VIN Number

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Cristina

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Hi All,

I hope someone can help me. I need to find the VIN number for this BMW:

Serial Number: 2210437
Series 3.0 CSL
Bodywork: Coupe
Model 3.0 CS
Version: ECE
Direction: Left
year: 1974
Manual transmission
Production month: All

I had a look at the car chassis and could find any 17-digit number.
Any help would be much appreciate.

BMW NUMBER.jpeg
 
Old vins, like mine where reassigned, so in the current bmw archives my vin it does not belong anymore to my car
but to an 740i dated 1982
only bmw classic archives show the correct references

if you tell what do you want to do, we might be able to help
 
Cristina said:
Hi All,

I hope someone can help me. I need to find the VIP number for this BMW:

Serial Number: 2210437
Series 3.0 CSL
Bodywork: Coupe
Model 3.0 CS
Version: ECE
Direction: Left
year: 1974
Manual transmission
Production month: All

I had a look at the car chassis and could find any 17-digit number.
Any help would be much appreciate.
Click to expand...

btw, this thread shoud go somewhere else, not in the e3 section
IMHO
 
Hello @Cristina,

Firstly, your question was not answered. You asked where to find the VIN. It should be present on the firewall as well as the block. See the FAQ below for visual instructions:

E9 VIN Production Range & How to find your VIN.

E9 Production 12/68 to 09/73: Chassis Start VIN End VIN Production Total 2800 CS 2200001 2206283 6,283 2800 CSA 2220001 2221949 1,949 3.0 CS 2210001 2214006 3,837 3.0 CS Carb CSLs (in VIN range above) 169 3.0 CSA 2230001 2232807 2,807 3.0 Csi 2260001 2266506 6,506...
e9coupe.com e9coupe.com

Secondly, the VIN does not belong to an NK, or a CSL. It is a a euro 3.0CS. Also highlighted in the production range.

Lastly, once you do find the chassis VIN, send it to the email address that @adawil2002 posted.

Welcome!
 
The VIN tag appears to have been altered and re-attached with screws instead of rivets. Confirmation of the body and engine block vins as mentioned by @Markos will be helpful.
 
deQuincey said:
I can not comprehend

the metal plate says the vin code and that is all, there is not a 17 digit vin for old bmws

also the plate says it is a 2000
it is not e9 it is NK
Click to expand...
Thank you DeQuincey,

I am sorry I am quite new to these forum and to the world of BMW, perhaps I should started by saying that, my father owns a BMW 3.0 CS 1974. It has been in the mechanics for almost 20 years (partly because my dad suffered a stroke and partly because I was living abroad).

So I am trying to help him repair it. It is difficult for me to find the parts mainly because it is a bit difficult to translate from Spanish to English what the mechanic tells me it needs. Another mechanic who is helping me asked me for the vin number and I gave him 2210437 but he tells me it has to be a 17-digit number.

The car details are as follows
We are looking to restore our family BMW 3.0 C.S E9
Serial Number: 2210437
Series 3.0 CS
Bodywork: Coupe
Model 3.0 CS
Version: ECE
Direction: Left
year: 1974
Manual transmission
Production month: All
 
Cristina said:
Thank you DeQuincey,

I am sorry I am quite new to these forum and to the world of BMW, perhaps I should started by saying that, my father owns a BMW 3.0 CS 1974. It has been in the mechanics for almost 20 years (partly because my dad suffered a stroke and partly because I was living abroad).

So I am trying to help him repair it. It is difficult for me to find the parts mainly because it is a bit difficult to translate from Spanish to English what the mechanic tells me it needs. Another mechanic who is helping me asked me for the vin number and I gave him 2210437 but he tells me it has to be a 17-digit number.

The car details are as follows
We are looking to restore our family BMW 3.0 C.S E9
Serial Number: 2210437
Series 3.0 CS
Bodywork: Coupe
Model 3.0 CS
Version: ECE
Direction: Left
year: 1974
Manual transmission
Production month: All
Click to expand...
The mechanic who told you it has to have a 17 digit Vin is incorrect. The serial number you shared is the VIN. Many people don't know this, even DMV employees don't always recognize them.
 
Below is a bit fuller explanation as to why your mechanic was expecting a 17-digit VIN and why your car doesn't have one.

This misunderstanding will also happen if you go to a BMW dealership to get parts. Their young service techs and the computer system expect to have only the last 7 digits of a 17-digit VIN entered to ID any car. They will see your VIN as being from a newer car since the digits have been recycled. They will also not believe you when you tell them those are the only numbers your car has because they only see cars newer than 1981 at the dealership. Maybe there will be an old timer still working there who will know.

Not all VIN numbers are 17 digits long​

The NHTSA (US National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration) has required all vehicles manufactured since 1981 to be assigned a 17-digit VIN number. Prior to 1981, there was no VIN standard. VIN formats, including length and encoded vehicle details, would vary across different manufacturers. Many foreign manufacturers would just assign engine numbers and serial numbers.

In the 1950s and 1960s, when VINs were created, they were typically 8-10 characters long (sometimes less). The data encoded in these shorter VINS included vehicle series identity (model), model year, assembly plant, and a sequential production number. Some manufacturers, including Ford, Plymouth, and Studebaker, encoded engine type and in some cases body style. In the late 60s and early 70s, VIN numbers started to get a little longer (typically 13 characters) and more manufacturers started to encode engine type and body style.

With so much variability across manufacturers and how they identified their vehicles, online VIN decoding solutions could not have existed prior to the standardization. Thankfully the 17-digit VIN standard has made it possible to identify certain data points consistently for all manufacturers, as well as easily verify the validity of a VIN.
 
Cristina said:
Thank you DeQuincey,

I am sorry I am quite new to these forum and to the world of BMW, perhaps I should started by saying that, my father owns a BMW 3.0 CS 1974. It has been in the mechanics for almost 20 years (partly because my dad suffered a stroke and partly because I was living abroad).

So I am trying to help him repair it. It is difficult for me to find the parts mainly because it is a bit difficult to translate from Spanish to English what the mechanic tells me it needs. Another mechanic who is helping me asked me for the vin number and I gave him 2210437 but he tells me it has to be a 17-digit number.

The car details are as follows
We are looking to restore our family BMW 3.0 C.S E9
Serial Number: 2210437
Series 3.0 CS
Bodywork: Coupe
Model 3.0 CS
Version: ECE
Direction: Left
year: 1974
Manual transmission
Production month: All
Click to expand...


thank you for the clarification, I already read your first posts, so I knew your story, but maybe not everybody did, it certainly helps

my responses tried to share my knowledge about what mechanics, and even bmw spare parts employees, at the local dealership, had told/asked me in the past,…

even today sometimes when I try to find parts people still insist that they need the VIN, (no way, as I said mine was reassigned), but they are stubborn

i am still surprised by the odd information your body plaque shows, it says 2000, so I thought NK, when it should say 3.0 cs…but obviously you have the car there to prove it wrong

As it was mentioned alberto can help with Spanish, so could I, if you find appropriate send me a PM

funny that many car parts have different names in Hispanoamérica or in Spain, but in any case: estare encantado de ayudarte en la medida de mis posibilidades

saludos
 
deQuincey said:
I can not comprehend

the metal plate says the vin code and that is all, there is not a 17 digit vin for old bmws

also the plate says it is a 2000
it is not e9 it is NK
Click to expand...

mulberryworks said:
Below is a bit fuller explanation as to why your mechanic was expecting a 17-digit VIN and why your car doesn't have one.

This misunderstanding will also happen if you go to a BMW dealership to get parts. Their young service techs and the computer system expect to have only the last 7 digits of a 17-digit VIN entered to ID any car. They will see your VIN as being from a newer car since the digits have been recycled. They will also not believe you when you tell them those are the only numbers your car has because they only see cars newer than 1981 at the dealership. Maybe there will be an old timer still working there who will know.

Not all VIN numbers are 17 digits long​

The NHTSA (US National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration) has required all vehicles manufactured since 1981 to be assigned a 17-digit VIN number. Prior to 1981, there was no VIN standard. VIN formats, including length and encoded vehicle details, would vary across different manufacturers. Many foreign manufacturers would just assign engine numbers and serial numbers.

In the 1950s and 1960s, when VINs were created, they were typically 8-10 characters long (sometimes less). The data encoded in these shorter VINS included vehicle series identity (model), model year, assembly plant, and a sequential production number. Some manufacturers, including Ford, Plymouth, and Studebaker, encoded engine type and in some cases body style. In the late 60s and early 70s, VIN numbers started to get a little longer (typically 13 characters) and more manufacturers started to encode engine type and body style.

With so much variability across manufacturers and how they identified their vehicles, online VIN decoding solutions could not have existed prior to the standardization. Thankfully the 17-digit VIN standard has made it possible to identify certain data points consistently for all manufacturers, as well as easily verify the validity of a VIN.
Click to expand...
Fantastic explanation, thank so much.
 
deQuincey said:
thank you for the clarification, I already read your first posts, so I knew your story, but maybe not everybody did, it certainly helps

my responses tried to share my knowledge about what mechanics, and even bmw spare parts employees, at the local dealership, had told/asked me in the past,…

even today sometimes when I try to find parts people still insist that they need the VIN, (no way, as I said mine was reassigned), but they are stubborn

i am still surprised by the odd information your body plaque shows, it says 2000, so I thought NK, when it should say 3.0 cs…but obviously you have the car there to prove it wrong

As it was mentioned alberto can help with Spanish, so could I, if you find appropriate send me a PM

funny that many car parts have different names in Hispanoamérica or in Spain, but in any case: estare encantado de ayudarte en la medida de mis posibilidades

saludos
Click to expand...
DeQuincey,



Thank you! That is really helpful, I was worried that it was such an obvious question or perhaps I was not looking in the right place. As you mentioned it gets really tricky when translating and it does help one of the mechanics is Peruvian and we are in Venezuela so some parts' names are different.

I am compiling a more extended list of parts than the original one.



I will be in touch.
 
one option to avoid the language barrier is to just post pictures and describe the problem you're having. We have enough members here to navigate you trough the jungle of part names, part numbers and chassis numbers. And most problems have been encountered by other members already.

Next thing to do is applaud you to for taking the time to get the car of your father back in running order. I hope he still will be able to enjoy it soon; I'll do my best to help you get there.

Regards,
 
eriknetherlands said:
one option to avoid the language barrier is to just post pictures and describe the problem you're having...
Click to expand...
Perhaps a cart part emoji to part number function?
Like this https://icon-library.com/icon/turbo-icon-27.html

Anyway, when they ask for 17 digit VIN number tell them they started in 1981, way after your car.
Also tell them saying VIN number is like asking what for a Social Security Number number. It should be VIN alone :).
 
Cristina said:
Another mechanic who is helping me asked me for the vin number and I gave him 2210437 but he tells me it has to be a 17-digit number.
Click to expand...
I know you may have limited options but if I someone was going to work on my CS said it's suppose to have a 17 digit VIN I'd be nervous. Most of the mechanicals are straightforward for any good mechanic, but there are enough parts and adjustments specific to "old" cars that it usually takes some additional knowledge to make things right. On the other hand, this forum has the greatest collective knowledge about these cars in the world. You came to the right place and people are very helpful here.
 
This is not the original plate for the car, only the vin should be stamped (and somewhat better), the rest printed. The weights and vin is consistent for a euro 3.0cs production early summer 1971. The 2000 is a mistake.
 
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