The body number confirms it as a genuine SL/E.
Its also an original 5L auto, with a 3.08:1 diff (most 5L were 2.6 diffs).

The trim combo code shows its a factory shadowtone Venetian Red Metallic over Mercury Silver Metallic. Interior trim is Dark Claret velour.

As far as checking if the engine is original, the only real way is to source the first rego records (unlikely) or the original owners manual.

You can also work out the casting number & check it against the cars build date - but by VH commodore, these can range from as little as the same month as the build, up to some 6 months prior to the compliance date of the car (proven by owners manuals).

If you dont have any paperwork detailing the engine number from new, then you can predict a range of engine numbers that are likely to belong to a particular month/year car - but its only a prediction, and even if the number does fall within that range, its still no guarantee its original.

Based on your body number, it should be a very late Nov, or very early Dec 81, and should have a chassis number around AVH014xxxM or AVH015xxxM.

If this is the case, then that engine number fits in well with that era, and is likely to be around the right time. Why its painted red I have no idea, but a lot can happen in 28 years.

Can I ask who/how you were referred to this site?



Cheers,

Mick
_______________________________________________________________

Judge a successful man not on how he treats his peers, but on how he treats those less fortunate.

Unfortunately Holden wont be able to help you, as they didnt retain those sorts of records in a retrievable format for the early commodores. Youll only have luck with that from around VN onwards.

Cheers,

Mick
_______________________________________________________________

Judge a successful man not on how he treats his peers, but on how he treats those less fortunate.