VIN Decoding?

[CJR]

Does anybody know how to decode the vin on a chimaera,I need to know if the engine was changed from the original one fitted.
I have used the free vin decoders on the web but they only give me the make and the country it was made in, My VIN is SDLDCC4P7SB011183.
Thanks

[CJR]

Hi Thanks but how do you know if it was a 4.5 but changed to a 4, and also these figures that were suplied say that my car is 1981 and its acctually a 1995

GJR said:

Not going to search back 5 years for the specific thread, but I rememberd that I'd copied and pasted the info for my own reference....

An old thread from many... many years back said:

Someone's Question......

vin/chassis number :

The last 4 digits of the vin/chassis number seem to be marked on a lot of components to identify the car in production. Are these sequential in order of build ?

Answer given......

Yes and no.... Yes they do use the chassis number as a tracer but the number is sequential for the number of TVRs that they made. 214 would refer to the 214th TVR to be made that year not the 214th Chimaera. The chassis ordering can also get out of step with registration number so you can have a later chassis number car registered before an earlier one...

---

eg: SDLDCC4PX

First 3 letters are for TVR
D = drophead
Next 2 characters are type - ie CC Convertable Chariot
Next number is model - ie 4 = 400
P = petrol
Next number is random security number
Next letter is the build year (A=1980 B = 1981 and so on - i is not used) - build years started in September for the October Motorshow apparently - so you can have a 1990 registered car on a 1991 build year.
Next letter is the build month (A=Jan B=Feb and so on - i is not used)
Next 3 numbers are believed to be standard/random of no significance..
Final 3 numbers shows the car number - ie 14th car built from the 1991 build year.

---

[CJR]

spend said:

Post your Vin/chassis number and engine number & we should be able to give you an idea. It should be quite safe if you just replace the last 3 digits with 'XXX'

Check the vin plate v chassis number are the same.

Thanks
I have checked the vin plate and the chassis number they are the same

vin
SDLDCC4P7SB011XXX

engine
37A40P2XXX

Body code (incase it helps) P422 4YP9B

[CJR]

Thanks Spend you have cleared a lot up for me, I was told when I bought the car it was a HC but had no proof even though it has the driving traits of one, god knows why some previous owner put a chimaera 450 badge on the back confused:, they arent cheap, and I now know not to read too much into the dates of manufacture.
Thanks again:

[CJR]

Mine is a serpantine engine though