The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Frame number - 1955 3100 first series

My '55 first series pickup was built at Los Angeles plant and always has had a California title and registration. What's odd to me is that the truck is titled and registered with its frame number, not its VIN.

Any idea where/what source I can learn about vintage Chevy truck frame numbers?

btw, the truck has original 235 engine; its engine number with a ...F55X suffix.

Thanks,

If the same holds for a truck as a Chevy car the frame number should match the ID plate number. If it doesn't, a swap has been made.

ol 55,

What is the frame # ?
What is the VIN ?
Where did you find this VIN number/code ?

The term VIN had no GM-defined meaning for 1955 first series trucks.

GM did not put a code on the frame on this series truck. California might have put a code on the frame (or, required the dealer to put a code on the frame).

F55X is a code that designates 1955 first-series 3100 truck 235 engine, assembled in Flint, MI

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/chevyresto/55063.htm

"Any idea where/what source I can learn about vintage Chevy truck frame numbers?"

at this forum - if you have a number stamped on a 55 1st frame it's not from GM, Chevy didn't stamp any numbers on the frame until after the 55 2nd series, then as said above, part of the "vin" ID# on the door tag is what was stamped on the frame near the steering box .... also the number that was used on the paper title back then was normally the engine number, although that started changing about 55, if you have anything on the title other than the "vehicle serial number" or "engine serial number" as shown in Tims link it was assigned by the DMV

Bill

1955 1st series 3100 pickup, always titled & registered in CA.

Frame #: DRF56432. Stamped on top of frame rail, passenger side, opposite the distributor. This is the number shown on the CA title as the "Vehicle ID Number."

The truck serial number stamped into the riveted plate on the forward side of driver's door jam: H55L001601.

The engine number stamped into the block pad at rear of distributor: 0014686F55X

I suspect, as discussed here, that recording / titling of VINs wasn't consistent in CA prior to 1955. The truck has always been titled and registered with the frame number.

An interesting sidenote is that when the frame number became hard to read through the grime and corrosion about 20 years ago, CA DMV issued a duplicate small-size aluminum plate stamped with the frame number. DMV riveted the plate to the truck's firewall, right there in the DMV parking lot.

So, the "VIN" of my '55 1st series is DRF56432, at least that's how DMV has always recorded it.

That is all very interesting. Quite a DMV history there. On cars, 1955 and forward, the frame number would equate to the door jam plate number you mention. I wonder if at one point some positive id of ownership and/or state registration went missing and this is how the state id'd it from then on? Anyway, neat to learn this kind of history of your truck. Did you ever post a pic of your truck?

The '55 3100 started off new in a local fire dept, the chief's personal truck I was told. There was some sort of instructions plate riveted to the glove box door, which was removed when it left the F.D.

Perhaps CA DMV had arrangements for assigning frame number VINs to local government vehicles? I rescued the truck from a field years later; the truck had been repainted by then but still has original red paint firewall.

Working on a photobucket account and I will post a couple of pix.

that's not a "frame number" [there is no such thing], it's an assigned number, likely assigned and stamped by the FD and the number filled in when the FD applied for title

transit buses and highway coaches use a similar thing, a corporate assigned number that doesn't relate to any manufacturers numbers

Bill

Looks as if the mystery is solved - an 'assigned number' that is stamped and located on the frame! And the engine number, cab serial number and assigned number are matched to the original truck. Thanks for the good Info, Robert