The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Need Help with a VIN ID

There is no Serial Number Plate mounted in the normal location on the passenger side cowl. What appears to be the VIN is stamped into the driver's side door/windshield "A" pillar. Looks like a 1941 1/2 Ton Truck but I am not sure about the Plant where it was built. Not sure if the first two digits are 1Z or 12. Then, is the 6th Digit an "E" or an upside down backwards 3? If it is a 3 it doesn't match the Print Type of the 3 in the 8th Digit Place.

12AK034395

I can't find any info on the Plant Designation of "12"

The other odd thing about this truck is the frame has the same GREEN paint that matches the original color of the body paint. It looks like someone later painted the body blue but the frame is still a faded green. You can see the green paint color in the pictures of the VIN. Any reason for this, was it maybe a Military Vehicle ?

http://s419.beta.photobucket.com/us...0547_zps85160012.jpg.html?sort=6&o=0

Thanks for your help

check the vin buster, looks like a '41 from Buffalo - see the codes here .... no telling about the paint, it's got 70 years of memories it can't share

Bill

Figured out the VIN Info by using the VIN Buster in Tech Tips.

Serial # : 12AK0E4395
Mfg Year : 1941
Model : 1/2 ton
Wheelbase : 115 inches
Plant : Buffalo, NY

Wondering if there is any feedback on the green painted frame ?

Could have been a military truck. That may have been the reason for the Serial # on drivers side A Pillar. I have never seen one with the #'s stamped in to the body.

That's what the guy who is selling it was thinking, maybe military and that's why there isn't the usual GM plate mounted on the pass side cowl. Thanks

It could be a civilian truck converted to military work and then converted back to civilian use?

Does it look like the original engine is still in it? If yes, post the head and block date casting codes. A late '41 truck might have gone to war right from the factory.

Here is some information from Jim Carter about a 1941 Chevrolet military truck.

You might find the color of this one is like yours? Lots of photos of that 1941 truck (including military ID tag location).

Any talk of it being military because someone in the last 70 or so years stamped numbers into the cab is just speculation.

There were plenty of differences between military and civilian trucks. The military trucks had ID and instruction plates riveted to the dash board. I don't know about half tons but the larger military trucks had push open windshields with a knob to lock it open.

I'd question whether any military truck had a green painted frame, much more likely the truck underwent a repaint sometime in the past - the "green" paint seen on the pillar appears as much a primer color as a top coat color .... and the numbers stamped into the pillar could easily have been done when, or after, the cowl tag was removed, either by the owner or by the DMV .... are there holes in the cowl where the ID plate would have been placed by the factory?

Bill

There are holes where the plate would normally mount but it doesn't look like anything was ever attached there. No Motor or Trans. I'll be picking this truck up later in the week, so I'll have more info. This truck is sitting in a junk yard here in Colorado, so all that is left is the cab sitting on the frame. There is an early F*RD pickup bed mounted on the back. Who knows how that ended up there ???