The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs Suburban, Panel, Truck Vin info 47-53

How do you know the difference from a 47-53 suburban, panel or truck vin. is there certain letters,numbers that designate one from the other.
Perro

no indication in the vin, that just tells you the series, like 3100 or 3800

Bill

What year?

Modern-day, standardized VIN's were not available until 1981.

Prior to 1981, manufacturers used non-standard "VINs" (or vehicle IDS or vehicle serial numbers) that might have indicated model (many years did not provide model information, usually just series/size information).

Seem like I just read a thread about the series number designation. I know my 1 ton
panel is a 3805 and I think the 1 ton truck
is 3804 but I don't know if Burb. has it's
own #.

yes, models have their designation added to the series numbers, but that doesn't appear in the vin ...
xx02=chassis
xx03=chassis/cab
xx04=pickup
xx05=panel body
xx06=suburban w/ barn doors
xx16=burb w/clamshell
xx24=cameo
xx34=fleetside pu

If it was a GMC, you'd know.:)
The S/N will tell you when it was produced. And the mdel number will as well.

1947 to 1953 Suburbans would be either 3106 (panel doors) or 3116 (end-gate), depending on the year. But, as stated a few times above, that information is not on the door-post ID plate (or elsewhere on the 47-53 Chevrolet truck).

It's not in a GMC serial number either.

Still a little confused.how would i know what kind of door where on it factory (barn or Clam shell). How or where would i find 3106-3116 stated by Tclederman Or model Numbers stated by Squeeze.or are they just overall designated Numbers by GM. thanks for all the info, hope i'm not confusing anybody.Just trying to educate myself.

the last 2 digits are the model designation, they're nowhere on the truck - the nearest thing is the fender spears that have the series: 3100, 3200, 3600, 3800, etc ... you can usually tell which doors a burb came with because there are two hinge mounting setups on them all and the unused ones for the 'other' setup have cover plates

the particular designation would have been on paperwork, as a dealer order or factory invoice, and the 06/16 door difference could have been done at the dealer as well as the factory .... dealer has a sale for a barn door 3106, only has a clamshell 3116 on hand - switch the doors and move it out

Bill

Bill,

I think you have moved ahead of Advance-Design years when describing series-size designations on "fender spears" (as used/displayed on TF trucks?).

On Advance-Design trucks, the series-size designations were usually shown on the side of the hood (at 1:13am eastern time, your slip is understandable). It should however be noted that specific series-size designations were not on the hood side-plates from 1947 through mid-1949 (when the hood side-plates just showed Thriftmaster for 3100-3800 and Loadmaster for larger than 3800).

But, everything in your clarifying post is correct and helpful (although I prefer the GM term "panel doors" to "barn doors", maybe because I think of many barn doors as being sliding doors).

details, details
yes, I talk in terms of the TF era, generally applicable before and after ...

until this post I hadn't consciously considered the fact that there really is no way to determine the exact model from the vins even tho' the question regularly comes up concerning Cameos .... always interesting tidbits showing up

Bill

For at least 1947 to 1955-1st series, Chevrolet called the information on the truck's door pillar tag the "vehicle serial number". It included, at least, information about the year, the assembly plant location, the series-number/size-designation, and the sequence/serial number for that vehicle. As stated above, no model information was to be found on Advance-Design trucks.

Some states used this door-post-tag code for title/registration. However, the engine code might have been used for those purposes. And, just to confuse us, the same state, in the same year, might have used either code (I have seen engine-codes and door-tag-codes on original titles for 54/55 trucks from both WA and VA). NY will allow either code to be used.

Thing are finally looking clear. Thanks for your wealth of knowledge.
Perro

On my '57 panel someone wrote 3805 in grease pencil? on the firewall behind the
engine. I assume that was from the factory
as the engine compartment was never repainted.