EAGLE VIN NUMBERS

[sivrtnge2]

Does anyone here know how to read an Eagle VIN???

[LegalEagle82]

This was shared with me on the yahoo eagle bus nut group by Mike over at sivlereagle

All/Most of the VIN number are listed under a file on the yahoo eagle bus group.

Ok here is the deal with a Eagle VIN# .....here at Silver Eagle we
only really need the last 7 digits to dechipher the coach.

> The total VIN is of course 17 digits by law.
>
> The first digit is 1, which signifies plant # 1 which is
Brownsville. A # 2 would be the Harlingen plant and that would be a
Suburban 2 axle produced for several years.
>
> The second digit is E which signifies Eagle
> The third and fourth digits are U and A which signify United
States
> The fifth digit is just filler
> The sixth digit signifies engine cylinders 6 or 8
> The seventh digit is also filler but sometimes represents the
transmission A for automatic
> The eighth and ninth digits are a calculation of the previous
digits and are assigned by the computer
> The tenth and eleventh digits are also assigned by the computer
> Now we are down to the last 6 digits which really tell us what
is what...
> Twelve and thirteen tell us what coach you have , for example
> 02 Trailways Model 10
> 03 All other seated model 10
> 04 Austrailian RHD
> 05 Suburban 10S
> 06 Suburban TW
> 07 Model 15
> 08 Model 15 TW/GH
> 09 Model 20
>
> And 14 through 17 tell us what production series and or
options ...

> So to take your VIN and look in the book, I can tell that ....
>
>

Hope this helps, it sure helped me to understand the meaning behind the numbers.

Evan / LegalEagle82

[Connel]

"The total VIN is of course 17 digits by law."

Is an incorrect statement.  Most Eagles have a four or five digit VIN#.  Only after the law was changed did all vehicles go to a 17 digit #.  But, I can assure you there are many Eagles without that big number.  If your VIN is a small number and you care to post it, I will try to help you find out some history on your coach.
Connel

ps vehicles prior to 1981 did not have the 17 digit vin

[LegalEagle82]

For what its worth, Mike was responding to a request for my 82 eagle, so I hope it wasn't taken out of context.   I believe the statement was correct as it still is for Bill and a 94 eagle.  When speaking of current law, "is"  would be a correct statement.

Bill I found a similiar one to yours here in Nashville.   90% sure it is a Caldwell bus too.  I'm going go look at it, let me know if you need any information on the conversion.

Evan /LegalEagle

[pipes]

CONNEL..........I have an Eagle.... # BS 7631,...please check this out for me.... Thanks, Ken Turner

[sivrtnge2]

Thank You All...problem solved.

Hey LEGAL let me know what you find out about the coach I wouldlove to see som pictures of it.
--
BILL

[LegalEagle82]

Theres an Eagle Coach on ebay right now that is also a Caldwell Conversion.   Same body style, with a roof deck and 3 outside flat panel tvs.

[Connel]

Ken,
Your Coach VIN# 7631 is a SE05 built in 1968 by Bus and Car Inc. and delivered to Continental Midwest Lines.  The bus was Continentals fleet #19504 and later the fleet # may have changed to 9778.  Continental purchased Midwest Bus Lines around 1960 and was known as Continental Midwest Lines thereafter.  Hope this helps.
Connel

[pipes]

Thank you Connel. ..KT

[plum]

since 1981, the tenth letter signifies the year of the coach

[cody]

My eagle is an 1981 and it has the original 5 digit vin, and was originally a caldwell brothers conversion, the brass plaque is still affixed above the windshield.

[luvrbus]

Eagle serial numbers are not hard to trace it  becomes difficult when some states let the converters title a 1970 model as 2000.We hope to have a complete list for all models on the Eagle board before long that will include the entertainers shells, motorhome shells, seated shells and other special shells that were made by Eagle , plus a little bit of history on the coach I sometime can trace back to 2nd or 3rd owner but so far that has been on a very few buses.When the guy in Dallas sold off the Trailways buses those are hard to trace if not impossible.Don't always depend on the serial numbers being correct on the yahoo boards I bought mine from the 1st owner Vanderhoof and Sons with the sales order and one of the Eagle yahoo groups show it as being a Rocky Mountain Trailways and the other as a SC coach   good luck and stay tuned

[blue_goose]

My eagle is an 1981 and it has the original 5 digit vin, and was originally a caldwell brothers conversion, the brass plaque is still affixed above the windshield.

Caldwell got new titles on most of the buses that he rebuilt.  I don't think he ever did any new eagles.  They did good work and knew about as much about eagles as anyone.  Back in those days Trailways had there rebuild station in Bedford Va.  There were lots of people in that area working for them and also doing work on there own on eagles. 

[cody]

I haven't seen any title from them, I bought my bus from a converter in wisconsin, he had goeetn it from the blues singer that had caldwell do the conversion so my title was actually a wisconsin title but it still has the original year and original vin.

[luvrbus]

Cody, I don't know if it is the same now or not, some states would have 2 titles on a conversion one for the actual bus and the other for the conversion a bus I bought from a dealer in Idaho was this way. good luck and stay warm