Volkswagen T2 Production Codes (1968-1979)

Volkswagen T2 production codes

By: Vincent Molenaar

Introduction

Every Type 2 has two plates fixed somewhere in the car. Pictured above you can see them.
The left plate indicates the type, chassis number and the maximum load. I named this one the ID-plate as the full chassis number is printed on it.

The right plate carries much more interesting information: Chassis number, original exterior and interrior color, optional extra's, production date, export country and model. This one I call the M-plate because the M-codes are printed on it plus some other codes.

Together with Andreas Plogmaker, Erik Meltzer (both from T2ig) and a few enthousiasts I try to figure out the meaning of the codes on the M-plate. I actually started this page because when I tried to search the interent I discovered that I could only find info on this plate for the T1 bus, not for the T2. When I asked a question on the Type 2 mailinglist I got a list of T2 M-codes made by Ron van Ness. Soon I found out what each part of the plate. That's when I decided to make a homepage about this subject.

Where to find the M-plate?

1968-1976. The plate is located on the metal wall behind the drivers seat (Left Hand Drive, for Right Hand Drive it's the passenger seat).

1977-1979. The plate is fixed on the left side of the fresh air pipe under the dashboard. It is quite hard to read. It may help to put a piece of paper on the plate and then rub it with a pencil. A Flashlight might also work.

'68-'69 and '70-'79 plates

The layout of the plates fixed on 1968 and 1969 vehicles is different than the plates fixed in later models. The old plates are basically the same as those in the T1. From 1970 on the layout is different, also a code was added which meaning remains unknown to me until this very day (a true mystery!).

The Layout of the M-plate

DD D
MMM MMM MMM MMM MMM
TT	MMM MMM MMM MMM
EE	XXXX	PPPPII	CCCCCCCCC

CC CCC CCC
MMM MMM MMM MMM MMM
PPPPII	MMM MMM MMM MMM
DD D	UUUU	EE	XXXX XX

1968-1969

1970-1979

D	Production date	E	Export Destination
C	Chassis Number	P/I	Paint and Interrior Color
M	M-codes (optional extra's)	X	Model Type
T	Transmission and Engine type	U	Unknown code

Since 1970 an extra code is added to the plate. So far I haven't been able to find out what it means. All I have discovered is that it always starts with a '7', in rare cases with an '8'.
If all the M-codes fit on the third line then the second line remains empty
Please send me the codes of your bus if you like: molenari@hotmail.com. I put them in a database to compare them and try to figure out the unknown codes. Unfortunately the number of mystery codes grows faster than the speed in which they are solved.
Click on the group of codes you want more info about. Check out the example below.

Register your T2

If you like, you can have your T2 registered. Just folow this link for more info:

Type2 Registry 1967-79

Example

62 116 450
123 226 508 528 697
960977	FS9 H86 008 046
13 5	7497	HO	2650 11

62116450	Together with "26" this makes the chassis number: 2662116450 . "26" stands for "Double cabin pick-up" (crewcab). The "62" indicates that this bus is from model year 1976.
FS9	M-code: ? (probably stands for a collection of codes)
H86	M-code: ? (probably stands for a collection of codes)
008	M-code: ?
046	M-code: "Side turn signals" (I don't know why the list says "Denmark", this car was made for the Netherlands)
123	M-code: "Special suppression equipment"
226	M-code: "Retaining cables for tailboard"
508	M-code: "With vent wing in double cab door and in the opposite side panel"
528	M-code: "Rear view mirror, outer, right (Convex, LHD)"
697	M-code: ?
9609	Exterrior color: Army Green
77	Interrior color (seats and door panels): Canyon Brown
13 5	Manufactured in week 13, day 5, 1976 (note that the model year starts the year before in July/August, in this case in 1975. This means that week 43 would be the 43rd week in 1975)
7497	-- I haven't got a clue --
HO	Delivered to: The Netherlands (Holland)
2650 11	Model type. "265" means Double cabin pick-up, left hand drive, passenger door right.". "11" indicates the engine type, a 1600 in this case

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