I need help decoding my VIN number

[pjt]

Hi,  It's the letters that I'm working on ,    SDKLLKANSY      

                           Thanks for any help. 

[CharlesG]

SDK= Manufacturer code for Caterham

L= Left hand drive

L= Live axle

K= Kit built

A= Chassis type

NS= Engine not supplied

Y= Model year (2000)

[IamScotticus]

@CharlesG

SDKLLKRGSS034####

[pjt]

Thanks Charles,

               So the    A - chassis type     means what ?    Which chassis type is it ?   We know it's a live axle. 

[Croc]

6 hours ago, pjt said:

Thanks Charles,

               So the    A - chassis type     means what ?    Which chassis type is it ?   We know it's a live axle. 

 

Tweaked the decode slightly

 

SDK= Manufacturer code for Caterham

L= Left hand drive

L= Long Cockpit  (C was used to denote classic or live axle)

K= Kit built

A= Alternative chassis type.  Very frequent in non-UK market cars. 

NS= Engine not supplied

Y= Model year (2000)

 

For a 2000 year, I am guessing the "classic" live axle spec caused it to get the Alternative chassis type designation as it was also a long cockpit? 

 

[Croc]

6 hours ago, IamScotticus said:

SDKLLKRGSS034####

 

SDK = Caterham

L = Left hand drive

L = long cockpit

K = Kit built type

R = Race chassis type

GS = 100BHP 1600 crossflow engine

S = 1996 kit manufacture

Rest is chassis number

[Taber10]

Wow, great information here.  Thanks.  I guess I had never thought about decoding my VIN--which is SDKLDK5NS7xxxxxxx

 

The 5th digit "D" would indicate?  The seventh digit "5" would indicate the chassis type? It is an SV chassis.

 

The ninth digit "7" might indicate 2007 when the kit was assembled. 

 

Thanks for the information.

 

Taber 

Edited November 29, 2023 by Taber10
Left out "K" for Kit build--Thanks Croc!

[CharlesG]

The D stands for de Dion axle, and yes, 5 is the SV chassis. 7 would be 2007. Once the years cycle from A to Y, they go to 1 thru 9 before going back to A.

[CharlesG]

4 hours ago, Croc said:

 

Tweaked the decode slightly

 

L= Long Cockpit  (C was used to denote classic or live axle)

A= Alternative chassis type.  Very frequent in non-UK market cars. 

 

 

Thank you for the clarification, I wasn’t 100% sure on those.

[pjt]

thanks for all the good info

         My car is a 2000 live axle x-flow car.   It's nice to have it decoded

[MV8]

Used to be able to pull up letters from mfgs to NHTSA with a complete vin break down of all options. Not so easy now.

[Taber10]

Croc, CharlesG,

Thanks for the information!

[inchoate]

I was able to get copies of my car's order sheets and build sheet through the Caterham archivist via the British 7 club.  Kinda fun and informative.  It allowed me to confirm something that I had assumed about my car.  Annoyingly the car was delivered with a bunch of extra stuff that I would have loved to have, but it got seperated from the car at some point.

[Croc]

19 hours ago, Taber10 said:

Wow, great information here.  Thanks.  I guess I had never thought about decoding my VIN--which is SDKLD5NS7xxxxxxx

 

 

Hi Taber - Hope you are doing well?

 

 

SDKLD5NS7xxxxxxx

 

SDK = Caterham

L = Left Hand Drive

D = De Dion

? = I think you missed a character here for build type?  Probably "K" for Kit Built

5 = This is for chassis type.  5 = SV.   You will see Caterham talk about S3 and S5 chassis types as that is the production code.  

NS = Engine Not Supplied.  Makes sense as US Customs regs prevent kits from being shipped with drivetrains.

7 = 2007 was the year the kit was produced

Rest is chassis number

 

[Taber10]

Croc,

 

Yes, I left out the K--my reading/typing are POOR but otherwise doing well!  Thanks for asking!

Taber