Well the body shop lost the vin/data plate that goes on the glove box door. What do I do if I don't have one??

Thanks, Mike

 

Mid Fifty sells this plate for $125.00 dollars. They require a copy of proof of ownership.
I would try to get the body shop to pay for it.

 

I got my plate from A.G.Backeast I think it was about $75 They are at www.datatags.com 860-877-4440 picture in my gallery.

 

Thanks,
Is this somthing that must be on the truck before I can get an state inspection?

 

Mike,
When I had my '56 inspected for the first time, the guy asked me where the VIN was. I showed him the data tag on the "A" pillar and he was happy. The VIN is also stamped on the frame crossmember below the radiator on my truck. I think he would have been just as happy with that also.
Not sure if your year model has the VIN in two locations or not but I would bet the inspector will want to see the VIN somewhere on the truck. You might call the inpection station you are going to use and ask what is required.
Good Luck.

 

Remember there are two styles of "Rating Plates" that go on the "Dispatch Box Cover" They switches over in September of 1951. The older plates are readily available th enew one are hard to find and expensive.

Here is a picture of the older style:



A.G. Backeast will make one (older style only) for you AND emboss it. Finding someone who does embossing is the tough part.

Here is the link to his business.

Tags Backeast, Trim Tags Backeast, Data Plates, A.G.Backeast. We make tags for AMC, Buick, Cadillac, Camaro, Chevelle, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Corvette, Dodge, DeSoto, Edsel, Ford, Frazer, La Salle, Henry J, Kaiser, Lincoln, Mercury, Mustang, Oldsmobile

This one is a duplicate and is incorrectly engraved (cut into the tag) rather than embosed (pushed up from behind - like dog tags)

Here is a picture of the newer style:



It is my understanding (as it was posted above) that mid fifties is selling these and will emboss them ONLY to OEM numbers if you provide proof of "Serial Number" I had mine made by a shop here in San Diego that makes and embosses tags for Navy ship and plane parts. So, I was able to "update" the tag with my current engine and specs info (look closely). Yes it is my understanding that these are costing $125-$150 from midfifties.

Also, as far as getting the truck inspected for licencing and title, the serial number is also stamped on your frame on the front right (passenger) side somewhere close to the shock mount - maybe slightly closer to the fire wall. That is the "Published" location. Some trucks have them on the left side next to the steering box (like mine) and Canadian Built trucks it was deliberately but on the drivers side. But Canadian Serial numbers are formatted differently

 

Thanks All,

Julie, that was very infomative. I will pass this on to the body shop, maybe they will put a little more effort into finding mine, and take better care as to not let it happen to the next guy.

Thanks again for all the help, ya'll have made the project go a lot smoothier.

Mike

 

here is the text from the MF 2009 catalog(page 36), concerning these VIN plates

"Perfect reproduction. We offer these plates stamped correctly as an exact reproduction of the original. For a stamped plate we
need copy of proof of ownership, and all the plate information. The VIN number must be correct and verified, but the engine,
trans, rear axle, etc. information can reflect your changes"

Sam

 

Thanks for the update Sam - quite true.

Perhaps I didn't go into enough detail, or assumed this would be noticed. But on the 1950 plate, the top one I pictured above, the engine number is the serial number, and and there are no other numbers on that plate other than the model number - 8RC, etc and GVW rating.

The plate with the transmission, rear axel ratio, color code, HP wheel base, etc. is the late 51 and on plate - which is not applicable to his truck. I added that for general discussion and your correction to what I said is right.

However he does not need teh $125 plate. The one he needs is about $25, Backeast has those and will emboss them (where he does not do the newer ones), and it's alot cheaper than th elater tag and the $125 process. I paid $60 for two of the newer tags by the way with no certification garbage and I added my own updated info.

 

I found them on ebay a while back. Blank ones $24.99

 

I have ran into the same problem. Thanks for sharing your experiences as it has guided me to solve mine.

Thanks

 

Blank tags are easy to come by, what's difficult is the stamping. Even if you have the correct size of the reverse lettering stamps, getting the spacing and alignment correct is a challenge to say the least. Whatever they charge for a stamped data plate is money well spent.

Julie - I have had work done by a shop down in National City...looks like your tag could be some of his work. It would be nice to have a local source to keep in the "rolodex".

 

HI Charlie,

This guy was up in Kearnry Mesa. I'll see if I can find his card. He was pretty slow to get these done - took about 4 months. The tags are "embossed" which means they are stamped from behind. He had to make the tags on a larger plate because his "machine" would not handle the stock size, then he had to cut it down. He reproed the tags themselves from a blank I bought from Chucks Trucks.

He showed me the "error blanks" and to get two good ones, he had to play with them and ususally there were about 8 to 10 throw aways. One other thing, he doesn't have asterisks. I don't know if you noticed that.