Serial / Vin # Location

[John Brissette]

Where is the Serial or Vin number located on '65-'83 Avanti's.? 

Thanks

John

[Desert Driver]

On my '71, the VIN can be found on the front side of the driver's door frame, as well as in a small cut out area of the dash (driver side, next to the windshield). The VIN is only seven digits on my car.

[Gunslinger]

Starting with the 1981 model year the government mandated a 17-digit VIN which contained information such as manufacturer, engine class and actual serial number.  Poor to that Avanti II cars were all RQA/RQB/RQC plus numbers.  After the VIN requirement was mandated Avanti Motors continued their "RQ" sequence but for internal accounting purposes.

[John Brissette]

Gunslinger............I'm needing to know where the serial/vin number is located. Long story short. Owner of an Avanti ll died. Estate sold the car, with out a title as it could not be located. New owner does not know what year it is. Add to that the new owner can't find the serial/vin number to start the process of getting a title.

I have not seen the car, but based on what little information I was given, I feel very confident it is an Avanti ll. Having said all of that , where should the serial/vin number be located on '65-'83 Avanti ll's

Do Avanti ll's have a hidden serial number, somewhere on the car/frame, like my '63 Avanti, which has one, on the rear shock mount bar?

Thanks

John

[pantera928]

41 minutes ago, John Brissette said:

Gunslinger............I'm needing to know where the serial/vin number is located. Long story short. Owner of an Avanti ll died. Estate sold the car, with out a title as it could not be located. New owner does not know what year it is. Add to that the new owner can't find the serial/vin number to start the process of getting a title.

I have not seen the car, but based on what little information I was given, I feel very confident it is an Avanti ll. Having said all of that , where should the serial/vin number be located on '65-'83 Avanti ll's

Do Avanti ll's have a hidden serial number, somewhere on the car/frame, like my '63 Avanti, which has one, on the rear shock mount bar?

Thanks

John

Open the drivers door and and look on the A pillar between the hinges. There should be a plate there with a number starting with RQA or RGB depending on the years prior to 1981, that was the number.

On later 1980s models you can also find it on the edge of the windshield on the drivers side in conventional form like is used on todays cars

[Gunslinger]

Beginning with RQB1563 the serial number was also attached to the dash where it was visible from outside the car...at the corner of the dash on the driver side.  If there's no serial number placed there it's prior to that...but that may not be really conclusive as the dash pad could have been replaced at some point.  

As Pantera said...there should be a plate riveted to the door jamb when you open the river door.  

A couple of tips to at least narrow down the model year it might be...do the seats have headrests?  Are the windshield wipers bright chrome or matte finished?  What make carburetor does it have?  Does it have a single or dual brake master cylinder?  Do the doors have cups in the armrests or pull straps?  Is the ignition switch on the dash or the steering column?

All those features can narrow it down but again are not definitive as the car could have been modified over the years.  

[Jim78]

It sounds like you are not absolutely positive at this point that it is an Avanti II.  If the car is in reality happens to be a Studebaker Avanti, the serial number would be found on a plate attached to the top of the right side frame rail, just in front of the firewall, below the heater blower motor.

[John Brissette]

Jim, I 'm 99% sure it is not a Studebaker Avanti.  But, I have not seen the car! This is all being done via the phone, through a third party.

Thanks for the information on the location of the serial number on a Studebaker Avanti. That was my first "instruction" , to look below the heater motor, on the frame. I'm very familiar with the plate and its location, as I have owned my '63 since 1972. BUT, it could have been removed.

I've forwarded the questions Gunslinger posed and added a few of my own, so we'll see what I get as answers.

I've offered to take a look at it in person, but have not heard back.

Stay tuned.

John

[Jim78]

A picture would be worth a thousand words.