Decode My VIN

[Cotington48]

I have a 1973 Cotner-Bevington Ambulance on an Oldsmobile 98 chassis. The VIN number is 3W60T2M... I have been unable to decode the "W" and the "60". I am also mystified as to why this VIN would have a "2" for the model year as it is clearly a 1973 front end and rear bumper/tail lights. I am wondering if this was a 98 two door body with a "delete package" like the chassis used for modern day limousine and funeral coaches build by Cadillac and Lincoln?

Thanks for you help.

[joe_padavano]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Cotington48</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a 1973 Cotner-Bevington Ambulance on an Oldsmobile 98 chassis. The VIN number is 3W60T2M... I have been unable to decode the "W" and the "60". I am also mystified as to why this VIN would have a "2" for the model year as it is clearly a 1973 front end and rear bumper/tail lights. I am wondering if this was a 98 two door body with a "delete package" like the chassis used for modern day limousine and funeral coaches build by Cadillac and Lincoln?

Thanks for you help. </div></div>

In 1971, the ambulance and hearse bodies carried unique VINs (38840... for the ambulance and 38890... for the hearse) As you may know, the VIN format was changed starting in the 1972 model year; the two-digit series code in the second and third character locations ("88" in this case) was changed to a single letter to free up a character to be used to designate the specific engine option. In 71, the "88" series code was unique to the ambulance/hearse. I suspect the "W" in your VIN is the same. You will note, for example, that in 1972 Olds used the letter designators "U" and "V" for the different Ninety Eight models. In 73 Olds also used "T" and "X" for Ninety Eight models, skipping over "W". This leads me to belive that the "W" was already taken for the ambulance/hearse special chassis models.

If you're using the on-line Olds VIN decoder, be aware that the information in it is not entirely complete, which may be why the "W" doesn't show up. Same goes for the "60" body designator. Note that the "40" ambulance and "90" hearse designators were unique for 1971. I suspect that the "60" is just not in the database you're looking at.

As for the model year, the car is a 72. The VIN absolutely defines that, as required to comply with federal laws (such as the model year applicability of emissions requirements). It's possible that ambulance conversion was done after the end of the 1972 model year and the builder may have swapped the grille and bumpers to make the car look newer.

[Oldsfan]

Just to expand on what Joe said...

The parts book says this:

In '73, W60 was the sales and VIN code for hearses and ambulances. The Fisher Body model code for an ambulance was 73-3CW40, while a hearse was 73-3CW90. I guess those numbers would be on the Fisher Body data plate.

As you mentioned, your VIN codes for a '72. It must have been very late in the model year.

The '72 sales and VIN code was T60 for both hearses and ambulances. Both also shared the Fisher Body model code of 72-38860. Ambulances had an Oldsmobile Sales Code of 8840, while hearses had 8890.

I don't know if that help you or not. I was looking for something else in the parts book today and stumbled upon these numbers. Kinda confusing.

Paul