Ah yes i did know that didn't even think about that.

 

Hi Cody, I think your on the right track. If for some reason local law enforcement was needed at your home say for a break in, and accidentally came across the tags and bills of sale, it would be hard to explain away. I don't know about registration laws myself, but like you said, it just doesn't sound rite ."EDIT" Now since they arnt vin #s, that changes things. But the bills of sale ???????????

 

They didn't really exist until about 1970 on all cars if what the lady at the insurance company told me is correct. I think GM (maybe Ford too?) had been using them before it became law.

 

That's really odd, They are for the glove box and firewall, How cant they be vin tags ? When I got my first every F1 titled the gal at the S.O.S used the the 9 letter Engine No as the vin tag number on my title.

 

After 25 years on the job, and about 400+ VIN# verifications for New YorK State DMV I'd say she is Clueless!

 

This is according to Wiki:

VINs were first used in 1954. From 1954 to 1981, there was no accepted standard for these numbers, so different manufacturers used different formats.

In 1981, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the United States standardized the format. It required all over-the-road-vehicles sold to contain a 17-character VIN, which does not include the letters I (i), O (o), or Q (q) (to avoid confusion with numerals 1 and 0).

 

It's a matter of semantics; the are Data and ratings plates with the vehicle Serial Number on them. Back then that's all there was. After '81 all cars came with VIN's that conformed to a standard. Same difference. Just don't call them VIN tags, they are Ratings and Data plates.

 

Cody, I'm sorry but that little gal is really clueless, first off there was no such thing as a VIN before 1951 and the nationally recognized VIN program didn't exist until 1981. Prior to 1948 Ford had the SERIAL number on the engine, but starting in 1948 (trucks) Ford stopped putting the SERIAL number on the engine and stamped it instead on the frame.
Why the dealer would have those Data and Patent plates loose, I can't explain, but it is my understanding that it was not normal. The only thing that I can think is possibly the trucks were fleet and arrive primed and left loose to be attached after painting and never were painted, or possibly they were delivered without glove box doors. When I was a kid my brother had a '46 Ford pick up, it came new without a door on the glove box.

 

Thanks Joe, I stand corrected, it was 54 not 51.

 

Joe, Let me ask should the Eng # number on the date plate match the number on the frame ?. Iv'e seen where there where numbers stamped into the firewall of the 48/50 Ford pickup's

I'm just trying to think, If the frame number and date number are not the same then I need to look for the frame number and get a new title in my name for my F1, I just looked at my title for this truck ( vin number as it reads on my title) is the same number as the eng # on the data plate

 

Joe, I don't think the serial number was stamped on the engine after the Model A. I know in the late '30s thru the '40s it was on the frame not the engine. Before '48 it was stamped on drivers side frame top next to the steering gearbox, some years it was also stamped on the drivers side top by the rear axle.
Mark

 

Mark, I'm pretty sure in the mid 40's before 48 it was stamped on the bellhousing

 

Bell housings on Fords were stamped with a Serial Number until '48. The theory was, engines get replaced pretty frequently (back then), but the BH doesn't. (Damn you type fast, Joe!)

 

Joe, You are correct it was also stamped on the transmission half bell prior to '48, but it was stamped on the frame as well. Some years, prior to '48, the frame was stamped in two places as I mentioned.
Mark

 

Cody. if the Number on the data plate does not match the number on the frame, the data plate does not belong to that vehicle.
I just went through this with a guy on the 48,49,50 F-1 F8 Facebook page, he has a buddy in Phoenox selling a truck on CL that he bought at an auction. He has it listed as a 48 F6, the frame and doghouse is a 48-50 F-8 and the cab, data plate and title are for a 51 F1