The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk *HELP* Deciphering GMC Serial#

:confused:

I am looking at a GMC pickup. I know it's 1947 - 1953 but I am having trouble narrowing it down.
It has turn down handles, full factory chrome trim and grill, long box, GMC crests on side of hood, no small window vents.

On the cab id plate I got the following info:

Model: 9434
Serial: 8943406093
Engine: X261275
Body serial: 480
Trim: 394
Paint: 830

It has old alberta plates on it so I'm assuming it's a Canadian truck.

Can anyone help?

Thanks
Alz

Oh yeah and it is a 5 window Deluxe cab

Yeah, it's definitely a Canadian GMC 1-Ton and probably made in 1948.

Check out this page to get all the gory details:
http://www.oldgmctrucks.com/page0396.html

Agreed John.

Thanks for the info, I was close before, but I didn't find that link.
alz

great thread,,,i thought i had a 58 gmc,,,it is a 59......cool

No no no! You probably DO have a 58.

As far as I can tell, the VIN's for my two 58's both seemed to tell me they were 59's. They are definitely 58's. The DMV says so. The insurance company says so.

Somehow the VIN is lieing but I can't tell you why.
Probably something about the time of year they were made.

Red58, can you add something to this?

for the CDN GMC trucks the first number of the vin indicates year [8=58, 9=59], and GM didn't make mistakes about it, so the vin tells you why the title lies

if the title sez 58 Zeke, they could be 59's sold and registered right at the end of 58 as they titled things back then by calender year sold rather than mfgrs model year - as for the insurance co, you can count on them sayin anything that'll put your money in their pocket, then sayin anything they feel like as to why you'll never get it back!

I think mostly the new models hit the streets by Nov, while some of the previous models [current calender year] were still being sold - I may have mentioned sometime that the 57 panel that I had was originally registered as a 58 because it was ordered in late 57 and the special order [for an ambulance] that had to come from the factory wasn't put into service until Jan of 58, so that's how it was recorded by BC - I got the resto pak that had the month of mfgr and told me the dealer that sold it - tracked some original info on it from old McMillian-Bloedel employees

you guys should get that resto thing for yours and see if you find out anything new [they didn't record a lot back then], number's in the tech tips , I remember it costing $25

Bill

Okay. That makes sense to me.

But now I'm wondering about the badging on my 58 Chevy. Does it have 58 or 59 badging?

<a href="http://www.voth.ca/gallery2/v/oldiron/ourtrucks/58MissingInAction.jpg.html">Yellow 58</a>

FYI, here's a link to the GM Canada Vintage vehicle pack webpage:

<a href="http://www.gmcanada.com/english/maintenance/parts/parts_vint.html">GM Canada Vintage</a>

59 - the 58 has a smaller hood badge and different fender trim, like this

Bill

Well how about that! All this time I've been hynotized to believe it was a 58 'cause it was registered as a 58.

The VIN does not lie.

Thanks Red for clearing that up.