How to decode a 1981 Chevrolet Malibu VIN
Characters 1-3 of a 1981 Chevrolet Malibu VIN
A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is the initial three characters of a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which uniquely identify the manufacturer of a vehicle. For the 1981 Chevrolet Malibu, the WMI “1G1” denotes vehicles made by General Motors LLC in Warren, Michigan, United States, specifically identifying them as passenger cars. Additionally, a related but different WMI, “2G1,” was also used for Chevrolet Malibu models in 1981, indicating the same manufacturer and vehicle type but may represent variations in manufacturing locations or specifications. These WMIs provide valuable information about the car’s origin, manufacturer, and vehicle type, crucial for registration, insurance, and historical research purposes.
List of WMI Codes for a 1981 Chevrolet Malibu
WMI: 1G1
- Model Years Covered: 1981-1983, 1997-2024
- Example VIN: 1G1AW27K0BD484410
- Manufacturer Name: General Motors LLC
- Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
- City: Warren
- State or Province: Michigan
- Country: United States WMI: 2G1
- Model Years Covered: 1981
- Example VIN: 2G1AW27J5B1444472
- Manufacturer Name: General Motors LLC
- Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
- City: Warren
- State or Province: Michigan
- Country: United States
Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a 1981 Chevrolet Malibu VIN
These characters correspond to components like:
- Engine type
- Transmission
- Model or trim
- Body style
- Gross vehicle weight range
Below find the known vehicle descriptor codes for a 1981 Chevrolet Malibu:
| Known VDS for a 1981 Chevrolet Malibu | ||
|---|---|---|
| AW27K | AW69K | AW27J |
Auto manufacturers have some discretion to decide how they want to code this section, but its contents and decoded results are generally consistent.
Character 9 is the “check digit” in a 1981 Chevrolet Malibu VIN.
Based on a formula developed by the US Department of Transportation, it helps reduce fraud by ensuring the validity of the VIN.
10th Character in the 1981 Chevrolet Malibu VIN — Year Code
| Year Code | Year |
|---|---|
| B | 1981 |
11th Character in the 1981 Chevrolet Malibu VIN — Plant Code(s)
Known 1981 Chevrolet Malibu Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
| Plant Code | Plant City | Plant State | Plant Country | Plant Company Name | Example VIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oshawa | Ontario | Canada | Oshawa Plant #2 | 2G1AW27J5B1444472 |
| D | Kosai | Shizuoka | Japan | 1G1AW27K0BD484410 | |
| R | Arlington | Texas | United States | 1G1AW27K6BR472166 |
VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 1981 Chevrolet Malibu
The final 6 characters in a 1981 Chevrolet Malibu’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.
Check your Chevrolet Malibu’s VIN below:
How to find a 1981 Chevrolet Malibu’s VIN?
Locating the VIN number on your 1981 Chevrolet Malibu is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:
- Look at the dashboard on the driver’s side of your Chevrolet Malibu, near where it meets the windshield. The VIN can typically be seen from outside the vehicle through the windshield.
- Examine the door post or jamb on the driver’s side when the door is open. The VIN label might be located here on your 1981 Chevrolet Malibu.
- Check the engine bay. The VIN might also be stamped on the firewall of the engine compartment in your Malibu.
- Inspect the frame of the car. Sometimes the VIN is stamped on the car frame or chassis under the hood or within the fender wells.
- Review your vehicle’s title, registration, or insurance documents, where the VIN of your Chevrolet Malibu will be recorded.
What info can a 1981 Chevrolet Malibu VIN reveal?
- Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicles model year being the year 1981, possibly providing insights into the age and potential market value of the vehicle.
- Vehicle Specifications: The dataset provides detailed specifications for a Chevrolet Malibu model, including engine details such as a 3.8-liter displacement with a V-Shaped engine configuration and it possibly being manufactured by Chevrolet.
- Body Class and Size: The VIN reveals the body class as a Sedan/Saloon with 4 doors, outlining the general shape and size of the vehicle.
- Engine and Performance: It possibly specifies a 6-cylinder engine with a displacement of 3800 CC (or 231.89 CI), which may describe the engine’s capacity and its configuration to be V-Shaped.
- Fuel Type: The primary fuel type for this vehicle is Gasoline, possibly indicating the type of fuel needed for its operation.
- Plant Information: Manufacturing details such as the plant city being Oshawa, the plant company name as Oshawa Plant #2, and the country as Canada, possibly providing insight into where the vehicle was assembled.
- Safety Features: Mention of a manual seat belt type possibly indicates the kind of safety feature equipped in the vehicle during that model year.
Don’t have your 1981 Chevrolet Malibu’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!
Sample VIN Decode Report for a 1981 Chevrolet Malibu
| Vehicle Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Body Class | Sedan/Saloon |
| Displacement (CC) | 3800.0 |
| Displacement (CI) | 231.89022755998 |
| Displacement (L) | 3.8 |
| Doors | 4 |
| Engine Configuration | V-Shaped |
| Engine Manufacturer | Chevrolet |
| Engine Number of Cylinders | 6 |
| Fuel Type - Primary | Gasoline |
| Gross Vehicle Weight Rating From | Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) |
| Gross Vehicle Weight Rating To | Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) |
| Model | Malibu |
| Model Year | 1981 |
| Plant City | Oshawa |
| Plant Company Name | Oshawa plant #2 |
| Plant Country | Canada |
| Plant State | Ontario |
| Seat Belt Type | Manual |
| Series | Classic |
| Vehicle Descriptor | 2G1AW69K*B1 |
| Vehicle Type | Passenger Car |
| Sample_VIN | 2G1AW69K0B1467168 |
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