just picked up 78 elky vin # is *5w80l8k500225 can't find what the * or 5 means any help would be greatly app. also cowl tag identification. 78 5aw80 k 047643 19v 19m 10c15 0370

I think you have a GMC Caballero.

5W80L8K500225

5 = GMC Truck (A 1978 El Camino VIN should start with a 1)
W = Malibu Classic & El Camino
80 = El Camino
L = 5.7L
8 = 1978
K = Leeds assembly plant
500225 = Sequential production number

:mrgreen:

I can't find any complete info on that VIN. Part of it makes sense, but the "*" is not in any book that I have and neither is the "5". The "5" digit place should be the Chevrolet Division.

I don't have a book on GMC, but is it possible that you have a GMC Sprint named "Caballero"? That is the year they changed the name from Sprint to Caballero.

Sounds like a great question. I'm sure some other members will know.

Evening Ernie. I had a feeling you would know! Always enjoy learning something new.

Hi Jay. This would have been a good question for the ECC monthly quiz.

Did the El Camino VIN had one more character than the Caballero VIN? Maybe that's why there was a * in the VIN?

The Elky VIN would have been 1AW80L8KXXXXXX

:mrgreen:

From the cowl tag:

5 = As Ernie said, GMC Truck Division
AW80 = base model GMC Caballero (if it were a Laredo model, it would have the D91 option (Paint, two-tone), if it were a Diablo model it would have the YE7 option (Sport Pkg) code.

i have a 81 cabbalero diablo i posted a simmilar message somewhere else but my vin is 1gtcw80h8bz500700 if it helps

79 10D 1AW80K O57141
9V 19L 19U L
A52 20 0207
THANKS FOR YOUR HELP 8)