The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Bogus VIN plate

It seems my 49 sub is actually a 47 or 48. Thanks to Spankys sharp eyes he discovered by eyeballing the firewall (something about reinforcing ribs) that the 49 is not a 49 after all but is a 47 or 48. He wanted to see a pic of the VIN plate which I had Weeds the younger put up in Panels and burbs after un successfully trying to E-mail him a pic. His opinion is that sometime in the past life of this sub the VIN plate was switched from another truck. He can tell by the rivets. I have a valid Wisconsin title using the Vin plate now on the truck. Question is this. Do I let sleeping dogs lie or do I research the situation and try to get it titled properly? This is not a 100 point resto but only a driver so I am not concerned about absolute authenticity. The mystery number 26 painted on the roof might have something to do with the switch. Im sure Spanky will jump back in here and I hope to get advice from other Bolters on this dilemma also. The entire saga unfolds in Panels and Burbs under "stripped". Weeds

From what I understand, there were trucks with title numbers taken from the VIN plate, and trucks with title numbers taken from the engine.. sounds like you have one of those taken from the VIN plate.

Now if the numbers on your VIN plate match the title, i'd leave sleeping dogs lie, since the garden variety DMV person isn't going to know that the ribs on the firewall are from a 48, not a 49.

What likely happened was a person had a solid body but no title (like a old barn find or junkyard score) and they had a shot body with a title, so they just did the ole switch-a-roo.

Laws vary from state to state, but i'd be willing to bet that the "ole switch-a-roo" when it comes to VIN numbers/plates is a big no-no.. mostly because they want you to:

A: Pay sales tax on both vehicles
B: Make sure you are the legal owner of both vehicles (i.e. not using a good title and VIN plate on a stolen truck)

Now if you're 100% sure that the truck is legit, then i'd let it ride.. but god help you if one day you're tooling down the road and somebody says, "HEY! Thats my truck!!"

If there are no other identifying numbers on the truck, I really don't know how you'd go about researching it any further as far as the history.. i suppose you could try and trace the title you have back thru previous owners (undoubetedly over many years) and then try and track those people down to ask them (provided their last known address isn't a cemetary).

I've seen pictures of a front cowl replacedment on an AD panel. In this case I think the cut was made in the windshield frame and everything in front was replaced.

It was Mark Woodsen's panel and the pictures were on his web site. I just don't recall the URL...

But my point is that TooMany is right, it could easily be a repair that mixed parts from different years, and that there is no dog to wake up!

Weeds, most of the trucks that are being put back on the road have mutant parts from many sources (repops, other trucks, fabrications etc.) Although illegal (according to DMV) changing a VIN tag from one vehicle to another is common practice. Trucks are found abandon in fields, barns etc. and the owners have lost the paperwork, so the next best thing to do is find an old truck that is used for parts that has a title and switch them. Since the older trucks only have the VIN tag and no other markings it goes undetected by everyone except us! Newer vehicles have multiple vin numbers on them in hidden places so that it can be detected if someone is illegally stealing a car and trying to disguise it.

Since you have a title and VIN plate that matches you will never be hassled by DMV. Since you have the body off of the frame you may want to stamp the numbers on the frame to protect your investment in the future. A good place to stamp it is by the steering box and a few places only you know. .........g

Weeds, If I were you, I'd let the Dog sleep. The only time that 'burb, needs to be a '49 model, is if, or when you decide to sell it. But for now, you just need to figure out wheather it's a '47, or '48 (LOL). Ain't this fun.

Weeds,

Do you have ideas for how to determine if your truck is a 47-2nd series or a '48?

Here are a few features to look for. Maybe there are other features that people will post?

1. '47 had 3-sp transmission with floor shifter (no column shifter - no holes in the steering column for column shifter). However, 4-speed transmission trucks also did not have holes on the steering column. Thus, if you have holes in the steering column for a column shifter, you have a '48 truck or the steering column might have been replaced with a later 3-speed's column.

2. '48 had the 3-sp transmission on the column. Thus, there was a floor mounted parking brake pedal (to the left of the clutch pedal). I am not certain, but most likely the 1947 1/2 ton frame did not have the channel in the frame cross-member that is needed for routing the foot-pedal parking brake linkage rod.

Maybe other people will correct me and/or post other things to look for.

Tim

Isn't the NHRA cutoff year for streetrods 1948?

Yes, the cut off year for NSRA is 48. It is actually 1948 and back. Cutoff for Goodguys is 1972. By the way, NSRA is changing either two or three of it's events this year to 1972 cutoff dates!!

I have a 1937 Chevrolet 1/2 ton pickup and the "VIN" on the title is the number that was on the original engine - two engines ago. The truck was also one truck made from two different trucks. I have pictures of both trucks, but I couldn't tell you which truck is my truck. I just know it's one of 'em.

As far as I'm concerned, I have a title and I have a truck and THEY are registered together. Period! Unless I start something on it, I don't really see that it is an issue.

My stand would be to let that BIG OLE DOG SLEEP!!!!!

Weeds, Take it from a retired COP don't wake up the sleeping giant. Your state tax commission can really screw things up and tie up your vehicle for years if not confiscate it and file charges against you!

You can legally change the year of the title if you want it to "appear" correct but I REALLY don't think anyone will ever bother you. I believe that '47 had the different cowl, not '48. Maybe this cab was a carryover from an earlier production build? Stranger things have happened.

Boy what an education! The general consensus of opinion seems to be let the dog sleep. And I think I will. I wont be taking the cover off the worm can either. Sure would be nice to know what year it actually is though. This thing had a 4 speed on the floor and the E brake pedal was on the floor to the left of the clutch. I am going to look at the column tomorrow for the shifter mounting holes. Can anyone think of any other clues? Also the mysterious number 26 on the roof is bugging me. Yeah Spanky it IS fun. Thanks to all who posted trying to educate me. This site rules. Weeds

And the Winner is ! ! !, "1948"

1947 models had the E-brake lever, to the right of the floor shifter. 1947 models had no rain water slot, along the front of the cowl.

Spanky can you post the pictures of the firewalls so everyone can see the differences of these years.

I have got to put together a picture book of all of the years and their differences. ......g

This answers my questions too. My VIN number is not real well determined. The one on the title does not match the format in the reference material I can find, and the VIN plate is missing! I got the dealer that had the truck to come up with something, but I suspect he just bogused it up to appease me. It is not the correct plate for my '47 (actually it's not even a VIN plate, just a "manufactured by" plate) but it has the same number as my title stamped into it. Coincidence?

But! Thank you Spanky, mine has the original Ebrake (lever missing) still hanging under there, coming up to where a lever should be mounted to the right of the shifter. It's nice to have it confirmed!

The guys on this site know EVERYTHING! Just ask. I think mine now just might be a 48 because it has the e-brake way over on the left. As I understand it only the 47 had the e-brake to the right of the shifter. Also since it was a 4 speed there were no holes in the column for a tree shifter. But what about the mystery number 26 on the roof? The mystery deepens and the plot thickens. To paraphrase Spanky Hardy "Aint this fun". Oh Yeah! As far as the DMV is concerened its a 49. Weeds

I would leave it be... California will put a VIN plate on that matches your title, assuming that everything matches up..

My 39 pickup is registered as a 38, but the engine number (that the title calls the VIN) falls into the 1940 range of serial numbers.

therefore, i must keep the engine that matches my title sitting in my garage.

I remember reading somebodys post on here saying that when they swapped engines, they had to go to their local state police barraks with their truck (along with the old engine) and they were able to give the dude the paperwork he needed to go to the DMV to get a title with the "new" VIN number (the number stamped in the engine).

My guess is that even back in the 40's they knew that those "Mfg By" plates held on with two pop rivits were easy to swap around, so thats why alot of states chose to use the number on the block instead.

As far as those "Mfg By General Motors Corp" plates are concerned.. i've seen repros available on eBay and other sources that were blank in the seriel number spot.. so you could stamp your own number in there.. pretty handy for restorations.

Just wanted to note another difference. Only two years had the gas tank on the frame. One is '48 (I have one) & the other I believe is '49. Or am I wrong and it is '47? All you '49 owners help me out! I wonder why Chevy went back to having it behind the seat? Wouldn't it be nice if the repop companies would make this as a tank relocation kit? Factory original type. Seems logical to me.

The one I'm talking about had no field for stamping numbers, it was just stamped in the bottom margin. I really think the dealer bogused it up to get off the hook for selling me a vehicle with no VIN plate.