Vehicle ID number question

[Rocket47]

Hi, I have a 1948 Plymouth Business coupe that I have owned for ten years. When I bought it there was no motor or transmission. I had No problems registering the car as it was still licensed and registered. The vehicle ID number on the Title is DRF94264.This is not the number on the door post, it is 26016749 which is the body or serial number? Where can I find the DRF94264, is that a frame number or possibly an engine number? Does anyone know? Thank you, Mike

[greg g]

If the number is based on the original engine number it would begin with P15.

The serial number which is on a plate on the door post that you show can be found in the reference material on this forums host page ( use the return to p15 d 24 button in the upper left header) This number will tell you when and where (detroit evensville, or LA) your car was built. 260 meaning LA assembly.

If your car had ever had a rebuilt engine installed and if your DMV used engine numbers for documentation, then its possible the title might have been corrected and reissued with the DRF number which might be a rebuilders engine #. Some folks have been succesful in recovering an original engine number which was stamped into the frame, drivers side on the over the axle hump.

Bus Coupe production in LA ended with 7052 so yours is a late 48 being 303 from the last.

Edited March 31, 2012 by greg g

[TodFitch]

I have that serial number being closer to 3/4 of the way through the run:

Serial Number 26016749

Found in range 26010840 to 26018852

Serial 5910 of 8013

Year 1948

Make Plymouth

Model Name DeLuxe

Model Code P15S

Plant Los Angeles

Engine 6 cylinder 217.8 cu.in. L-head

Wheelbase 117 inches

The number on the title looks nothing like a Chrysler product serial or engine number. I think greg g is correct in guessing that it is a number off of a replacement engine and that the DMV paperwork was updated when the engine was replaced.