Having a "0" next to the "L" does not make sense according to the "OhioBronco" VIN decoder website...
Trying to find out what year this is..I know it says "1977" on the tag, but the body does not have "gas doors" as required in '77.


Thanks!

 

That's not a VIN, is it? VIN should be either 13 or 17 characters long.

 

Ron - You can use the 1980 part of the VIN decoder here: VIN Decoding - ???Gary's Garagemahal.

I get:

• U15: Bronco wagon
• G: Engine code, and "G" usually indicates a V8, but I don't know about an earlier Bronco
• L: Made in the Michigan plant
• 063005 is the "numerical sequence of assembly"

 

Prior to 1981 VIN's were 11 digits.

 

Thanks Gary

 

I had several 1980 cars with 13-digit VINs. Shouldn't there at least be a digit to represent the model year? (That's what the OP is after, right?)

 

All I can tell you is what Ford's Master Parts Catalog says, as shown on my web page. 1980 vehicles had an 11 digit VIN, and it doesn't include the year. However, the tag says 1977.

 

U15 = Bronco Wagon.

G = 302 2V

L = Michigan Truck Assembly Plant.

O63005 = 1977.

1977 Serial Number Range: O00,001-Z20.000. The letter O looks like 0 (zero) on the Warranty Plate, causing confusion, but one would assume a Bronco website would know this.

FoMoCo Passenger Car 11 digit VIN sequence is different than truck, Bronco & Econoline. Begins with a number that denotes the year.

Then there's a letter for the assembly plant, followed by two numbers that decode to the model and body style. 5th digit is the engine size, last 6 is the numerical sequence of assembly

Example: 5R08C123456: 5 = 1965; R = San Jose CA Assembly Plant; 08 = Mustang Convertible; C = 289 2V; 123456 = 1965 numerical sequence of assembly.

Beginning in 1981, all auto manufacturers vehicles sold in the US have a 17 digit VIN .. this was mandated by the US Gov't.

Prior to 1981: While FoMoCo vehicles had 11 digit VIN's, other auto makers VIN's could have 5 digits or 10 or who the hell knows how many digits, it was mass confusion.

btw: 1977 Bronco uses the same fuel filler door as 1977/79 F100/350 Stylesides, 1978/79 Bronco & 1974/79 Lincoln Continental Mark IV/V.

If the 1977 has an exposed fuel cap, the left quarter panel was replaced with a 1966/76 quarter panel.

 

Thanks Bill
I was suspicious of the seller saying an "original" 1977 and having gas caps....