The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1963 c10 with a 1964 title

Hello - I'm new here so here goes. I sold my 64 several years back and have regretted it ever since. A man in town has a nice truck for sell but I need to check with you guys to verify his story. The truck has the 63 dash / doors but has a 64 title. The man says that the truck was built in early in the 64 year with leftover parts. The VIN # on the title says it was built in Balt. then was the 2,738 truck built. The VIN plate on the inside door is missing. Has anyone ever heard of this before and if not, should I buy the truck? Thanks in advance for the help and this is a great website. VIN = 4C144B102738

I would ask why this matters, If you like the truck, buy it. Accept that it is a unusual 64.
There isn't any reason to argue the year is there? Someone found it necessary to replace the grill in my 62, with a 64. Few notice and less care, including me. There is not much else stock about the truck anyway.

I'd say it all depends on your DMV. Here in SC I wouldn't even think about buying a vehicle without a VIN tag... I don't even like to think about all the trouble I'd have to go through to get it titled. It's hard enough here with a valid out of state title.

Lee

There is a secondary VIN stamped on the frame. It is just behind the steering box on TF trucks. I'm not exactly sure where it is on the 60's trucks. If they both match you are OK, if not.......
Fred

The '60-'63 and the '64-'66 Chevy trucks have a number of differences, namely the doors, cab and associated parts, i.e. windshield, inner door panels, etc.

If there is no VIN tag you may have trouble at the DMV, since that and the title are the first things the inspector asks for. The numbers on the drivers side frame rail, adjacent to the exhaust manifold will be an eight digit number punched into the frame rail. It will start with a number, followed by a single capital letter, followed by six digits. If the truck is a '65 or '66, the first number will be a 5 for 1965 and a 6 for 1966. The first number in the VIN for a 1964 Chevy C10/K10 truck will be a 4.

I can not speak to the '60-'63, because I specialize in '64-'66 Chevy trucks, exclusively. I hope this information provides some guidance. You might want to gather all the information you have available, including the VIN on the title, the VIN on the Cab (if you have it) and the partial VIN on the frame rail and call or visit your local DMV, to ensure you can title, register, insure and license the truck. This may save you a lot of headaches down the road.

You must also know what you have in order to order many of the aftermarket parts available, since many of them are different between the '60-'63 and the '64-'66. Good luck.

Tony

Living in Georgia, where all we need is a bill of sale from the previous owner to get a vehicle tagged and on the road, I've become a bit cavalier about vehicles with no title, etc.
But I wouldn't touch one that doesn't have a VIN tag, unless it was strictly for parts, and I planned on crushing the hull when it was done being parted out.
Keep looking around--Since getting my '62 a year ago, I've been amazed at how many of these trucks I've found.
-Brad

By the way...there were never vehicles built "with left over parts." The occasional seat, steering wheel, brake parts, and even engines--as in the case of '65 Impalas built with 409s until the supply was exhausted--but they didn't build a complete vehicle out of "left over parts." Fenders, doors, windshields etc. would have gone in the body shop supply. It's not like Chevrolet was hand crafting trucks and had enough parts left over to build one more. They're trucks, not GT40s and Shelby AC Cobras.
-Brad

You should be able to get a blank vin tag from a dealer and stamp it. There also was a vendor someone on the site mentioned a while back that sold a completed and stamped tags. maybe try a searh of the forums. I do not think it is that unsual to swap parts around but if it is a show truck it may cost you points.

mgbman:

The story checks out with the VIN on the title. The first number is the year of manufacture 1964, the C is for a 1/2 ton, B is Baltimore for the plant where it was manufactured and the 102738 tells it was the 2,738th truck off the line at this plant (the number starts at 100,001 for each series, at each plant).

All of this being said, I don't believe they manufactured trucks from leftover parts, as Brad54 has explained. My guess is the engine, cab and dash are not original to the truck. The cabs changed from '63 to '64. I think the cab was transplanted onto the truck. Again, check the numbers on the drivers side frame rail, next to the exhaust manifold. This will tell the tale on the frame.

If you don't mind and you are able to title, register, insure and license the truck, go for it. If not, I would pass on this one.

Tony

Not only that, but they rolled more than 2000 trucks down the line before putting this one together with left over parts?!

Something isn't right. It's either a '63, or a '64--not both. If the VIN doesn't match the one on the title, something isn't right.

And I'm pretty sure one of the Holy Writs of restoration parts is Thou Shalt Not Manufacture False Vin Tags. The fed. gov't takes a very, very dim view of this. The new Dynacorn '69 Camaro, '67 Mustang and AD truck cabs do not have a VIN. And getting a VIN is one of the biggest hurdles for these bodies. The CARS '57 Chevy bodies are rebuilt using an original firewall and lower half of the windshield pillar--so those cars are "original" and you don't have a problem getting a title for them. They've just had a ton of sheetmetal work done during the restoration. And, more importantly, they haven't had the VIN tag cut off one car and affixed to another (as will happen with the Camaro, Mustang and truck cabs).

If you want another truck, by all means, start searching for one in earnest. Don't buy one that will be a problem for you down the road.

And good grief--what happens if you do go to register this one and it turns out to be on the stolen vehicles list? Then you're totally out all your money. No "Thanks." No kiss.
-Brad

assuming this truck has a rock solid body with no rust issues and the price is right wouldn't it be worth the trouble to find and buy a similar rust bucket/junker and use that title/vin plate?

in new york all that is needed to register the vehicle is the title, and nobody really goes poking around looking to make an issue over the vin plate. of course i am thinking in terms of a "regular guy truck" not a $30,000 show car where the vin might be more of an issue.

i am new to this game but in my time spent searching for a "good solid starter truck" the most important criteria for me is rust rust rust rust!
having said that lets fantasize about finding a 63 big window short step that was parked for 25 years in the barn of an elderly woman who lives in arizona, no rust issues, asking price $3500
would a missing or questionable vin plate or missing title be enough to pass on the vehicle?
i guess the amount of difficulty involved varies by state. what are your thoughts?

what are your thoughts?
P

"63 dash/doors". The most likely situation here is that the truck has had a "cab transplant" sometime during its lifespan, either due to wreck or rust issues. How about other parts, such as front end sheet metal, etc.? Unless the price is such a giveaway that it would be worth going to the effort to correct the errors, I think I'd just keep on walking on this one!

BTW, NEVER post a complete VIN number on the internet! It's not likely to happen with any of the regulars here, but somebody could claim "That's uncle Harry's truck" and try to fabricate a story about it being stolen. The website where I moderate the gunsmithing forum has the same policy about posting a firearm's complete serial number, for the same reason.
Jerry

With a clear title and a matching VIN on the cab and frame rail, no one can make a claim for your vehicle. I can't speak about firearms because I don't own any. Guns may be in a unique category when it comes to fraudulent activity.

Tony

This is only my personal opinion:
The story from the guy selling the truck smells So much that it stinks!! The VIN plate for the 60-63 were on the front A pillar post whereas the VIN plate for the 64-66 were above the door. I would be a little nervous, if the VIN plate is missing, there may be a reason!!
Sounds like someone had a 64 title but did not have a 63 title, so they used the 64 title instead.

I would be more concerned about the fact that if he is telling you this story and not being honest about how the titled vehicle came to be, then anything else he tells you may not be truthful as well.

The fact that you asked the question here on this forum, tells me that you sense and question the seller being truthful.

My opinion: It better be priced cheap, before I'd consider it.

Brian