This is not uncommon. I would have said that a "4" looks like an "A", but that's obviously not possible in this case either. Maybe it's a "9".

 

You mean 1971 or OLDER. After 1971 the VIN changed so the series component would be replaced by a letter like D, F, G, J, K for the A body line up. Prior to 1971 the VIN would be as you describe. In this case I think the A has been mistaken for '8' to represent a 1968 model Cutlass.

 

Thanks for the info guys. It was sold before I could get and take a look at it.

 

So out of curiosity, what was it advertised as?

 

I'm wondering if it was a '71. Somehow, I have it in my mind that Olds didn't make the Cutlass model at Arlington until the '71 model year. And the VIN sequence given to us would have had to fit the 65-71 model years as the VIN numbering changed (good reminder, Allen!) for the '72 model year.

 

Randy, I think you're right on the money! I forgot about Arlington production clue.