I'm looking for a vin number on my 1965 Mercury M100 frame. I've closely examined the right side frame from the radiator to the mid-cross mount but can't find a trace of a number. The Canadians put the vin plate on the driver's side front door post as opposed to riveting it on the driver door as was done in the States. Is it possible the Oakville frames were stamped in a location other than the right front frame?
Could another explanation for the missing vin be that it simply disappeared after almost a half century of tough winters? The frame had a very liberal coating of scale (scale is what is on the frame when you sell a truck up here---the buyer calls it rust). Thanks in advance. Lefty

 

I have found them on trucks between the upper shock mount and the cab mount on the right side frame rail. Some I think were stamped on by the guy who couldn't pick up a hammer let alone swing it. Most of the time though I ended up using a 240 grit flapper disc on a 4 1/2" grinder to make it appear. I run the grinder over the top of the rails just enough to knock off the rust but not enough to get into the metal.

 

On my (now former) 1965 F100 that was assembled in San Jose, when I pulled the engine in 1981 to rebuild it...I found the VIN stamped on the engine crossmember, directly under the harmonic balancer.

The VIN could be partially under the cab, stamped on the top of the right (passenger) side frame rail. Or, in the same location...in front of the cab.

The reason for all the various locations was, one assembly plant might differ from others. On some 1950's and 1973 and later, it was stamped on the top of the left (drivers) side frame rail, adjacent to the steering gearbox.