The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk title question

i have the title for my 52 and the serial number reads 14 2KRL4 356 which reads 14 - Baltimore, K - 1952, R - 3600 (3/4 ton), L - December, and then the last numbers are the production #s. What i am unsure of is what the 2 before the K means and possibly the 4 after the L if 356 was the production #. I entered the # in the vin buster http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/vin/vinbuster.html but would get the wrong info unless I took out the 2. I have to get a plate for the door post soon and imagine I would just stamp in exactly what the title says. Im just making sure everything goes smoothly. Thanks!

Is it the original title? If it isn't, the "2" could have been a typo. I was lucky enough to have my original title and registrations from '54 to '75 (I found them folded over under the seat), and some digits in the motor number and GVW were left out or changed from time to time when the registration was updated. It was the same person at a small tag office who renewed the registration each year, but I guess mistakes happen. Someone else may have a much better answer, but that's my guess.

The "4" that you mention seems like a valid number. From the way I understand, production numbers started at 1001 for that time period, so I don't think 356 would have been the entire production number.

Chris, Try this and see if it sounds like your truck.
14- Baltinore
KR- 3600 125.25 wheelbase
L - Dec
4356- Production number

Like you said,what is that 2 doing there,a mistake ? The production numbers have to be 1000 or higher and 4k trucks built by Dec sounds about right. It would seem that the guy stamping the plate wasn't too sharp that day. Might have been a Mon. morning and he was suffering from too much weekend. lol ??
Dan

thanks for replying,

If i can remember correctly with out looking at the title, the most recent date is 1990 as far as date issued to previous owner. The description fits my truck so it must have been just a typo. Im just wondering what to stamp on the plate, currently i need to get a replacement plate for the door pilar as its missing. I imagine just put whats on the title. I have the title though so at least i have that.

A little background. I purchased this truck from my boss a few months ago who purchased it from a guy in New Jersey in 1997. The truck sat in my bosses barn for 10years until i recently bought it sometime during this last summer. The owner before him signed and dated the title and what not (this was back in 97) and gave it to my boss when he bought it but my boss never went through with putting it into his name (never signed it himself either) because he was only going to use it for parts (all he did was swap doors with his project truck) and then it ended up in his barn collecting dust and being a home for all his chickens.

In a few weeks i plan to get the title put into my name but just wondering what to stamp on the plate. Should I leave out the 2 or not? Also to bad they filled in how much my boss payed for it, he bought it for 1100 and i bought it off of him for 900.

You may not need to worry about the data plate. Pre '55 most states used the engine number as the VIN. Look on the raised boss behind the distributor & see if the number there matches your title. You may have to scrape off some crud to see the number. The number 1 will be represented by the capitol letter "I" in the stamping.

Actually the previous owner (before my boss) replaced the 52 216 with a rebuilt 54 235 before he sold it. Did these trucks come with the plate even though they went by the engine # because there are rivet holes on the pilar. I just have a feeling they didn't use the number near the distributor for this title, or at least i hope my feeling is correct. what does the number off the plate near the distributor look like on a 216.

Replacing engines is one reason the practice of using engine numbers was stopped I believe. When the engine is gone there is no number on the vehicle matching the title. The data plate typically contained the serial number which is not necessarily the same as the VIN shown on the title. Replacement engines from Chevrolet came with a blank boss for the mechanic to re-stamp the number. When "used" engines are swapped the problem you face raises it's ugly head. Folks who change engines without changing the title to reflect the new number (in engine number states) are creating a problem for future buyers. Having said that every state has a method for resolving the problem. The best thing for you to do is call your licensing authority (DMV or whatever it's called in your state) and find out what process they use. Any well intentioned "I did it this way" you may receive here may not be accurate. Get the info from the horses mouth.