The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Family Truck VIN Decode

I am considering buying a 1955 Chevy 6400 from my granddad. It is a 2nd series. I wanted to know the month and day it was made. The VIN is :W2 55S038981.

You won't get the month and day from the serial number, only the year, model, assembly plant, and sequence number from that plant. Closest you'llget to finding the exact build date will be to check the casting dates on the engine, transmission, and rearend.

W255S038981 is the Vehicle Serial Number (no VIN that year). This might have been the title and/or registration number/code, or the engine ID might have been the title and/or registration number/code (depending on the state or on who processed the truck).

W = 6400
255 = 2nd series 1955
S = St. Louis assembly plant
038981 = 37981th truck off the line

Here are locations of date casting codes (head and block).

I already knew what those numbers mentioned ment, (W=6400, 255= 2nd series 1955, S St. Louis assembly plant,) But part of what I wanted to know was what number it was to come off the line. Thank you for clearing that up for me. And to answer your question, it is, and always has been, a TX truck. I got this number from the silver plate inside the truck that was infront of the driver side door window towards the front end. Do I need the engine number to find out? Where on the engine is this number? How many of these 6400's were made that year?

I did not ask a question (maybe you are referring to someone else?). Different states and even different people in the same state used either the Vehicle ID or the engine serial number on the title and/or on the registration.

"Do I need the engine number to find out?"
You want to know the day and month that your truck was made?

The closest you will get to the date that the truck was made is from the head date-casting code and the block date-casting code. The locations of those codes are shown at the link that I gave above. Also, the location of the engine serial number is shown at that same link.

There is no date code on the truck itself. All you can guess/assume is that the truck was assembled after the block and head (or the transmission or the rear end) were cast.

Maybe someone has production numbers for different models of 2nd series 1955 Chevrolet truck but I do not recall anyone posting this information.

If you not already obtained this information from the GM Heritage site. Go to this page:
http://www.gmheritagecenter.com/gm-heritage-archive/vehicle-information-kits.html

Then click on "Show" on this line at the above page:
Chevrolet Trucks (All Models Not Listed Below) Show

Look for 1955 Chevrolet Truck 2nd Series (WARNING: it will be a large download). Keep this file/document handy - it will be useful in answering many questions.

Thanks for the help gents! Any other advice or tips?