I have run into a glitch with the NC DMV Inspector. The VIN Plate was removed during painting, and screwed back on, and that is a problem with NCDMV. He and I both looked at several areas referenced both by DMV and Google where the Hidden VIN on the Frame is(are). We spent 3 hours sanding and cleaning where we could (Drivers Side, Top or Frame, Between Axle and Firewall, on the top of he rear Cross-member, passenger side -looking with a mirror), also one reference that we did not check was a cross-member above front universal. The VIN (less serial) is
F10VSG2xxxx
I am a new member to this Forum . Any hints or recommendations short of pulling the cab off would be greatly appreciated. Kip in NC

 

Sorry to hear that you are having problems with NC. Been there and done that. I had to take a 66 Mustang to another state and get it titled to avoid the stupidity in NC. Hopefully you wont need to go that far. Is your VIN plate attached to the drivers door frame or the glovebox? Most of the frame stampings I have seen are located on the front (first) crossmember in front of the engine, passenger side or along the passenger side of the frame rail towards the front. Sadly, most of those stampings are often faint from corrosion or poor stamping at the plant. I have had a couple of trucks where paint filled in the stampings. As far as I know (and I could be wrong) there were no stampings anyone else on the frame, so pulling the cab won't help. I would try to use some paint stripper and not an abrasive sandpaper on the frame to see if you can reveal a number on the frame. Sanding could only remove the number. Good luck!

 

I found the one on my 55 just in front of the cab on the passenger side. On top of the frame rail. It was totally covered in years of grime. I kept spraying the area with simple green cleaner and scrubbed with a wire brush. It is very faint but I located it. Another problem could be if your frame was painted since you mentioned the other one was taken off. In this case it may have been filled in with paint and there's no way to find it unless you strip it all again.

Maybe someone else can help you out more. Good luck though.

 

Ditto on what HkyswiM said-
Passenger side framerail just in front of the cab mount. That's where my '56 VIN is located.

The pre-'48 cars are located on the driver's side frame rail. Not sure on the trucks. The '49-'53 cars are on the passenger frame rail too, on a triangulated piece that connects to the main suspension x-member.

 

Had same problem too, I only owned my 55 three weeks stuck my head in wheel arch on passenger side top of rail on left side vertually under cab fire wall very hard to see as said lot of cleaning use something like scotch pad rather than sand paper and brake cleaner or engine cleaner. Good luck

 

My 56 stamp was on the front cross member top right end. The radiator sets on this cross member.

 

My 56 vin is also stamped on the top of the frame rail, passenger side, up front near the cross member.

 

The VIN is stamped on top of the curb side frame rail of my 1956 F-350. The last digit of the number is ten inches aft of a vertical center line up from the front axle bump stop. My frame is stamped to adapt to right hand steering and the VIN is right above those three holes in the vertical part of the frame rail. The VIN is visible from under the right fender. It would probably be easier to view with the wheels turned to the left. Good luck. Mine jumps out at me.

And by the way, welcome to the forum.

 

The Vin on my 56 is on passenger side top frame rail behind the centerline but before you get to the cab mount braket.

 

No such thing as a VIN on any pre 1949 FoMoCo Passenger Car or pre 1948 FoMoCo truck.

These vehicles were registered by their specific engine number that was also stamped on the hogshead. It was not stamped anywhere else.

The problem was, when the engine was changed, the numbers no longer matched. The VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) registers the entire vehicle.

Les Kelley, the largest used car dealer in the world and a Ford Dealer (Kelley Kar Co., located on downtown LA's auto row-Figueroa St.) came up with the VIN system.

FoMoCo went with VIN's in 1948 for trucks, 1949 for Passenger Cars. Before too long, all the automakers adopted it. Kelley also founded Kelley Blue Books.

And btw: Kelley Blue Books that were issued to car dealers, banks, finance and insurance companies listed the location of every automakers hidden VIN

 

BTW, I hope you find it. I once had a '51 Chevy 2 ton. Somewhere in time the CA DMV had put a different VIN number on the pink slip than what was on the rating plate. So I had to take the truck to a CHP inspection station. The inspector took the truck out back so I couldn't see where the 'hidden' number was, apparently she was afraid if I knew where to look I'd do something up to no good. She couldn't find the 'hidden' number, so she drilled out the rating plate and affixed some sticker with a new VIN number. If you can't find yours, I'll post a pic of mine later this week so you know what to look for.

 

AFAIK, the only reasons the CA DMV would have issued another VIN for your Chevy initially, is if the vehicle was theft recovery or it was a salvage title.

I dunno of any other circumstances that would apply and I've registered 337 vehicles (most were "old rolling piles of misery") in CA since 1956.

 

What happens if you do a front clip mod and you live in NC? You can never register you truck?

 

I always take a photo of the vin stamping prior to doing any painting/powder coating/frame mods if it gets covered, etc. At least that way you can prove that it did have the correct stamping once upon a time. It may not get your vehicle registered but it might keep the questions to a minimum about the legality of the vehicle. I am in no one saying there is something strange about this OP but there is a lot of stolen stuff nowadays and we ALL must cover our butts. I lived in NC for awhile and they were one of the most difficult jerks to deal with. I used POR15 on a frame one time and was unable to clean out the stamping to appease the dictator at the DMV. I ended up registering it another state that didn't even look at the vehicle. As long as the title was valid, some states never inspect anything. NC happens to be one of the worst. I wish the OP much luck. If you do a frame mod in NC I would highly suggest doing it AFTER the inspection/frame mod. Some states now are even starting this "assembled vehicle" garbage if the vehicle is highly modified. That is why it is important to press our state reps to keep historic vehicles protected. Before long they could start requiring airbags, anti-lock brakes and emissions control. Can you imagine that? Let's hope it never happens.

 

It may have just been the inspector. I've been polite and not referred to her with any duly deserved adjectives. The truck was neither stolen nor a salvage. DMV couldn't explain why a modern VIN was on the pink slip and directed me to have the truck inspected. I suppose had I not been so wet behind the ears I would have insisted on talking to someone further up the food chain.

Here's another CA DMV horror story. I was rear ended by a teenager driving his mom's mini van. I asked her if she just wanted an estimate and bypass insurance and the DMV. She was fine with that until she saw the amount of the estimate. So she turned it into her insurance, who informed the DMV. Supposedly DMV asked me for proof of insurance, but not receiving anything I didn't. My reward was to have my driver's license suspended, unbeknownst to me until I got pulled over for a tail light being out. The officer was decent, he let me go on, but cautioned me to contact DMV. I went in, stood in the obligatory long line only to be informed by the clerk I had to pay $300.00 to have my license reinstated and I would only be allowed to drive to and from work. I walked out and called department in Sacramento that had issued the suspension. All I had to do is provide my insurance policy number and the suspension was lifted immediately. Lesson learned: not all DMV clerks know what they are doing. Shocking, isn't it?