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I'm trying to find the VIN number on this Ghia, but all it has is 10 digits. Don't all VINs contain 17? Am I missing something here?

I just checked the VIN on my '69 Ghia and it has 9 digits.

too old for 17 digits. you should be able to get it on the vin plate in the trunk and stamped on the tunnel near the shifter linkage. my 74 has 10

Yes... my 73 has 10. Where can I decode this?

...sorry, I have 9 digits.

I think I found something.

Year: undefined
Model: Type 3 Ghia
Serial Production No.: 201373

Is that about all you can get from our VINs?

There's no secret codes in old ACVW VINs (well, hardly) - all they are is a serial production number. Since 1965 the first three digits will tell you the general type of vehicle, if not the specific model, and what the model year is, but that's it. In `71 & `72 they didn't even differentiate between Standard and Super Beetles.
The Type III `Ghia is a unique model, never sold in the US, based on the Notchback chassis and with a completely different body than that of the "Type I" (Beetle-based) Karmann Ghia. You do NOT have one of these, correct? Their VIN starts with "34", not "14".



1973 model year Karmann-Ghias were built from August 1 1972 through July 31 1973. Chassis number starts in 14 (Type I `Ghia), third digit of three denotes last digit of the model year.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/inf ... tingkg.php (note that there's a minor misprint, the 1974 model year started in August of 1973, not July, with VIN 144 2000 001)

Note that ACVW model numbers from c1949 up are three-digit; if the third digit of the model number is odd it's LHD, if even it's RHD. But don't confuse model numbers (also shown on the body tag in the trunk or by the driver's seat in a Bus) with VIN numbers, the VIN only uses the first two digits of the model number, with the third being the last digit of the model year.
http://www.clubvw.org.au/vwmodels

All ACVWs have the VIN stamped into the top of the tunnel under the back seat, and into an aluminum plate that's riveted inside the trunk. By US law, all cars imported for sale after January 1 1969 also have a VIN tag riveted into the bottom corner of the windshield and printed on a tamper-proof sticker on the driver's side "B" pillar - meaning your `73 `Ghia should have the (matching) VIN in four places.

Thanks much for the info. Yes, it's definitely a Type I.