The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Truck v.i.n. question

Hi all, my question today , can anyone comment on what year Chevrolet and Gmc stopped using engine serial numbers and started to use actual v.i.n numbers for there vehicles? The reason is if I am able to locate a vehicle and it needs a different engine , I won't have an issue here in Illinois getting it titled, after talking to the DMV ,I feel this would be a better way to go , instead of renewing the older and smaller engine. We want to do highway driving occasionally and feel the need for a larger engine. Thank you in advance, Pat

I read on the VCCA site that most if not all states had stopped using the engine number as the VIN after '55. Some reading on the subject. Even more reading.

From 1957 onwards the engine ID had no date and no serial number. There was no engine (serial) number. The engine ID would have useless as a vehicle ID.

You'd want a unique number. The easiest way to do that is to have at least a year code and a unique sequence/serial number (as Chevrolet had on earlier year engines, and, of course, on the cab Vehicle ID).

All Task Force trucks did not have a VIN so to say. It was a Series designation with model year and codes for manufacture point and month and unit number. I would say true VIN started as per Wikepedia in 1981, date of standardized VIN. It says first used in 1954. But just like using an engine sn, you really can't call the old system a vin. Thats a problem when they try to relate it all in terms of vin, because the frame number usually does not have the series designation included, thus it confuses someone not familiar with the TF numbering system.

after they quit using engine numbers, GM called them VSN's, Vehicle Serial Number - around here we usually refer to them as "vin"s lower case to differentiate from "VIN"s, uppercase, standardized by the feds in the 80's - when you get a title the VSN will be entered under the box labeled VIN, so when talking to the DMV, it's a VIN or vin, even for the years when the engine number was used on the title

Bill

Thanks for the info, so to be sure I understand, I could use the frame number and also the code number for the year of the engine I put in the vehicle,plus the number(if any) on the cab plate? Pat.

Since you're in Illinois, you will be just fine using just the cab serial number, which will have the YOM and model information, as well as the sequential build number.

Chevy or GMC? what year? the makes and series are different - there was no frame number on Chevys until after 55, and then it's the same as the number on the door tag, except they left off the leading number and letter [which indicates the model], because when the frame was assembled they didn't know exactly which model it would be, the "real" vin/VIN/VSN of a Chev is the number on the door tag - that's the only ID you should need, the [changed] engine number is irrelevant .... GMC is a whole different animal

Bill

Thanks, I am looking for a chevy or gmc truck between the years of 1938-1946, it looks like I may have to refine my search as the ones I have seen advertised, are in exceptional shape and out of my price range, I want one that you can use around the farm and go get parts if needed and cruise around on Sunday with my wife.

well, those years the VSN/vin is way different, and they all would have been originally registered using the engine number as the 'vin' on the title - see the tech tips about numbering in the early years

Bill