Click on image for the lowdown. 
====
| | | Forums66 Topics128,060 Posts1,055,837 Members48,427 | | Most Online14,466
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!
Lots of work on Brad's part ... pure enjoyment (and references) for you!
| | THANKS!
For helping keep this great
old truck web site
on the Internet for over 30 years! and not clogged down
with Ads!  Again, thanks!
| | | | Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 6 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 6 | Happy Thanksgiving! I'm trying to title a truck I purchased and was verifying the vin number. It's eight digits long with a big gap in between numbers on the vin plate. http://i.imgur.com/eXkjmNB.png?1It reads 3HPB- big space and four numeric digits. Just wondering if that's normal for it to look like that.
Last edited by Eninety2; 11/28/2013 4:26 PM.
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2013 Posts: 12 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Nov 2013 Posts: 12 | check the lmc parts website they have a decoder for vins in the catalog and may be on line also | | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 2,393 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 2,393 | I would say that is ok, especially if it matches any paperwork you received with the truck. Mine only has one more number, but since that is production sequence numbers, that's ok. I have been told that these plates were hand set rather than machine set, so that could account for spacing oddities.
Drew
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 12,029 Cruising in the Passing Lane | | Cruising in the Passing Lane Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 12,029 | yes it's normal, the last digits were added by hand and could have any space .... what year is the truck?
Bill | | | | | Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 6 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 6 | I would say that is ok, especially if it matches any paperwork you received with the truck. Mine only has one more number, but since that is production sequence numbers, that's ok. I have been told that these plates were hand set rather than machine set, so that could account for spacing oddities. Came with a bill of sale, hence the precaution. | | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | August 1950 3100 from Atlanta, GA | | | | | Joined: May 2001 Posts: 7,438 Extreme Gabster | | Extreme Gabster Joined: May 2001 Posts: 7,438 | It is not a VIN as used in modern day manufacturing. There was no VIN standard when these trucks were made. Most states titled by engine number until the mid '50s. | | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | Eninety2,
Was that code used on your registration or title?
As Cletis posted, an official VIN was not used until many years later,
GM called the code you posted a Vehicle Serial Number.
Two out of five of my trucks were originally titled/registered using the VSN.
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 6 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 6 | Eninety2,
Was that code used on your registration or title?
As Cletis posted, an official VIN was not used until many years later,
GM called the code you posted a Vehicle Serial Number.
Two out of five of my trucks were originally titled/registered using the VSN. All I got was a bill of sale. Was planning on getting titled so I can begin working on it. | | | | | Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 6 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 6 | Eninety2,
Was that code used on your registration or title?
As Cletis posted, an official VIN was not used until many years later,
GM called the code you posted a Vehicle Serial Number.
Two out of five of my trucks were originally titled/registered using the VSN. How were the other three titled? | | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | Two were titled by engine serial number (as Cletis posted) and one DMV gave me choice of doing it by the engine number or the vehicle number (all I had was a Bill of Sale that contained both numbers).
Different states' DMVs had/have different rules.
| | |
|
|
