04-17-2021, 04:47 PM
It is difficult to determine the Coach Number for a 1983-1990 Newell as it is not readily visible. For pre-1983 coaches, it is even worse as they truly were never assigned a multi-year sequential Coach Number.
I have a personal Newell database. I use two index fields. I use the "Coach Number" as my index from 1990 on and for those 1983-1990 coaches where the owner has verified the coach number either through the original drawings that contain both the VIN and the Coach Number or through finding the number hand written in various, typically concealed, locations inside the coach. I also index every Newell on the Model Year and a sequence number consisting of the last 3 digits of the VIN/Serial Number. In the case of your coach, I index on 1980-12N.
I have found it extremely difficult to gather sufficient information on the 1983-1989 Newells to reliably tie the Coach Number to each specific VIN. That problem would really be exacerbated for pre-1983 Newells since a sequential Coach Numbering system did not exist prior to 1983. I am not sure it would be possible to ascertain/create an appropriate coach number for pre-1983 Newells. It is my understanding that Newell uses the model year and sequence number to identify pre-1990 coaches in their records for 1983-1989 coaches rather than the 'Coach Number'. My guess is they use a similar method, model year and the last several digits of the VIN/Serial Number to identify pre-1983 coaches also.
Your goal is laudable but I am not sure the data is available to accomplish the objective and since the factory wants to be able to communicate with the owner about their coach using something readily identifiable to both, I am fairly certain they will stick with the model year and the last digits of the VIN/Serial Number for pre-1990 coaches.
I have a personal Newell database. I use two index fields. I use the "Coach Number" as my index from 1990 on and for those 1983-1990 coaches where the owner has verified the coach number either through the original drawings that contain both the VIN and the Coach Number or through finding the number hand written in various, typically concealed, locations inside the coach. I also index every Newell on the Model Year and a sequence number consisting of the last 3 digits of the VIN/Serial Number. In the case of your coach, I index on 1980-12N.
I have found it extremely difficult to gather sufficient information on the 1983-1989 Newells to reliably tie the Coach Number to each specific VIN. That problem would really be exacerbated for pre-1983 Newells since a sequential Coach Numbering system did not exist prior to 1983. I am not sure it would be possible to ascertain/create an appropriate coach number for pre-1983 Newells. It is my understanding that Newell uses the model year and sequence number to identify pre-1990 coaches in their records for 1983-1989 coaches rather than the 'Coach Number'. My guess is they use a similar method, model year and the last several digits of the VIN/Serial Number to identify pre-1983 coaches also.
Your goal is laudable but I am not sure the data is available to accomplish the objective and since the factory wants to be able to communicate with the owner about their coach using something readily identifiable to both, I am fairly certain they will stick with the model year and the last digits of the VIN/Serial Number for pre-1990 coaches.