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#1308580 04/25/2019 10:26 PM
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 29
S
'Bolter
'Bolter
S Offline
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 29
I bought a 40 Chevy with a dump box today..not sure if its a 1 or 1.5 ton..heres the Vin can anybody decode it?
W1WAO36931


Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,038
L
'Bolter
'Bolter
L Offline
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,038
I am not sure your number is correct, as I didn't think it should start with a letter. In any event, I used the VIN buster in the tech tips on this forum and it gave me 1940, 1 1/2 ton, 133 inches wheelbase, unknown manufacturing plant. Try it yourself. I believe the manufacturing plant is a number and is the first item in the VIN. If I remove the "W" at the front it gives me the same info, and adds Flint, MI as the plant.
Kent


1937 Chevy 1/2 ton
1942 Chevy 1/2 ton
1947 Diamond T Model 509
1951 Chevy 1/2 ton
1950 Chevy COE Model 5700 ~ "Barney" ~ And more pix
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 29,269
Bubba - Curmudgeon
Bubba - Curmudgeon
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 29,269
Kent posted the answer, and, the pertinent question regarding the leading W.

series letters on this page
Unit Serial Number information on this page.

Can you post a photo of your Vehicle Serial Number plate?
Did your code come from that plate, or was it on a title/document?

Joined: Apr 2013
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S
'Bolter
'Bolter
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Posts: 29
I got the vin from the title..here is a pic..
Attachments
000_1462 (1).JPG (126.07 KB, 104 downloads)

Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 29,269
Bubba - Curmudgeon
Bubba - Curmudgeon
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 29,269
That is why it does not exactly match Chevrolet documentation.

WA DMV added the leading “W”, most likely?

Is there an ID plate on the truck, on the right side of the cowl, under the hood?

Last edited by tclederman; 04/26/2019 4:13 PM. Reason: crossed out the "WA"
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S
'Bolter
'Bolter
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Posts: 29
Yes there is a ID plate but I have not got the truck home yet.I believe this has been a MN truck since new..

Joined: Sep 2001
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Bubba - Curmudgeon
Bubba - Curmudgeon
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 29,269
Maybe someone knows (or, will guess) why MN put the "W" preface on the title's VIN when that registration/title was issued in 1978?

Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,214
M
'Bolter
'Bolter
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Joined: Mar 2004
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Tim,

There's no telling when the typo happened, it could have happened decades before in another state and each DMV after that just copied it with the error.

Mike B smile


Mike Boteler

1956 Chevy 3100 Resto Rod
1952 Willys M38 Army Jeep
1983 Jeep CJ7 Laredo
1984 Jeep CJ7
+++++
Silver Spring, MD
Joined: Sep 2001
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Bubba - Curmudgeon
Bubba - Curmudgeon
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 29,269
Thanks, Mike
I agree
Some questions might never get answered


Moderated by  Gdads51 

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