The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1954 GMC VIN location

I have a 1954 GMC model 100 that I picked up about 17 years ago and I was wondering if someone here could tell me where the VIN plate is located on this truck or at least where it should be located, because I think it may be missing from my truck. Is the VIN stamped on the frame anywhere? When I bought this truck from a person in NY he said he picked up from Washington state and it came with a certificate of ownership from the state of Washington, but the certificate listed it as a 1953 GMC and it had a strange ID number listed on it that started with the letter "A" followed by a series of numbers. I'm guessing that the owner from WA had lost the paperwork for this truck and with the VIN plate missing mistakenly ID this 54 GMC as a 53 GMC and had the State of Washington create this certificate and assigned this new ID number. Does this make sense?

I know that this is a 54, since it has the one piece windshield and the bed rails are flat, whereas the 53 had the divided front windshield and angled bed rails. The entire drive-line of my truck has been swapped out for a Chevy one long before I bought it. It has a chevy in-line 261 6-cylinder and a SM420 4-speed manual transmission and Chevy rear-end. Thanks in advance for any light you can shed on this subject.

Jim

Jim,

The 54/55 GMC Vehicle ID plate was riveted to the door driver's frame between the hinges (with two "pop in" rivets). GM/GMC did not stamp an ID on the frame in 54/55. In some states (like CA) there might have been a stamp placed on the frame after/at delivery/registration.

GMC did not designate trucks by years, they designated series: Z series was approximately 1954/55 New Design truck and they had the one-piece windshield. Unlike earlier Advance-Design Chevrolet trucks and New Design GMC trucks which had similar dash designs/equipment, the Z-series dash is quite different from the 54/55st Chevrolet truck dash.

The light truck transmissions and rear ends were the same for GMC and Chevrolet. Do you have an open drive-shaft (late 1955 Z-series and 1955st Chevrolet) or an enclosed driveshaft (1954 Chevrolet and early GMC Z-series).

What is your strange ID number?
(ID code/serial-number that is on the certificate of ownership)?
Post that code here and we can help you speculate on its meaning?

Here is excellent information from Rob English:
http://www.oldgmctrucks.com/page0009.html
http://www.oldgmctrucks.com/page0010.html

My truck has an enclosed two piece drive shaft. I will have to get back to you on the "strange Certificate ID number", since I don't have it with me right now. Thanks for the quick reply.

Jim

Here's the VIN from State of Washington "Vehicle Certificate of Ownership": A228493454

There's no VIN plate on the DS door jamb, but the holes are still there for the plate. My theory that the previous owner lost the paperwork may be correct, since the certificate is dated 11/02/2001, which just about a year before I bought this truck.

Jim

1. What year does the Certificate say?
2. What model and make of truck does the cert say?
3. Is the cert a legit Washington DMV document?
4. If a state provides a new "VIN" they will require a vin plate to be installed, so it's all fishy so far.
5. It could be a Chevy frame. So check the frame rails for stamped numbers. Usually driver side. Under cab or towards front.
6. Could be a hybrid with mixed parts all around. We always advise a more strict study of a truck like that before buying.
7. Are you inquiring here to just figure it out or are you preparing to title it in NY.... or have you already titled it in NY?
8. The number seems like an assigned number. You can always email WA and ask what that number comes back as on their records or does it sound like one of their numbers they assign...................... A228, there is a GMC 228 motor so seems on the right track. Ends in 54...1954? I don't know what the Canadian VIN scheme is..............check that.

I think that is an engine serial number:

A228493454

A = cylinder bore +0.005" off standard diameter; and, standard main & rod bearings

228 = 228 cubic inch engine

493454 = this is a sequence number, but, I do not know how to interpret it

The plate would have had the vehicle serial number.

find and post the head date code and the block date code - that will tell us more about the "vintage" of your engine.

Motor is a Chevy 261.

Rob English site does show frame stamp on "older" model GMC? Side of right frame above front spring.

Yes, that number was stamped on the right frame rail above the spring hanger but, supposedly, this practice was discontinued in 1947.
From 1947-1949 (May), there was a cab serial number on a plate (see attached image - compliments of Rob English).

1. The date of application 11/02/2001, If your asking what year truck on the certificate it reads 1953
2. Regarding the truck Model Year: 1953, Make: GMC, Power/Use: G/COM, Series & Body Style: PU, Scale WT: 3000.
3. Looks like a totally legit document.
4. no VIN plate
5. Not a chevy frame, no stampings on frame that I can see, the front motor mount has been modified for the shorter 261 chevy motor, rear engine cross-member has also been modified.
7. I'm in the process of selling the truck.

So, the A228...., number belongs to a GMC 228 cu. in. engine that has been replaced by a 261 cu. in. displacement engine, is that correct?

If you are selling it, the 261 is a major selling point, however a GMC man might like to put a GMC 302 in there which bolts right in place of the 228 that was in there, so keep aware of several options.

In CO, a notarized bill of sale is adequate, thanks to a car club in Denver. See if the would work in your state. It would be best to use the chassis number rather than the engine SN, for obvious reasons.

Ed