At 11:17 AM 12/7/99 PST, you wrote: > >Hi Lee! >Well, you're not quite correct because if the check digit doesn't match up >the VIN plate is fake/invalid. The system was designed so as to get approved >numbers. > >Take a look at this from Robert Lamrock: > >The Vehicle Identification Number is a 17 character alpha/numeric number >with 10 fixed characters and 7 variable characters:- > >SCEDT26T (X) AD 000000 >Constant Check Constant Ascending Digit Sequence > > SCE = World Manufacturer Code > D = Car Line > T = Series > 2 = Body Type > 6 = Engine > T = Restraint System > X = Check Digit > A = Model Year > D = Plant of Manufacture >000000 = Serial Number > >The year of manufacture is determined from the following table; >1980 A >1981 B >1982 C >1983 D >If production had continued then 1984 was coded E and so on. There were >codes in place right up to the year 2012!!! > >For those mathematicians out there you can calculate the Check Digit by the >following; >a) Assign to each number in the VIN its actual mathematical value and to >each letter the value specified in Table 1. >b) Multiply the assigned value for each character in the VIN by the weight >factor specified in Table 2. Multiply the check digit by 0. >c) Add the resulting products and divide the total by 11. >d) The remainder is the check digit. If the remainder is 10 the Check Digit >is X. > >Don't ask me how or why but it works!! (See my calculation below >tables) > >TABLE 1 Mathematical Value of Letters in the VIN >A = 1 B = 2 C = 3 D = 4 E = 5 F = 6 G = 7 H = 8 J = 1 K = 2 L = 3 >M =4 N = 5 P = 7 R = 9 S = 2 T = 3 U = 4 V = 5 W = 6 X = 7 Y = 8 >Z= 9 > >TABLE 2 Character and Weight Factor >1st = 8 2nd = 7 3rd = 6 4th = 5 5th = 4 6th = 3 7th = 2 8th = 10 >Check Digit = 0 >9th = 9 10th = 8 11th = 7 12th = 6 13th = 5 14th = 4 15th = 3 16th = >2 > >My VIN Calculation > >S C E D T 2 6 T (Check Digit) B D 0 0 3 9 1 5 >= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = >2 3 5 4 3 2 6 3 (0) 2 4 0 0 3 9 1 5 >X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X >8 7 6 5 4 3 2 10 (0) 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 >= >16 +21+ 30+ 20 +12 +6 +12 +30 +0 +18 + 32 + 0 + 0 + 15 + 36 + 3 + >10 > >Grand total = 261 > >Divide by 11 = 23 remainder 8. HEY PRESTO MY CHECK DIGIT ! > > >BEST WISHES >STIAN BIRKELAND >NORWAY > > Hello Stain, Thanks for the copy of Robert Lamrock's Vin math solution. I guess I was not being clear enough in my post. I am aware of the vin verification math solution but I think that while I agree it would be a good way to do what you say, and had the DeLorean become another "Ford Thunderbird" in popularity I could see the value today. As a practical matter how many if any existing VIN numbers do you think are counterfeit? Just think about it for a moment...You not only have to remove all the Vin plates from the DeLorean, you also have to manufacture a new counterfeit ID plate more than 2nd and 3rd owners who know of or have paper trails to the original seller it is very unlikely that there are any actual counterfeit Vins any where to day. I found it puzzling that there would be much if any interest other than a kind of parlor game for owners to fiddle with, like a cross word puzzle. Cheers! Lee support@xxxx NOTICE TO BULK EMAILER: Pursuant to US Code, Title 47, Chapter 5, Subchapter II, 227, any and all unsolicited commercial e-mail sent to this address is subject to a download and archival fee in the amount of $500 US. E-Mailing denotes acceptance of these terms.