Club 80-90 Forums

Is there anyway (paid or free service) to find out what the original engine number would have been on a van? it'd be mega if the DLVA provided something like this, they'd make money on it I'm sure!
 

I am not sure if the birth certificate you can buy at vw-classicparts contain the engine nr or only the negine code?

E D I T: it seems like it contains it:
https://www.volkswagen-classic-parts.co ... heets.html

ZsZ wrote: ↑11 Nov 2024, 13:49 I am not sure if the birth certificate you can buy at vw-classicparts contain the engine nr or only the negine code?

E D I T: it seems like it contains it:
https://www.volkswagen-classic-parts.co ... heets.html

I got the birth cert from that service a few years back in order to get it tax exempt however that just stated the current engine variant and the current colour rather than the original colour and engine code.

It did say in the accompanying letter they couldnt provide me the original engine number due to the age-old "data protection" limitations
 

why do you want to know the original engine number ?

If the engine in the van isn't the same number as on the V5 and is the correct type and there is no note on the V5 re an update/information change it is likely that was the original engine, easy enough o work out if it is approximately right by the build date

Volkswagen will not provide you with the original engine number.
If you have some connection with a VW dealer, you can get the data sheet that Volkswagen Classic Parts sells for £59.95
You can see the data sheet of my Syncro with a masked VIN, which I received from a dealer. It shows the engine code and all production numbers.





 

Aidan wrote: ↑11 Nov 2024, 17:43 why do you want to know the original engine number ?

If the engine in the van isn't the same number as on the V5 and is the correct type and there is no note on the V5 re an update/information change it is likely that was the original engine, easy enough o work out if it is approximately right by the build date

V5 and engine match-up on the logbook/V5 already,  when I first got the birth cert it had a CT engine in there so I sorta guessed it should have had a CU in there? (possibly a different CT but I'd like to think it had the bigger engine!) given they wouldn't confirm the engine number I supplied to them.

The van had a hydraulic 3 rib CT box in there (since changed to a DK box) and as far as I ever knew, all CT's had cable operated clutches so unless it was altered from a CU-CT or is some crossover thing I can't tell... I guess I'd like to know the original engine code so I know what it left the factory with!
 

Oren Kipnis wrote: ↑11 Nov 2024, 22:15 Volkswagen will not provide you with the original engine number.
If you have some connection with a VW dealer, you can get the data sheet that Volkswagen Classic Parts sells for £59.95
You can see the data sheet of my Syncro with a masked VIN, which I received from a dealer. It shows the engine code and all production numbers.

Sadly I don't have such connections - that's exactly the sort of thing I'm after as it would at least tell me what variant it had in it at new
 

Do you have a M Plate on the body under left front seat next to the middle seat runner  ?

The Type number eg 255 MC7 in Edna's case will identify the original engine

fifth digit is the engine code, in Edna's case it is C which is 2.1 MV

CT 1.6 petrol 50hp = 1

2 litre air cooled = 2 and 3,  CU engine code is 2, CV = 3

As Aidan wrote, snap a photo of the M plate under the seat and the VIN. I will try to decode it for you.

Think this is the plate you are asking for

Type is 254 011

the info on ETOS maybe wrong because it says Type 2 panel van, but 254 is Kombi, if it has factory rear windows its a Kombi (the most basic passenger bus, so it had seat belt mounts in the rear but no extra sound deadening)

0 = no standard extras
1 = CT engine
1 = with M17 = 2 seater middle bench, and would have been badged BUS

If the white sticker is still on the van you might find more info

paint codes 9821 don't match anything I have on the system, AW is van dyke brown cloth seats I'm guessing with brown door cards

Built March 13 1980  (week 11 day 4)

 

Aidan wrote: ↑14 Nov 2024, 18:31 Type is 254 011

the info on ETOS maybe wrong because it says Type 2 panel van, but 254 is Kombi, if it has factory rear windows its a Kombi (the most basic passenger bus, so it had seat belt mounts in the rear but no extra sound deadening)

0 = no standard extras
1 = CT engine
1 = with M17 = 2 seater middle bench, and would have been badged BUS

If the white sticker is still on the van you might find more info

paint codes 9821 don't match anything I have on the system, AW is van dyke brown cloth seats I'm guessing with brown door cards

Built March 13 1980  (week 11 day 4)

 

Aidan, that's mega! Thank to so much for deciphering that. My van has seat belt mounts in the rear as I've connected in to them since getting the van and it has factory (recessed) windows and yes, it was the poo brown and tan in colour originally, it's now red and cream.
The paint code sticker is still there and looks like this....




Many thanks to you also Mocki for the breakdown image.

Yours being very early seems to use a variant of the Bay paint code sales term, though those colours don't seem to be available on the Bay so 9821 isn't listed in the Bay info, though 4 digit sales paint codes were a thing

LH8B is Aswan Brown, later M plates would have T6 for that
LH1B is Samos Beige, later plates would have been stamped D8 for that colour

a case of because the year range of the 'early T3s in the parts catalogue encompasses 1980 model year to 1985 model year (during which there were a lot of changes) the paint and interior data is right for all but the first year of production which was also pre standardised VIN, for a T3 there was an extra digit (0) in the chassis number; the standard 17 digit VIN was compulsory from January 1981 and VW were obviously having to adjust their identifier system to that standard in the year(s) before that date


 

That looks like LH1M or N to me...