The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1946 Chevy 1/2Ton - VIN Number Question

Got my truck registered this week, but now I'm confused about my VIN number. Old title and registration from 1998 says the VIN is: 60PJ33xx. But when I looked at the VIN plate on the passenger side of the cab, it says: 6DP-J 33xx. Does anyone know if one of these would have been used for a '46 back then? I'm guessing the plate on the truck should be the official VIN and I should get that corrected on the title?

6DP would be correct for a 1946 1/2 ton built in Oakland, CA. Looks like someone misread the "D" as an "O" back then. J would indicate it being built in October. That info is available in the Vehicle Info Kit from the GM Heritage Center.

I had the same thing happen to me here in Missouri.
It was on a 65 GMC 250. I checked the title to the VIN on the truck when I bought it and it looked correct with just my eyes.
When I sold it to Mongo, he took a close up picture of the VIN on the truck and it clearly showed the last digit was wrong. I think it was a E and B.
I ended up hauling the truck to the Missouri Highway patrol inspection station and they did a search of the truck for any other stamped numbers. Not finding any, they agreed it was a typo and issued a new title with the correct numbers.
Now that is in Missouri, Utah, May very well be different. Call the DMV or the State Highway patrol and ask them what to do.

Good luck and let us know what you find out.
Don

Edit; I found a couple picture of the inspection.

Personally, I'd let sleeping dogs lie. You now have a clean title and as far as the state of Utah is concerned, that's what it is.

The title on my Cadillac has an S where a 5 should be. It was like that on the title when I bought it. The seller said it was the same way when he bought it.

I contacted the State and asked them about it and was told that I would be better off leaving it alone. It has a clean title and had one when I bought it as far as the State of Georgia is concerned.

I wouldn't open a can of worms that doesn't need to be opened.

When you or your heirs sells the truck, you'll sign the title over to the new owner and he'll register it in his name like any other vehicle.

Otto, here in Missouri that works just fine if it is retitled in Missouri. But, If I buy a vehicle from any other state,I have to get a state inspection to verify the VIN. All states may be different in that respect, I just know what I have to have done to retitle in Missouri.
If the numbers don’t match, I don’t buy until the seller gets that fixed in his state. I also require that if I buy in Missouri in case I sell a vehicle out of state.

Don

Would there be any other stamped numbers on this year of truck? Anywhere I should look?

Several years ago, I bought a 48 3600 cheap at a local auction with a title. Even talked to the old guy getting out of farming.
He had the truck since the late 50’s and I retitled it in my name in Missouri with no VIN inspection. When I went to sell it a couple years later, the potential buyer asked if the VIN numbers matched. In those days, (pre 1955) the VIN number went by the engine number behind the dizzy.
The motor had been swapped out way back when so the VIN did not match. Hauled it down to the HP inspection and they searched the frame, firewall and several other places that the number could also be stamped. On the 48 and the 65 they checked the frame on the drivers side behind the front tire and frame under the drivers seat. In the one picture you can see the inspector lying on the trailer looking for numbers. None found on both trucks.

Like I said Utah could have different rules, so it is best to contact the Utah Highway patrol or the DMV to find out for sure.
In your case they should do an inspection and then say it is a typo and reissue a new correct title.

I urge you to not circumvent the law, it will only bite you in the long run.
Don

John - Unfortunately there aren't any other numbers, other than the original engine serial numbers for your truck, which were more often than not used to title trucks back in the day. That of course depended on the individual States rules and regs.

Just my $.02 worth, but I disagree with Otto's suggestion. Your titled VIN is also going to be listed on your insurance and registration. When it comes time to file a claim, or God forbid report a stolen vehicle, a mismatch between that title (piece of paper) and your actual on the truck information could result in a denied insurance claim or even a loss of the vehicle as you can't 100% confirm ownership.

I had a similar misread on my '51's title transfer action in MO and had to do the corrective action Don mentioned above to resolve when it became mine.

As Don mentions above, you will need to pursue getting the error corrected through your local DMV, and most likely a Highway Patrol verification inspection, if that is what is required by Utah. It's their rules and regs that will determine corrective action.

Hope you can resolve this as simply as possible!

EDIT: Don beat me to the post button so I duplicated what he said about engine serial numbers.

Makes sense.

Compared to Missouri, Georgia seems pretty casual about it. Even when bringing a car from another state, you just walk in with your out of state title and they issue you a new Georgia title. No looking at the actual car at all.

Thanks for the input guys! I would prefer that everything be correct. I registered the truck last week and they said my title was valid, but old - so they were going to issue me a new updated title at no cost. I'll wait until I get the new title before doing anything.

I will add to the cautions others offered that if/when you or heirs sell the truck doing the corrections now will be well worth the time and effort spent. When I got the Sparky project, the widow lady selling the truck had a doozy of a hassle getting the title work straightened out. I was adamant in not accepting anything less than correct and verifiable numbers matching etc. paperwork. I would not even accept an offered bonded title process, which I know is accepted by some, but not me. I was glad I did too, because along the way it was discovered the chain of possession was more complicated than she realized.

Update: I went to the DMV last week about the incorrect VIN number on my title. They gave me a number to call to make an appointment for a VIN inspector to come by the house. He came by last Friday morning and checked out the truck with a flash light - searching both door jams and front right frame and then verified the number on my VIN plate attached on the right side by the hood. He printed out a form and I took it to the DMV - cost was $10. I received my corrected title in the mail today. Well, that was a good experience with my Utah DMV.

Great news that the kink in your title has been corrected and with very little heart burn or having to dig too deeply in the wallet. One step closer to getting on the road!