cant find a vin #
Marmon-Herrington Man
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,986
Likes: 446
From: Central Illinois
Welcome to the group. Glad to have you.
Sounds like you have the carry over plate that was used early in the '51 model year, but with the VIN style used on late '51s and '52s. I have a '51 that fits the same description. The glove box door plate that says engine number isn't really the engine number. The engines didn't have numbers. The later plates called it the "Serial Number", which is essentially your VIN. So, the first letters are obviously for an "F1". The "R" is for V8. The next "1" is for 1951. The "CH" is for the Chicago plant. The 27380 is the sequential number of the truck. The "F", "I", and "R" are what you already know, that it's a 1951 V8 truck. The other place you'll find the VIN is on the right/passenger side frame rail just aft of the motor mount diagonal member. Also, your truck probably also still has the firewall plate that has the same info. That plate was eliminated late in '51 and '52.
Sounds like you have the carry over plate that was used early in the '51 model year, but with the VIN style used on late '51s and '52s. I have a '51 that fits the same description. The glove box door plate that says engine number isn't really the engine number. The engines didn't have numbers. The later plates called it the "Serial Number", which is essentially your VIN. So, the first letters are obviously for an "F1". The "R" is for V8. The next "1" is for 1951. The "CH" is for the Chicago plant. The 27380 is the sequential number of the truck. The "F", "I", and "R" are what you already know, that it's a 1951 V8 truck. The other place you'll find the VIN is on the right/passenger side frame rail just aft of the motor mount diagonal member. Also, your truck probably also still has the firewall plate that has the same info. That plate was eliminated late in '51 and '52.
Post Fiend
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7,641
Likes: 21
From: Poway, Ca.
Pictures ALWAYS help. Here's a link with a couple and some additional info:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...ify-a-vin.html
Look at posts 3 and 9 for plate pics - new, old, and firewall
The ol' dog is right the serial number should be on the upper frame rail adjacent to the shock mount somewhere. That's the advertised place. But don't hesitate to look on the left frame rail as well. My 51 truck was made in Long Beach and the serial number is oddly on the drivers side. Trivia point: Canadian trucks had the serial number placed on the drivers side!
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...ify-a-vin.html
Look at posts 3 and 9 for plate pics - new, old, and firewall
The ol' dog is right the serial number should be on the upper frame rail adjacent to the shock mount somewhere. That's the advertised place. But don't hesitate to look on the left frame rail as well. My 51 truck was made in Long Beach and the serial number is oddly on the drivers side. Trivia point: Canadian trucks had the serial number placed on the drivers side!
