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Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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| | | | Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 693 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 693 | Hello,
i have spent time on the engine and VIN decoding resources here on the site and learned a bit about my truck (size, wheelbase, mfg plant, etc). My frame has a number, too: 56L017520
Is there a decoder for this that can tell anything about the frame of my truck?
thank you | | | | | Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,887 Cruising in the Passing Lane | | Cruising in the Passing Lane Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,887 | the frame number is simply the vin minus the first 2 ... I believe you have a 3100? the vin would be the same except for "3A" at the beginning - when the frame is stamped they don't know the final configuration yet ... it's a 56 built in LA
Bill | | | | | Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 693 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 693 | thank you Bill. yes I have a '56 3100. this frame I have is not original to the truck - i had to get a replacement. the truck is a Tarrytown-built vehicle.. sounds like the frame made its way from LA to massachusetts- now thats interesting!
Last edited by tomctomc; 10/13/2010 3:22 PM.
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,887 Cruising in the Passing Lane | | Cruising in the Passing Lane Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,887 | now all you have to do is figure out just how you'll explain that the frame number and vin number don't match  would be a great idea to keep some very good paper and photo documentation on the off chance someone comes looking Bill | | | | | Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 693 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 693 | i'm doing a full frame-off with documentation, so i can explain what happened to the truck to any future buyer... or do you mean that i could have problems with the Dept of Motor Vehicles? My truck is titled via the VIN plate (3A56...etc) on the cab, so that didn't change. thanks again for the info | | | | | Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,887 Cruising in the Passing Lane | | Cruising in the Passing Lane Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,887 | DMV and police, both yours and in any possible future locale .... just good to document everything when you can't predict future events, say like the truck being stolen and/or the door tag going AWOL, so you have only the paper title that doesn't match the number on the frame .... would be nice to have the title from the truck the frame belonged to
Bill | | | | | Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 96 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 96 | Wow I have numbers all over my frame-----1966 GMC
FX20
3881391 120 1 25 113
6Z15363 (8?)cannot read last digit for sure
VIN I 1001 P D 11472 A none of these match but the wheelbase, and model do match the vin......has the frame been replaced on mine ?
66 GMC SWB
65 Chevy LWB
65 GMC SWB
918-446-2245
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,887 Cruising in the Passing Lane | | Cruising in the Passing Lane Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,887 | don't know about GMCs Kieth, and from 1960 the number was in different places, but the vin should be on the frame .... Jolly's site might have more info for you Bill | | | | | Joined: Aug 2009 Posts: 9 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Aug 2009 Posts: 9 | Along this same topic, I bought a 1951 3100 truck and it doesn't have a vin plate. Where do I find the vin 3 on the frame? The title I got from Missouri lists the engine # as the vin #.
HELP | | | | | Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,887 Cruising in the Passing Lane | | Cruising in the Passing Lane Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,887 | the vin wasn't put on frames until after 55, the engine number was used to title vehicles almost everywhere until after that - if the plate is gone and you don't have the original engine you'll have to take it up with your DMV
Bill | | | | | Joined: Aug 2009 Posts: 9 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Aug 2009 Posts: 9 | thanks. I do have the original engine as the #'s on the engine match the Title. Will that work to register it? | | | | | Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,887 Cruising in the Passing Lane | | Cruising in the Passing Lane Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,887 | should do, but it'd be worth talking to them - in the event the engine ever got changed you'd need to get the title changed
Bill | | | | | Joined: Aug 2009 Posts: 9 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Aug 2009 Posts: 9 | Thanks, I belong to AAA so maybe I'll check with them. | | | | | Joined: Nov 2000 Posts: 1,966 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2000 Posts: 1,966 | It might not be a bad idea to request a VIN change on the title to the body serial number, in case you want/need to change the engine...
Professional Novice
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 42 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 42 | Is there any frame #'s on the frame of a 1950 suburban? | | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 | Is there any frame #'s on the frame of a 1950 suburban? No. The serial number on the frame didn't start until the '55 2nds.
Bill Burmeister
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 42 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 42 | Ok GREAT, I wanted to switch suburban bodies but was worried about frame #'s. | | |
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