Chevrolet Bel Air · 1955–1957
Bel Air VIN decoder
Type the VIN of a Tri-Five Bel Air. The decoder reads it against the code tables on our year pages, and every table is sourced below.
Decode a VIN
What the 11 characters mean
| Position | Meaning | Example (1956) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Engine: V = V8 (a six-cylinder number has no V and is one character shorter) | V |
| 2 | Series: A = One-Fifty, B = Two-Ten, C = Bel Air, D = Sedan Delivery | C |
| 3–4 | Model year: 56 = 1956 | 56 |
| 5 | Plant: T = Tarrytown, New York, F = Flint, Michigan, S = St. Louis, Missouri, K = Kansas City, Missouri, O = Oakland, California, A = Atlanta, Georgia, N = Norwood, Ohio, B = Baltimore, Maryland, L = Los Angeles, California, J = Janesville, Wisconsin | T |
| 6–11 | Unit number, from 1,001 in 1956 | 001025 |
Example: An example built from GM's code table, not a real car's number: Bel Air, V8, 1956, Tarrytown, unit 1025. GM's own example is A56T001025, a six-cylinder One-Fifty; a six-cylinder Bel Air would read C56T001025.5one source
The code tables, year by year
Each table is the one on the year page, with its sources.
1955 · position 3 is 55 · 5 engines
| Position | Meaning |
|---|---|
| V | V8 engine. A six-cylinder car's number has no V and starts with the series letter, so it is one character shorter |
| A · B · C · D | Series: One-Fifty (with a V, all but model 1508) · Two-Ten · Bel Air · Sedan Delivery (six-cylinder only in GM's 1955 table) |
| 55 | Model year (1955) |
| T · F · S · K · O · A · N · B · L · J | Assembly plant: Tarrytown · Flint · St. Louis · Kansas City · Oakland · Atlanta · Norwood · Baltimore · Los Angeles · Janesville |
| 001001 → | Unit number, from 1,001 at each plant regardless of series |
| RPO | Engine | Rated |
|---|---|---|
| — | 235.5 cu in Blue Flame six, manual transmission (standard) | 123 hp |
| — | 235.5 cu in Blue Flame six, with Powerglide | 136 hp |
| RPO 221 | 265 cu in Turbo-Fire V8, 2-barrel | 162 hp |
| RPO 410 | 265 cu in V8, 4-barrel and dual exhausts (the Power Pack) | 180 hp |
| — | 265 cu in V8, later in the year (the Corvette engine by Over-Drive, the Super Power Pack by Wikipedia) | 195 hp |
Where to find it: Stamped on a plate attached to the left front body hinge pillar.1one source Sources for the codes1234. The 1955 page →
1956 · position 3 is 56 · 5 engines
| Position | Meaning |
|---|---|
| V | V8 engine. A six-cylinder car's number has no V and starts with the series letter, so it is one character shorter |
| A · B · C · D | Series: One-Fifty (not model 1508) · Two-Ten · Bel Air · Sedan Delivery |
| 56 | Model year (1956) |
| T · F · S · K · O · A · N · B · L · J | Assembly plant: Tarrytown · Flint · St. Louis · Kansas City · Oakland · Atlanta · Norwood · Baltimore · Los Angeles · Janesville |
| 001001 → | Unit number, from 1,001 at each plant regardless of series |
| RPO | Engine | Rated |
|---|---|---|
| — | 235.5 cu in Blue Flame six | 140 hp |
| RPO 221 | 265 cu in Turbo-Fire V8, 2-barrel, manual transmission | 162 hp |
| RPO 221 | 265 cu in Turbo-Fire V8, 2-barrel, Powerglide | 170 hp |
| RPO 221 + 410 | 265 cu in V8, 4-barrel | 205 hp |
| RPO 221 + 411 | 265 cu in V8, two 4-barrels (the Corvette engine) | 225 hp |
Where to find it: Stamped on a plate attached to the left front body hinge pillar.5one source Sources for the codes456. The 1956 page →
1957 · position 3 is 57 · 8 engines
| Position | Meaning |
|---|---|
| V | V8 engine. A six-cylinder car's number has no V and starts with the series letter, so it is one character shorter |
| A · B · C · D | Series: 1500 One-Fifty (not model 1508) · 2100 Two-Ten · 2400 Bel Air · 1508 Sedan Delivery |
| 57 | Model year (1957) |
| T · F · S · K · O · A · N · B · L · J | Assembly plant: Tarrytown · Flint · St. Louis · Kansas City · Oakland · Atlanta · Norwood · Baltimore · Los Angeles · Janesville |
| 100001 → | Unit number, from 100,001 at each plant regardless of series |
| RPO | Engine | Rated |
|---|---|---|
| — | 235.5 cu in Blue Flame six | 140 hp |
| RPO 221 | 265 cu in V8, 2-barrel | 162 hp |
| RPO 223 | 283 cu in Turbo-Fire V8, 2-barrel | 185 hp |
| RPO 223 + 410 | 283 cu in Super Turbo-Fire V8, 4-barrel | 220 hp |
| RPO 223 + 411 | 283 cu in V8, two 4-barrels | 245 hp |
| RPO 223 + 411 | 283 cu in V8, two 4-barrels and the competition camshaft | 270 hp |
| RPO 223 + 578 | 283 cu in V8, Ramjet fuel injection | 250 hp |
| RPO 223 + 578 | 283 cu in V8, fuel injection and the competition camshaft | 283 hp |
Where to find it: Stamped on a plate attached to the left front body hinge pillar.7one source Sources for the codes478. The 1957 page →
Sources
- 1955 Chevrolet – Vehicle Information Kit General Motors (GM Heritage Archive) · read 2026-10-11
- 1955 Chevrolet Fact Sheet Over-Drive Magazine · read 2026-10-11
- 1955 Chevrolet Wikipedia · read 2026-10-11
- Chevrolet Bel Air (the 1955–57 pages) HowStuffWorks (Consumer Guide Automotive) · read 2026-10-11
- 1956 Chevrolet – Vehicle Information Kit General Motors (GM Heritage Archive) · read 2026-10-11
- 1956 Chevrolet Fact Sheet Over-Drive Magazine · read 2026-10-11
- 1957 Chevrolet – Vehicle Information Kit General Motors (GM Heritage Archive) · read 2026-10-11
- 1957 Chevrolet Fact Sheet Over-Drive Magazine · read 2026-10-11