The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Engine serial numbers

We are in the process of registering the 1948 Chev 1 ton we recently acquired from a collector in Canada. As the clerk was reviewing the previous registration and customs inspection forms she checked the engine number (the truck was registered in Canada using the engine serial number and that number is the only number on all customs forms also). All six number match but she perceived the only number 1 in the sequence as a letter I (eye), not as a I (one) as it appears on all the paperwork. This number/letter question has apparently not been questioned before in the Canada process, and I mentioned that this is probably just the way those number 1s appear, with a short horizontal across the vertical at top and bottom. Nonetheless we are going through the investigative process to establish the identity. Thought I read somewhere that number ones in the serial number sometimes appear like the old Roman numeral one, but I can't find anything that refers to that specific question. Anybody ever heard of this?? The truck does have a standard VIN on the nomenclature plate, but apparently that was not used in Canada when the PO purchased the truck from a US owner and re-registered there.

That code was stamped by a human being.

A letter I or a number 1 might have been chosen/used for a 1 (one) in the engine serial number code.

This has been commonly reported and shown here on Engine Serial Numbers on the block, and on the metal Vehicle ID plates on the door frame or cowl.

Thanks Tim, I know I read that same information somewhere on a previous thread a long time ago, but I could not find it when I went searching for it. Appreciate the help.

Dale

Good luck with your registration, Dale

Please let us know how your registration ends up.

If I aint mistaken at least from what ive thought and run across with USA cars is that there is not a letter I in any vin # for the specific problem your encountering. I realize that what you are dealing with is a motor #, so there may be something different there. But any vin # ive run across with an I is ALWAYS considered a one.

Tim, Are you saying the engine codes were hand stamped at the factory one letter at a time or a human pushed/pulled the trigger/switch for the machine to stamp the number?

Mike B

"Are you saying the engine codes were hand stamped at the factory . . "

I do not think that they were stamped at the engine factory/plant (but, I have no documentation).
Chevrolet engines were made at one of two different engine factories/plants (Tonawanda, NY or Flint, MI) and then shipped to one of the 10 truck assembly plants.

My guess is the engine ID was stamped one-truck-at-a-time at one of the 10 truck assembly plants.
Or, at least some of the stamping was done at the truck assembly plant.

Some years have date-of-vehicle assembly stamped in the engine serial number (depending on the year).
This could not have been done at the engine plant.

Also, the size of truck was sometimes indicated on the engine serial number.
My bet/understanding is that this was done/stamped at the truck assembly plant?

One joke I have seen posted was that the lines of characters were shakier on Friday afternoon, after a few beers at lunch.

My speculations are based on what people have posted here and on OldGMCtrucks.com. I have no documentation supporting where the engine ID stamping was done.

Do you have documentation that the Engine Serial Numbers (complete engine identification code) stamping was done at the engine assembly plant?

I agree that some stampings look like they were done by a machine . . . . but, some stampings have looked like they might have been done by a drunken sailor (my apologies to Navy Veterans).

I disagree, the engines were stamped with a Serial Number, Plant, Year and Type codes at each factory, otherwise how would the assembly plant keep track the different engines types? The flywheels and bell housings were installed at the engine plant, so how would the Assembly plant know the difference between a Type "H" 235 and a Type "HE" 235 w/HD Clutch if they weren't marked?


The date on the engine is the date it was assembled, not the date the truck was built. Engines built pre-1957 had serial numbers that would tell the Plant when they were built. Post 1956 the serial numbers were dropped and the plant stamped the Plant, Month, Day and Type. If you have evidence of a engine serial number showing the date the vehicle was built by Chevrolet, please share.


The size of the truck the engine was built for was included in the "Type"...Type "X" was a 235 for the 1956 1/2 ton, an "XA" was for the 3/4 ton and a "XB" was for the 1-ton.


See attached picture taken from the "Heavy Duty Truck Identification Information" book dated February 1968. The print might be small, but it reads "The continuous engine serial number has been eliminated. The engine plant now stamps a source, production date and type on serial pad."

Mike B

Thanks for all the corrections/clarifications/explanations and documentation, Mike

How do you explain the many "jumbled looking" engine serial numbers that people have posted?
Hand stamping at the factory?
Dealer/repair-shop replacement engines?

All's well that ends well. The Transportation Department Official came out and checked the numbers, both the engine serial number and the VIN on the nomenclature plate. He saw no question or difficulty in issuing a title application using the VIN on the nomenclature plate.

You are right though Tim, The engine numbers are as wavy and uneven as they can be.

Glad it worked out for you...you'll sleep better knowing that's all behind you now!

Mike B

Congratulations, camero1956

Thanks for the "report" on the unlevel/un-aligned stampings.