How to decode a 1981 Mercury Capri VIN
Characters 1-3 of a 1981 Mercury Capri VIN
A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) comprises the first three characters of a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), uniquely identifying the vehicle’s manufacturer, the type of vehicle, and the country of manufacture. For instance, in the case of a 1981 Mercury Capri, the WMI “1ME” indicates that the vehicle was manufactured by Ford Motor Company, specifically designated as a passenger car. This marker also specifies that the manufacturing location is in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. The WMI is crucial for vehicle tracking, registration, recall notifications, and validation. It serves as a global standard for categorizing vehicles and their origins.
List of WMI Codes for a 1981 Mercury Capri
WMI: 1ME
- Model Years Covered: 1981-1982, 1984-1986
- Example VIN: 1MEBP68DXBF615037
- Manufacturer Name: Ford Motor Company
- Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
- City: Dearborn
- State or Province: Michigan
- Country: United States
Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a 1981 Mercury Capri 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 Mercury Capri:
| Known VDS for a 1981 Mercury Capri | |
|---|---|
| BP68D | BP67B |
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 Mercury Capri 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 Mercury Capri VIN — Year Code
| Year Code | Year |
|---|---|
| B | 1981 |
11th Character in the 1981 Mercury Capri VIN — Plant Code(s)
Known 1981 Mercury Capri Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
| Plant Code | Plant City | Plant State | Plant Country | Plant Company Name | Example VIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | Dearborn | Michigan | United States | 1MEBP68DXBF615037 |
VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 1981 Mercury Capri
The final 6 characters in a 1981 Mercury Capri’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.
Check your Mercury Capri’s VIN below:
How to find a 1981 Mercury Capri’s VIN?
Locating the VIN number on your 1981 Mercury Capri is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:
- Look at the dashboard on the driver’s side of your Mercury Capri, near where the windshield meets the dash. The VIN should be visible from outside the vehicle.
- Examine the door post on the driver’s side where the door latches when closed. There should be a label or a sticker with the VIN on your 1981 Mercury Capri.
- Check under the hood, as the VIN might also be stamped on the front of the engine block in your Mercury Capri.
- Inspect the rear wheel well above the tire; sometimes the VIN can be found stamped in this area on older models such as the 1981 Mercury Capri.
- Look beneath the spare tire, as the VIN may sometimes be found in this location in the trunk area of your Mercury Capri.
- Search for the VIN on the vehicle’s frame near the windshield washer fluid reservoir, which can be another potential spot where the VIN is stamped on your 1981 Mercury Capri.
What info can a 1981 Mercury Capri VIN reveal?
- Model Year: The VIN may suggest that the vehicle is from the model year 1981, potentially providing insights into the age and market value of the vehicle.
- Vehicle Type and Body Class: The VIN may indicate that the vehicle is a Passenger Car, specifically a Hatchback/Liftback/Notchback, offering potential insights into the car’s size, style, and utility.
- Engine Specifications: The VIN can encode details such as a 4.2-liter engine size (4195.088384 CC or 256 CI), V-Shaped configuration, and the fact that it’s a gasoline-powered engine with 8 cylinders, manufactured by Ford, potentially providing insights into the vehicle’s power and performance.
- Fuel Type: The primary fuel type for this vehicle is indicated as Gasoline, suggesting potential fuel efficiency and emissions standards it might meet.
- Safety Features: The presence of “Active Belts” in the VIN might indicate the type of restraint system, potentially contributing to the vehicle’s safety profile.
- Manufacturing Information: The VIN suggests that the vehicle was manufactured in Dearborn, Michigan, United States, possibly hinting at the origin of the vehicle and its manufacturing standards.
- Model Specifications: According to the VIN, the vehicle’s make is a Capri, in the GHIA series, potentially offering details about its design, features, and market position.
Don’t have your 1981 Mercury Capri’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!
Sample VIN Decode Report for a 1981 Mercury Capri
| Vehicle Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Body Class | Hatchback/Liftback/Notchback |
| Displacement (CC) | 4195.088384 |
| Displacement (CI) | 256 |
| Displacement (L) | 4.2 |
| Doors | 3 |
| Engine Configuration | V-Shaped |
| Engine Manufacturer | Ford |
| Engine Number of Cylinders | 8 |
| Fuel Type - Primary | Gasoline |
| Model | Capri |
| Model Year | 1981 |
| Other Engine Info | 2BBL |
| Other Restraint System Info | Active Belts |
| Plant City | Dearborn |
| Plant Company Name | |
| Plant Country | United States |
| Plant State | Michigan |
| Series | GHIA |
| Vehicle Descriptor | 1MEBP68D*BF |
| Vehicle Type | Passenger Car |
| Sample_VIN | 1MEBP68DXBF615037 |
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