On my ’86 Vanagon syncro, 7 passenger, there are two m-code plaques, a white paper one below fuse box and a metal one under driver’s seat.
First the vin can be decoded (link for site with vin decoder)
My vin decodes as:
made in West Germany, by VW, multipurpose van, 1980-1991 bus, 4-cyl gasoline water cooled, passive seat belts, vanagon, a check digit, model year (G=1986), Assembly plant Graz Austria (bodies sent to Graz from Hannover for syncro mods), then lastly production number.
So far what i have decoded from white plaque/sticker:
255 = Caravelle, Vanagon, Westfalia etc; LHD.
4C7 = not found on any list so far.
AAN = not found on any list so far.
LH8U = paint code, Bronze Beige Metallic.
D24 = not found on any list so far.
D26 = not found on any list so far.
D30 = not found on any list so far.
573 = klimaanlage (+leuchtspiegel in beifahrersonnenblende M 999), overhead air conditioning.
758 = “Sonderausfuhrung” Steuerungsnummer fur Programm Steuerungs-Zwecke von Internen Sonderfahrzeugen. Internal control number for special vehicles, I assume its a tag for syncro production. “Sonderausfuhrung” means special model, note there should be umluat on middle “U”.
975 = Zusatzheizung (Webasto BBW 46.10, speist in den Wasserkreislauf ein, keine standheizung (+ batterie 63 Ah M 597). aux heater (coolant type), Webasto plus 63 Ah battery.
And on the metal plaque below driver’s seat:
40 = could be produced 40th week of the year. Door jamb sticker says 10/85, so its close. But syncro production is complicated by the shipping of bodies from Hannover to Graz.
7 = ?
KN = ?
2554 = is it the model number? 255 = Caravelle, Vanagon, Westfalia etc; LHD. Not sure about this.
C7 = ?
X4X4UR = another code for the paint, Bronze Beige Metallic.
113 = Canada version.
526 = Luxury edition Caravelle (ha!).
66 = ? if it was an m code it would have a leading zero.
025 = Instruments with trip counter and clock.
557 = not found yet.
shooftie 
#1 by 71Mystaboo on June 25, 2012 - 6:38 pm
The AAN is the transmission code. Check the Brickyard list of gearbox codes.
#2 by albell on June 25, 2012 - 6:46 pm
Got it, thanks.
ab
#3 by john maxwell on September 15, 2016 - 8:00 am
if you need to know your production month and year, it is located on the top of the drip rail on the passenger side front corner…westy roof swaps change this, but it shows the production month and year!
#4 by albell on September 15, 2016 - 9:52 pm
Hi,
Really? I just had a look but didn’t see anything. My van was originally a tin top. I’ll look again
Alistair
#5 by john maxwell on September 16, 2016 - 10:51 pm
if you did a roof swap you probably drilled the stamping out. but both my van and my donor van have the stamping on the drip rail. i can take a picture tomorrow to show the location.
#6 by albell on September 17, 2016 - 5:53 am
Hi,
I didn’t swap the roof, I kept the tintop roof. Yes, a pic would be great thanks.
Alistair
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#7 by Thanasis on September 18, 2017 - 7:01 am
255 4C7 is the same with 2554 C7. But, yes, the model 4C7 is not recognized even in ETKA… 😮
Best regards!
#8 by Thanasis on September 18, 2017 - 9:22 am
Better search, in ETKA – USA editions:
255 4C7 is a Vanagon Syncro, MV engine. Also gearbox AAN is included.
#9 by albell on September 18, 2017 - 9:39 am
Hey thanks thanasis, I appreciate the update.
Cheers
Ab
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