The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1939 chevy truck info

I need some help please... I recently purchased a VIN tag from Jim Carter truck parts and I'm going to have it professionally stamped I have a 1939 Chevy half ton pickup and was wondering what two numbers are supposed to be stamped for the vehicle gross weight above where the actual Vin would be stamped thank you in advance

Your unit serial number may or may not be the "VIN". The unit serial number is what would go on the Car No. line where you say you will put your "VIN". Most states used the engine number as the "VIN" on the title rather than the unit serial number. In the 'engine number' states the "VIN" was not displayed anywhere on the body or frame.

Your unit serial number would depend on several bits of information. First would be where it was built, the model number, the month it was built then the sequential number in which it was produced. Serial number information. For example the unit serial number on my '38 is 5HB05XXXXXXX (with X being the sequential production number) Mine decodes to 5=Kansas City, HB=Master, 05=Built in May of 1938 then the sequential number. Attached is a photo of the remnants of my original data plate with the OEM stampings.

According to GMHerritage the GVW will be 4400 for a 1/2 ton. At least that’s how I read it.

CAUTION: Stovebolt.com does not endorse the modification or alteration of original number plates. This activity is illegal in most states.

The Gross Allowable Weights, GVW, for 1939 Chevrolet Trucks are shown here.

Let's say you have a light Light Delivery Truck (1/2 ton truck) that had 6.00x16" wheels 4 ply tires from the factory.
The GVW (Gross Weight) would have been 4,400 lbs.

So, I think the digit that goes to left of the 00 in the upper entry box should be a 40, giving a 4400 Maximum Vehicle Weight?

As Tiny states, VIN should be the stamped number on engine block next to distributor, if you have the original engine. I'm my case with my '46 that original block was long gone but lucky for me the previous owner had old registrations which had the correct VIN. In CA you are not supposed to make your own vin plate (but not many pay attention to this),
Best of luck

"As Tiny states, VIN should be the stamped number on engine block next to distributor, if you have the original engine."

That assumes that the "Car Number" on the metal tag was an Engine Serial Number, not the Vehicle Serial Number.

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/chevyresto/3913.htm

1940 CHEVROLET TRUCK OWNER'S MANUAL
Load Capacity Chart
Gross Allowance Weights

It shows the 1940 1/2 ton truck Maximum Gross at 4400 and 4600 lbs depending on tire size used. there is a asterisk after the 4600 #

The asterisk states:
Plates as supplied with each vehicle show maximum load rating. GVWR
Deviation of tires and equipment from corresponding rating as shown restrict load capacity in accordance with table.

I assume wherever there is an asterisk on the chart, that weight number was the number that was on the data / vehicle serial number plate for its tonnage.
Note: The above info applies to 1940 trucks, http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com does not have a 1939 Truck owners manual posted.

If you had this "1939 Chevrolet Truck Data Book For Chevrolet Salesmen" it shows the actually plate that was used for all the series trucks.
1954 Chevrolet Truck Data Book For Chevrolet Salesmen" PHOTO attached

xfiles

Word is that non-standard stamps and non-standard rivets(not pop rivets) were used by factory, I would be very careful how you handle this, especially in the Land of Fruits and Nuts, then again, they may be too busy to notice or the person you deal
with may not know one Stamp from another or a pop rivet from a solid rivet(I'm not talking about frog language here).

Please let us know you make out.

Ed

https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...43/re-body-plate-decode.html#Post1135643

Ed,

"Word is that non-standard stamps and non-standard rivets(not pop rivets) were used by factory, I would be very careful how you handle this, especially in the Land of Fruits and Nuts . . "

Not just in the western land of fruit and nuts. Some states, and/or some offices in some states are very careful.

I my local NC DMV, a new ID plate or any old ID plate with new screws or "rivets" would fail a registration no matter what documentation or former registrations/titles you have in hand (I know). The way around this in many states is obtaining/requesting a bonded title (if allowed by that office/state - a judgement call). DMVs, quite properly, are very careful giving registrations to vehicles that might be stolen.'

Also, rivets were not used in all years.
http://www.oldchevytrucks.com/blog/index.php/2010/02/screw-on-id-plates/

In CO, one can get a notarized bill of sale, have it inspected by a 'special CHP inspector' then they run the vin for a while, only on older vehicles, not pursued 'no vin' , all due to work by 'Old Car Council.'

Ed

I have a copy of the Salesman Data book for 1939, let me know if you would like some pages scanned.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/9670067234/in/album-72157631872034068/

Thanks for that valuable information..there is a person Jim Carter truck parts uses to professionally stamp using the correct stamps and dies...which is who id highly recommend.. appreciate it very much

For what it's worth, the GVW rating on AD trucks is not stamped on the data plate, but painted on, as the "00" is on your repop data plate.

Not sure whether it would be the same on the earlier trucks, but that would be a dead giveaway of a reproduced data plate on a restoration to an official inspecting it (assuming they were familiar with the older data plates.

FWIW I replaced my data plate but I keep my original plate in the glove box in case there's ever a need to produce it.

You might have to get a "California assigned VIN", if the original serial number can not be found. I had to do this with my old 39, just go to the local CHP office, they usually have an officer that handles this sort of thing.