V.I.N. =VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER UP TO THE 60'S THE SERIAL # WAS THE VIN#, AND WAS USED AS SUCH ON THE TITLES. I CURRENTLY HAVE 4 TITLES FOR 41-54 CHEVY TRUCKS, AND ALL HAVE THE NUMBER FROM THE ID PLATE AS TITLE #S. IN 30= YEARS OF BUYING,OWNING, AND SELLING THESE TRUCKS IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN SO.
I am not trying to belabor the details of this discussion regarding how people misuse the term VIN in reference to vehicles before there was a standardized VIN. However, thinking that one answer fits all older vehicles is incorrect (at least prior to 1981, perhaps).
Depending on the year of the vehicle, the state in which the vehicle was first registered, and, apparently, on the whims of the dealer or buyer and/or on the whims of the person/office where-in the initial registration took place, the Title Vehicle ID and/or the Registration Vehicle ID might have used the vehicle ID (vehicle serial number) or the engine ID (engine serial number).
I have seen titles and registrations in two states (Washington & Virginia) in the same year where one original title used the vehicle ID (vehicle serial number: the cab/body/frame tag/plate ID/number) and another original title used the engine ID (engine serial number).
Coincidentally,
1954 is the year given as the first year a VIN was supposedly used. HOWEVER, until 1981, the manufacturer was left to determine what ID was used as a VIN:
"The early VINs came in a wide array of configurations and variations, depending on the individual manufacturer." GM did not define what was to be used as the VIN (check Shop Manuals), so this was most likely left to the dealer/owner who filled in the first registration form.
