PJ PETROLJUNKY
Decode it. Document it. Preserve it.

Classic Car VIN Decoder and Registry

PetrolJunky is a VIN decoder and vehicle registry for collector cars that span manufacturer-specific chassis systems, American pre-1981 VINs and the modern 17-character standard. One search box routes each identifier to the appropriate reviewed decoder.

Classic pre-standard chassis, commission and frame numbers American pre-1981 11- and 13-character VINs Modern 17-character VINs 16 collector makes with reviewed decoding Permanent VIN registry records
Supported makes

Choose a make to explore decoder coverage.

BMW VIN Decoder and Registry

Decode classic BMW 1500, Neue Klasse and 02 Series chassis numbers or modern 17-character BMW VINs, then explore the PetrolJunky BMW registry.

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Porsche VIN Decoder and Registry

Decode supported classic Porsche 911, 912, 914, 924, 928 and 930 chassis formats through 1980, plus modern 17-character Porsche VINs.

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Volkswagen VIN Decoder and Registry

Decode classic Volkswagen Beetle, Bus, Karmann Ghia, Type 3, Thing and Type 4 chassis numbers with automatic year and model-family recognition.

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Mercedes-Benz VIN Decoder and Registry

Decode classic Mercedes-Benz chassis numbers including W113, W108/W109, W114/W115, R107, W116, W123 and selected earlier or later models.

Open decoder guide → 1949–1980 reviewed classic coverage

MG VIN Decoder and Registry

Decode MG TD, TF, MGA, Midget, MGB, MGC and MGB GT V8 chassis numbers, then connect the result to a permanent PetrolJunky registry record.

Open decoder guide → 1963–1978 first-wave classic coverage

Datsun VIN Decoder and Registry

Decode classic Datsun 240Z, 260Z, 280Z, Roadster and 510 chassis numbers, then connect each car to the PetrolJunky VIN registry.

Open decoder guide → 1953–1976

Classic Triumph VIN Decoder & Registry

Decode classic Triumph TR commission numbers from TR2 through TR6 and connect the car to the PetrolJunky vehicle registry.

Open decoder guide → 1953–1967

Classic Austin-Healey VIN Decoder & Registry

Decode Austin-Healey 100, 100-6 and 3000 chassis numbers from BN1 through BJ8 and connect the car to the PetrolJunky registry.

Open decoder guide → 1949–1974

Classic Jaguar VIN Decoder & Registry

Decode Jaguar XK, E-Type, Mark I/II and early XJ chassis numbers and connect the vehicle to the PetrolJunky registry.

Open decoder guide → 1962–1993

Classic Alfa Romeo VIN Decoder & Registry

Decode Alfa Romeo 105/115 type and chassis identifiers for classic Giulia, GTV, Spider, Berlina and Montreal models.

Open decoder guide → 1960–2002

Classic Toyota VIN & Frame Number Decoder

Decode collector Toyota frame numbers including Land Cruiser, Celica, Supra, AE86 and MR2 families, while routing standard 17-character VINs to NHTSA.

Open decoder guide → 1968–1989

Classic Ferrari VIN & Chassis Decoder

Decode selected classic Ferrari and Dino factory type codes with serial ranges, while refusing to guess from an ambiguous bare Ferrari serial number.

Open decoder guide → 1964½–1980

Classic Ford Mustang VIN Decoder & Registry

Decode 1964½ through 1980 Ford Mustang VINs, including body, engine, assembly plant and model year, then connect the car to the PetrolJunky registry.

Open decoder guide → 1925–1942, 1946–1980 reviewed U.S. systems

Classic Chevrolet VIN Decoder & Registry

Decode reviewed 1925–1980 classic Chevrolet car, Corvette, Corvair, Nova, Chevelle, Camaro, El Camino, truck, van and Blazer serial/VIN systems.

Open decoder guide → 1968–1974

Classic Dodge Muscle VIN Decoder & Registry

Decode selected 1968–1974 Dodge performance-car VINs, including Charger, Challenger and Super Bee model, body, engine, year, plant and sequence information.

Open decoder guide → 1968–1974

Classic Plymouth Muscle VIN Decoder & Registry

Decode selected 1968–1974 Plymouth Barracuda, Cuda, Road Runner and GTX VINs using the original Chrysler thirteen-character structure.

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Decoder reference

A VIN decoder built around the cars themselves.

One decoder for classic numbering systems and American pre-1981 VINs

Classic vehicle identification did not follow one universal standard. PetrolJunky keeps manufacturer-specific rules behind a single search field: European chassis and commission numbers, Japanese frame codes, Ferrari factory types, Ford Mustang eleven-character VINs, Chevrolet thirteen-character VINs and Chrysler Corporation muscle-car VINs can all coexist without forcing a visitor through make, model or year dropdowns.

Decoded facts are kept separate from collector assumptions

American VINs often encode year, body, plant and engine directly, but they do not prove every desirable option package. PetrolJunky identifies what the VIN supports and explicitly avoids converting a base body code into an unsupported Boss, SS, Superbird, Daytona or similar claim. The same conservative rule applies to rare European variants.

Every successful lookup can become a registry record

Decoded vehicles can accumulate photographs, ownership history, sale status and community documentation while preserving the distinction between sourced VIN facts and owner-submitted provenance. This turns search traffic into a permanent historical record for the individual chassis.

Coverage is published only when the decoder is useful

The directory now includes BMW, Porsche, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, MG, Datsun/Nissan, Triumph, Austin-Healey, Jaguar, Alfa Romeo, Toyota, Ferrari, Ford Mustang, Chevrolet, Dodge and Plymouth plus modern 17-character VIN decoding. Model pages are added when the identification rules provide real collector value rather than as thin keyword variations.

Common questions

Classic car VIN decoder questions

Can PetrolJunky decode VINs shorter than 17 characters?

Yes. Classic manufacturers used many chassis-number formats before the standardized 17-character VIN. PetrolJunky applies manufacturer-specific rules and reviewed production ranges instead of rejecting every short identifier.

Does decoding a VIN automatically make the owner public?

No. Decoder facts can be looked up by the exact VIN, while ownership profiles, garage visibility and linked photographs remain subject to the owner or contributor privacy choices built into PetrolJunky.

Why does PetrolJunky sometimes show a production range instead of an exact year?

Some classic chassis numbers identify a model or production sequence without encoding an exact model year. PetrolJunky reports the strongest supported fact rather than turning a broad production span into a made-up exact year.

VIN Registry

Recently updated vehicles

Decoder facts stay tied to the exact VIN or chassis number while owners decide what history and photographs to share publicly.

Browse the registry