The engine number is located to the left of the oil cap on the clutch side of the engine.
They all* start MC16E and have no relation to the model number.
And no, the VIN number isn't much help in identifying the original model (i.e. R, SE or SP), the best clue it a sticker on the subframe, it should have a model code on which can be matched up to the front page of the mc28 paers manual that you can find in the links on the left hand side of this page.
*Andy, Steve, Matt, Roy, Dan let it go, just leave it.
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