VIN Numbers

1981 Chevrolet Corvette VIN Numbers

Cameron Martel··
Last updated:
1981 Corvette

VIN Range 1G1AY8764BS400001 – 1G1AY8764BS431611 (St. Louis)
1G1AY8764B5100001 – 1G1AY8764B5108995 (Bowling Green)
1 (First Digit) Country.  1 – U.S. built / 2 – Canada built.
G (Second Digit) Manufacturer.  G – General Motors
1 (Third Digit) Make.  1 – Chevrolet
A (Fourth Digit). Restraint System.  A – Nonpassive/manual belts
Y (Fifth Digit) Series.  Y – Corvette
87 (Sixth and Seventh Digit) Body Type.  87 – Coupe 2-Door Plainback Special
S (Seventh Digit) Vehicle Assembly Location. S – St. Louis, Missouri
6 (Eight Digit) Engine Type. 6 – 5.7L 4BBL
4 (Ninth Digit) Check Digit. This number will vary.
B (Tenth Digit) Model Year. B – 1981
S or 5 (Eleventh Digit) Plant. S – St. Louis / 5 – Bowling Green
4XXXXX or 1XXXXX Twelfth thru Seventeenth Digits – Plant Sequence Numbers.

The last six digits for the Corvette Coupe built in St. Louis begin at 400001 and run thru 431611. The last six digits for the Corvette Coupe built in Bowling Green begin at 100001 and run thru 108995. This accounts for all 40606 Corvette Coupes built in 1981. Each Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is unique to an individual car.

For all 1981 Corvettes, the location of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is stamped on a plate attached to the left front body hinge pillar. (See Figure 1 below.)

1981 Corvette VIN Plate

1979 Corvette Vehicle Serial Number Plate
1979 Corvette Vehicle Serial Number Plate

1981 Corvette Vehicle Serial Number Plate

  • Location:
    • On the driver’s side upper left-hand door hinge pillar.
  • Example:
  •  A01 – Body build date code.
    • A – Designates the Month (See Charts Below).
      • St. Louis Build Date Codes:
        • A – Aug., 1980 B – Sep., 1980 C – Oct., 1980 D – Nov., 1980 E – Dec., 1980 F – Jan., 1981, G – Feb., 1981 H – Mar, 1981 I – Apr., 1981 J – May, 1981 K – Jun., 1981 L – Jul., 1981
      • Bowling Green Build Date Codes:
        • B05 – Aug., 1980 B06 – Sep., 1980 B07 – Oct., 1980 B08 – Nov., 1980 B09 – Dec., 1980 B10 – Jan., 1981
      • 01 – Designates the Day of the Month.
  • 642 – Interior Trim code. 642 – Camel (Leather)
  • 59L – Exterior Color Code Upper. 59 – Beige
    • Codes were often followed by the letter L, but some trim plates had an exterior code preceded by the number 9 with no letter L following.

1981 Corvette Engine Identification

  • Location:
    • Chevrolet produced engines will be stamped with a source, production date, and engine suffix.
  • Engine Identification Example:
    • V0615ZDA
    • V – Source Designation.
      • V – Flint, MI
      • 0615 – Date Code. Month and Day. 0615 – June 15.
      • ZDA – Type Designation. ZDA – 350ci 190hp, 4-speed manual transmission.

1981 Corvette Engine VIN Derivative (St. Louis Built)

  • Engine VIN Derivative Example
    • 1BS4XXXXX
    • 1 – Division.  1 – Chevrolet
    • B – Production Year.  B – 1981
    • S – Assembly Plant. S – St. Louis
    • 4XXXXX – Vehicle Sequence Number

1981 Corvette Engine VIN Derivative (Bowling Green Built)

  • Engine VIN Derivative Example:
    • 1B51XXXXX
    • 1 – Division.  1 – Chevrolet
    • B – Production Year.  B – 1981
    • 5 – Assembly Plant. 5 – Bowling Green
    • 1XXXXX – Vehicle Sequence Number

1981 Corvette

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