My VX was number....

[gonzo7231]

Has anyone ever been able to figure out individual production numbers? We know how many there are of each unit so in theory figuring out where each one falls shouldn't be impossible. Right? :yesgray:

Gonzo

[VX KAT]

I thought it was just sequential according to last couple of numbers in VIN...no?

p.s...lived in Plano for 12 yrs, loved it, loved TX! Lived by Park/Preston. Moved away 2 yrs ago, now in AZ mountains.

[Grif]

My impression since the VIN also includes such specific info as color and trim info that it could be surmised roughly which vehicle with X features for X model year rolled off the line first.

We know only approx 4000 were made, so the last 4 digits per given model year would be fairly representative of the order they moved off the line.

Using this logic (probably failed logic) I had always assumed that since mine is a 2000 model year Kaiser with Grey/Black interior, and my last 4 of the VIN is 0016, that mine was the 16th kaiser with Grey/Black to roll off the line in the year 2000.

Correct me if my assumptions are off base plz.

http://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin

[deermagnet]

Yours is a 2001, #719. It was manufactured on 9/22/2000.

http://www.drivehq.com/file/df.aspx/publish/mgpa/img/vx2/0719.jpg

These are the option codes for your VX, '01 #719-
http://www.drivehq.com/file/df.aspx/publish/mgpa/img/vx2/0719codes.jpg

You can look up all the codes on my Isuzu Option Codes page, the largest Isuzu option codes page on the internets-
http://www.wtv-zone.com/markg/codes.html (http://www.wtv-zone.com/markg/codes.html)

Mark Griffin

[Grif]

Ahhh Cool! Thx Mark! Bookmarked!

[gonzo7231]

I guess I was thinking a little more specific. Knowing the exact count of each color and then extrapolating against the vin #'s sequence, my VX would be number ? of 105 for 2001 Dragon Greens. That should be possible. right?

[deermagnet]

Sure it's possible. I have a dealer parts catalog CD with every VIN of every LHD VX shipped to the US. I could actually go thru every possible VIN in sequential order and find out every year and color combo and what day they were made on. The problem is I would have to punch in way more than the ~4150 made 'cuz there's gaps in the numbers and I would never know for sure when I hit the end of the run for that year. Plus I could easily make mistakes and not know it. I would do it if I could see the entire list of VIN's before I start.

I've tried to extract the files from the CD and I have the VIN section isolated and even copied to a disk, but I can't view the iso files or find a program that will let me see iso files. There's actually at least two different types of iso files. It's way beyond my level of understanding. I probably should take the CD to some 'puter expert and see if they can view 'em and print me a list of every VIN. Then I would take my time and go thru 'em carefully and get an accurate list of years, colors, and production dates. Someday.

For now we have some unofficial production numbers by color that can't be verified as 100% accurate-
http://www.wtv-zone.com/markg/prod.html (http://www.wtv-zone.com/markg/prod.html)

I've done it with a few hundred from the beginning of the production years. You can see that not every possible VIN gets used and they don't even come off the line in sequential order, apparently. These are the only numbers we have to go on. There was no #1 and the first one made was #21, apparently.

These numbers are a bit strange looking, but they come from Isuzu.
The first column is the last four numbers of the first 100 valid '99 VX VINs.
The second column is the production date of that vehicle.
The third column is the exterior paint color. Option code- 718=Silver, 826=Black, 877=White.
The fourth column is the interior color. Option code- 106=Black/Red.
http://www.drivehq.com/file/df.aspx/publish/mgpa/vx/vx/99vxprod.gif
Apparently, the very first LHD VX was finished on Thursday, 1/21/99. It was the only one done on that day. The next day they completed three of 'em. They worked on Saturday and finished forty-three Vehicri. Boy, that seems strange 'cuz on Monday the 25th they only did fourteen, Tuesday nine, Wednesday five, Thursday eleven, Friday nineteen, and on Saturday the 30th they completed twelve.

I have no idea how vehicle production works over at the Fujisawa plant on a vehicle like this with much of the final assembly done by hand, but these are the only numbers we have to go on. So, it looks like the first LHD VX was #0021 produced on 1/21/99, a '99 ebony black piece of history.

Mark Griffin

[Grif]

Mark,

Would you mind if I took a look at your ISO's?

I am a "computer expert" by trade and have the tools to extract, view, search, export from pretty much any format as long as its not encrypted. (which I highly doubt).

Let me know what you think, shoot me an email or PM.

Best Regards,

Joshua Buker

[vt_maverick]

Mark,

Would you mind if I took a look at your ISO's?

I am a "computer expert" by trade and have the tools to extract, view, search, export from pretty much any format as long as its not encrypted. (which I highly doubt).

Let me know what you think, shoot me an email or PM.

Best Regards,

Joshua Buker

^+1 - I have a staff of guys I can put on this if required. They'll do anything for a competition with beer as the prize. :naughty:

[gonzo7231]

I would love to see the files as well. When I'm not on 2 wheels or 4-wheelin I am at a desk all day coding.

Thanks,
Gonzo

[vt_maverick]

Btw, I've been considering buying one of those 30-day unlimited-VIN AutoCheck licenses to attempt to run all our VINs to see what's still out there. It's a huge undertaking to get done in 30 days, but if we split the list of available VINs maybe we could get it done? Would be interesting to know what's out there 10 years later.

[VX KAT]

Btw, I've been considering buying one of those 30-day unlimited-VIN AutoCheck licenses to attempt to run all our VINs to see what's still out there. It's a huge undertaking to get done in 30 days, but if we split the list of available VINs maybe we could get it done? Would be interesting to know what's out there 10 years later.

I've got time, I could do some....:thumbup:

[deermagnet]

Thanks for the offers, guys. I'll see what I can do locally here. It shouldn't be too hard to find someone to view a certain type of file, I hope. :_confused

Mark

[Grif]

Bummer, I was in the mood for another side project. Oh well. But by all means, keep us posted!

[deermagnet]

I just took another look and it's CDB files I have to open. I've searched and found that there are several types of CDB files created by different programs for different applications, so that further complicates the job of opening these CDB files.

Here's what I see first-
http://www.drivehq.com/file/df.aspx/publish/mgpa/img/vx2/vin1.jpg

Then I open the VIN folder and see all the years-
http://www.drivehq.com/file/df.aspx/publish/mgpa/img/vx2/vin2.jpg

When I open the 1999 folder I get this-
http://www.drivehq.com/file/df.aspx/publish/mgpa/img/vx2/vin3.jpg

That VIN Master CDB file is what I need to open. I think and hope it'll give me all the 'Zu VINs for that year and I can narrow down the VX VINs.

Then I can carefully enter each VIN into my parts catalog and get the int/ext colors and born on date. Then come up with a new chart of production colors. Our current chart says 4153, but Isuzu says they sold 4166.

I could start over and do it by trial and error entering every possible VIN starting each year with 0001. It's very tedious and would take months, even with a list of all valid VINs. It would be easier with a solid list of valid VINs so I wouldn't have to enter so many invalid VINs.

Here's why the trial and error method is so hard. When I started on the 2001's, I found this huge gap in the VIN sequence.
http://www.drivehq.com/file/df.aspx/publish/mgpa/img/vx2/vin4.jpg
I had to enter over one hundred invalid VINs to get to the next valid VIN. It's really working in the dark that way. I have to enter so many invalid VINs and how do I know for sure that I've reached the last VIN for that year? A list of all valid VINs would be a great help. That way I would have a good count and if it was something like 4078 VINs, I would know something was wrong and that the CD didn't have all the VINs and I wouldn't even have to try then. It would be a complete waste of time 'cuz I wouldn't be able to get a number of 4166, like Isuzu says.

Actually, now that I think about it, I'm never going to try that trail and error method again. What if I spent an enormous amount of time going thru all the VINs and I come up with 4022? What then? Do it over again? No way. I need a solid number that's right there with the 4166 figure before even starting.

I can't rush 'cuz even one mistake is too many. That's why I gave up after a few hundred the last time. I realized I was going too fast and caught myself making an error and wondered how many errors got by me. And I get frustrated real easy, so I would have to take my time doing only a few dozen each day.

I have every VIN of every LHD US VX and every color combo of every VX and each day every VX was made, right here on my PC. Right here at my fingertips. It's just not very easy to see all that info. I'm gonna get it all together somehow, someday, but it won't be easy, and it won't be soon. Maybe not even this year, but it is my goal to get it done, eventually.

Mark

[Grif]

Please sir! Just the files! They are small and should be easy to send via email.

I think you may be making things too difficult on yourself. I just need a sample to determine their actual format. The ones you show in your screen-shot would suffice.

joshua.buker@gmail.com if you are so inclined.

Also curious about the .inf file.

Best Regards,

Josh

[deermagnet]

Here's what I get when I open that CINFO thing-
http://www.drivehq.com/file/df.aspx/publish/mgpa/img/vx2/vin5.jpg

OK, if I can figure out how to email those files, I'll do it.

Mark

[deermagnet]

Josh, I sent you the three CDB files for 1999 from my Hotmail account. It said I couldn't send the CINFO file extension for my protection and yours.

I'm goin' to bed now. This stuff is givin' me a headache and I haven't even started entering VINs yet!!!

Mark

[Grif]

Josh, I sent you the three CDB files for 1999 from my Hotmail account. It said I couldn't send the CINFO file extension for my protection and yours.

I'm goin' to bed now. This stuff is givin' me a headache and I haven't even started entering VINs yet!!!

Mark

Right on! Thanks Mark. Taking a look now.

[vt_maverick]

Any updates guys? Grif?

[Grif]

The files I were sent look like they are actualy compiled by Borland C++. I do not have a decompiler for them. (tho I have not looked for one very hard either)

I honestly do not think those are the files I need however. First off, its very odd to have actual data files compiled, programs that read the data files are most often compiled, but not the data itself.

I found the Cinfo file much more interesting because it mentions several database files that are more likely to be the data we need. In particular opcode.dbf, vinmstr.dbf all sound like they are the raw data, tho there may also be more.


I'm afraid I'd really need the whole disc to reverse engineer exactly whats going on with it tho.

[vt_maverick]

Doesn't sound like this is going anywhere anytime soon then, unless Mark is prepared to FedEx you a copy of the CD. :(

[Grif]

Well he could burn it to an .iso file and upload it to me. Just say the word and I'll open up an ftp site to txfer it to.

[deermagnet]

Thanks for the help. For now I'm gonna just stick to my original plan of trying to find some local help opening the files. It probably won't happen for quite a while. Of course, I'll let ya know if there's any breaking news.

Mark

[vt_maverick]

So it's seriously less trouble to search for a local guy sometime in the future than to upload it to Grif now and let him give it a crack? Doesn't make sense to me but obviously you own the information so you get to see fit how to (or not) distribute it. :confused:

[vt_maverick]

Thanks for the help. For now I'm gonna just stick to my original plan of trying to find some local help opening the files. It probably won't happen for quite a while. Of course, I'll let ya know if there's any breaking news.

Mark

Update?

[deermagnet]

Update?
Nuttin' happenin'. Maybe by Jan/Feb.

Mark

[Grif]

Whats in Jan/Feb?

[vt_maverick]

Whats in Jan/Feb?

I think hell freezes over around then.


Thanks for the help. For now I'm gonna just stick to my original plan of trying to find some local help opening the files. It probably won't happen for quite a while. Of course, I'll let ya know if there's any breaking news.

Mark

Mark, when you get around to it maybe these guys can help. Some of them do large-scale data recovery/extraction work for businesses, so maybe they would even help you out for free if it was just a single CD that needed extraction/decryption.

tech42 LLC
298 Smith Street, Dunmore, PA - (570) 589-0042
http://www.mytech42.com

Border X-ing Computers
Rear, 919 Cedar Ave., Scranton, PA - (570) 504-7434

Wild Hare
1402 Pittston Avenue, Scranton, PA - (570) 344-5121
http://www.wildharecomputers.com

[deermagnet]

Thanks for that list. That'll help get me started. You see, I'm kinda busy with outdoor activities during the warmer months. Today, for instance, I gotta get dressed and do a couple things and then head over to the Catskills for some flyfishing til dark.

I'm not that interested right now 'cuz the list of VIN's may reveal nothing new. Maybe it'll show 4153 VIN's and we now have a production list of 4153. It needs to show 4166 VIN's like Isuzu said they sold. Then I could get a new, official, 100% accurate list of model years and int/ext colors. We'll see.

Mark

[vt_maverick]

I hear you. Are you retired? Fly fishing till dark on a Tuesday sounds awesome. :thumbup:

I'm less interested in the initial production numbers so much as I am the option codes per VX, as well as obtaining a master list of VINs by color so that we can run them through AutoCheck to determine how many VX's are actually still in circulation. I think it would be awesome to build a library of option codes / AutoCheck reports for every LHD VX that Isuzu manufactured. With something like that potential buyers would be able to see the original paint color (in case it had been repainted), history of accidents, etc. Right now you have to pay for that information if the vehicle isn't on eBay.

My main concern here is that you're the only person we know of that has this information. God forbid something happen to you like happened to Tone (RIP), because that info might be lost forever.