DES PLAINES, Ill. -

The National Insurance Crime Bureau announced late last leek it will be compiling all of its annual Passenger Vehicle Identification Manuals through the years — which help to assist law enforcement, insurance companies and others in determining the history and authenticity of a vehicle — on a CD. 

The NICB first began producing this manual in 1937, and the industry will now have access to every manual produced since then, up to 2011, in one place. This will be available on CD in a searchable PDF format, the Bureau explained.

“This product will be particularly valuable to car collectors, dealers, auto auctions and others seeking a single source of accurate information.  It can be searched by year or make of vehicle,” officials noted.

Just what will these CDs contain?

The bureau explained it will provide dealers with vehicle identification information dating back to 1931, when engines typically had an ID number stamped on them by the manufacturer (vehicle identification numbers (VINs) were first introduced in 1954).

And the most recent manuals will provide information  on the structure and decoding for most U.S. and Canadian passenger vehicles, including light duty trucks, motorcycles/ATVs and some snowmobiles.

So, how can dealers get their hands on this information?

The CDs may be ordered on NICB’s website at www.nicb.org, and the cost is $99 per copy, which includes shipping and handling.  The CDs are licensed for one individual user and copyright law prohibits duplication, officials stressed. 

Also, the printed version of the 2011 Passenger Vehicle Identification Manual is also available at a cost of $10 per copy.  The 2012 manual will be coming soon, officials noted.

And for more information and a demonstration, see here.