Dryerventwizard Posted July 28, 2020 Report Share Posted July 28, 2020 (edited) my serial number is different from my vehicle number is that right. For 1940 dodge deluxe D 14. And can anybody tell me how to left other numbers from metal plates that are worn. And why so many different metal plates. Edited July 28, 2020 by Dryerventwizard spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Hiebert Posted July 29, 2020 Report Share Posted July 29, 2020 Top plate is the serial number, which evolved into today's VIN (vehicle identification number). That's what should be on your title/registration, although there's past conversation herein regarding States using engine number vs. serial number before the VIN requirement standardized all that. The middle plate is the body number, or the serial number of just the car body not to be confused with the car's overall serial number. The bottom plate is the builder's plate. Each Division (Plymouth, Dodge, Desoto, Chrysler) had their own builder's plate. Basically another badge. That one's pretty far gone, they're actually rather nice looking. Reproductions of those are available. As to why so many? Who knows, but modern vehicles still have what amounts to the same data on them somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dryerventwizard Posted July 29, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2020 Do you know where I can get them without the number 2 I can see the numbers but the one thats far gone I don't know what the number is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dryerventwizard Posted July 29, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2020 I have my serial number 30,247 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nc plumber Posted July 29, 2020 Report Share Posted July 29, 2020 A little trick I've saw used on worn items is to dust the item with flour and shake off the excess. Sometimes it will help just enough to make out a number that was unreadable . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Hiebert Posted July 29, 2020 Report Share Posted July 29, 2020 Someone can chime in with other sources, but "The Plymouth Doctor" comes to mind, and of course, a good ol' Ebay search could be revealing. I'd research your State's laws on new VIN plates before monkeying with the serial number plate. May not be an issue with cars built before the Federal VIN statutes came about, but every State tends to be different. Usually requires some sort of inspection by a State official to verify you're not up to no-good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dryerventwizard Posted July 29, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2020 14 hours ago, Dan Hiebert said: Top plate is the serial number, which evolved into today's VIN (vehicle identification number). That's what should be on your title/registration, although there's past conversation herein regarding States using engine number vs. serial number before the VIN requirement standardized all that. The middle plate is the body number, or the serial number of just the car body not to be confused with the car's overall serial number. The bottom plate is the builder's plate. Each Division (Plymouth, Dodge, Desoto, Chrysler) had their own builder's plate. Basically another badge. That one's pretty far gone, they're actually rather nice looking. Reproductions of those are available. As to why so many? Who knows, but modern vehicles still have what amounts to the same data on them somewhere. California goes by serial number thats whats on the pink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James_Douglas Posted August 3, 2020 Report Share Posted August 3, 2020 On 7/29/2020 at 8:05 AM, Dryerventwizard said: California goes by serial number thats whats on the pink That is not strictly true. A number of California old cars have the engine number on the Pink Slip if the car came from out of state and that state used the engine number. My 1949 Desoto is a case in point. It was first sold in Virginia then came to California in 1955. I had to document the hell out of everything and get a CHP VIN officer over to my place to sign the paperwork AND send it directly to the Special Processing Unit of CA-DMV to get it changed on the Pink from the engine number to the body (door) serial number. James. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dryerventwizard Posted August 3, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2020 Probably because it was out of state first my 2 are California only and the both have serial number on the pink slip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam H P15 D30 Posted August 3, 2020 Report Share Posted August 3, 2020 My 49 uses the engine number, never been registered out of CA I titled my 47 using the serial number in the driver's door post area in CA. Frame/engine numbers never came up in the conversation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plymouthcranbrook Posted August 3, 2020 Report Share Posted August 3, 2020 Illinois and certainly Wisconsin used the engine number. My 52 had a WI title before me and IL just transferred it to the new title. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dryerventwizard Posted August 3, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2020 I guess that means if u change the engine then ur in trouble. LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerseyHarold Posted August 4, 2020 Report Share Posted August 4, 2020 15 hours ago, Dryerventwizard said: I guess that means if u change the engine then ur in trouble. LOL. Not really. The original engine number is stamped on the frame rail near the left rear wheel. Probably have to do some wire brushing and cleaning to make it stand out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James_Douglas Posted August 4, 2020 Report Share Posted August 4, 2020 (edited) 4 hours ago, JerseyHarold said: Not really. The original engine number is stamped on the frame rail near the left rear wheel. Probably have to do some wire brushing and cleaning to make it stand out. On my 1949 it is on the TOP of the frame rail and can only be seen with the body off. That is why I went to the trouble when it was off of changing the Pink Slip from the engine number to the door number. James. PS. Although my new engine block has the "correct" engine number on it....although a sharp eye would tell you it is not a 1949 block...hand me that last stamp please...:-) Edited August 4, 2020 by James_Douglas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blucarsdn Posted August 5, 2020 Report Share Posted August 5, 2020 I worked in the automotive repair industry when I was a teenager living in Idaho.. The majority of the GM vehicles had engine numbers, no body numbers. The DPCD vehicles had serial numbers, usually on the door jamb, a body number on the cowl and an engine number on the engine block. Ford only had a serial number stamped into the left frame rail, adjacent to the steering gears. When an engine swap was done to replace a bad engine we did one of two things, depending on the whims of the shop owner. 1. Grind the number off of the old engine, stamping that number into the new engine. 2. Take the paperwork for the new engine and the paperwork for the old engine to the court house having the new engine number transferred to the tile/registration. The most common practice was to just do nothing, sending the vehicle out with incorrect numbers. I have owned an engine number stamp set for over fifty years to correct numbers on engines and/or vehicles. My brother owned a '37 Ford for almost twenty years in California, he moved to Idaho taking the Ford with him. When he attempted to transfer the registration to Idaho the inspection of the vehicle revealed that the serial number on the frame did not match the title/registration.. Took awhile to get things straightened out. Wm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dryerventwizard Posted August 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2020 Wow very interesting thank u for the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MackTheFinger Posted August 5, 2020 Report Share Posted August 5, 2020 (edited) If you have a title that doesn't match the numbers on your vehicle you only have a few choices. Let it slide and hope for the best, go through the process required by your state to get it to conform to their standards, or wait until a vehicle comes along with the correct paperwork. The last option would be my recommendation. To the best of my knowledge re-stamping or modifying a VIN in any way is illegal no matter where you live. These old cars aren't worth the hassle. Edited August 5, 2020 by MackTheFinger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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