The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1953 Serial Number Mystery

I was going to start this thread asking if anyone could decode my serial number as it wasn't matching what I found posted elsewhere on the site. Then I realized it might be the engine serial number and sure enough it was ... I have a 216ci, built in Flint, MI FYI ...

So, it appears that my original serial number was ground off the gross weight serial plate and replaced by the engine serial number. Would the original serial number be found anywhere besides the drivers door jam on a 1953 3100?

If not, is there anyway to trace the engine serial number back to the truck it was installed in?

I would like to know a little more about my truck (just purchased), but think I may have hit a roadblock here.

Thanks in advance.

Since no=one has responded, I will take a stab at what you have. Many States use the number that is stamped on the engine block as identification on the license. It looks like someone may have had a problem with there DMV where the id tag and license did not match. They probably redid the tag with the engine id to prevent further confusion and then you came along and tried to make sense of it all

I am not sure about the tag number being "ground off? It's a piece of thin metal that is stamped with number and letter dies. Is your tag screwed on or riveted on? in 1953 it would have been riveted on. Look closely, has it been re-stamped? Can you see any visible numbers in the background? Tag plates are available through some vintage vendors and this may have been a replacement tag.

Thanks for the reply, I was afraid that was the case. It is the original tag (riveted on) and I can faintly see where there were other stampings, but not enough to recover the previous serial number.

Would the truck's serial number be found anywhere else on the vehicle? Or any other way that I could back track to the original serial number?

No, if you cannot see the original numbers, you are out of luck, possibly an old ownership or insurance document.

K-Zoo: some time ago you/we could get a "title search/history" form the DMV for a $5 fee. With all the new laws I do not know any states will do that. It may be worth a try. If you can get a title history then perhaps some previous owner could answer a lot of your questions?? Just an thought.

another thought that you probably have done.... use a good magnifying glass to see if you can tell what it says.... or maybe a light pencil rubbing would reveal more than you can see.