Trying to pick up a truck for the wife from a coworker of mine. Im told it is a 1949 and based on the vin number on the passenger side frame rail that is barely readable i have confirmed it is either a 49 or 50 based off of the 9 as the first digit. The complete number i found there is 98rc 395***. The "98rc" is barely readable due to a VERY light stamp from the factory, the sequence numbers themselves arent too bad.

Based on the research ive done there should be a tag on the passenger side firewall and in the glovebox. Of course both of these are missing. Ive also found that some trucks have it stamped in middle of firewall on drivers side right above the seam/ridge in the firewall. No such luck with this one, i have stripped the paint back and even wire wheeled the area and there is nothing. I did find a set of numbers about a half inch or so tall a few inches below the cowl which read "SSPE 644330 290" the 0 after the 33 is kind of a guess as with the 0 after the 29. I can post a pic if someone can make it out better.

So heres my problem...title has been lost so im going to have to take it to state patrol if i buy the truck and they will check, confirm, and match vin # to frame and body. With both of the screwed on vin tags missing on the cab i dont think they will let it pass unless i can find another location of the vin # on the body for them to verify. Being a chevy guy im used to multiple locations of vin #'s stamped in the body and frame but am not having any luck finding anything else so far in my research.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

Edit:appears off of the sequence number it is a 1950 model not a 1949, can you guys confirm this for me?

 

The numbers on the frame are the only ones that matter. If the seller was the last to register the vehicle, and has an old registration slip or plate number, they should have no problem getting a duplicate title. Good luck!

 

Thats the problem he doesnt. He got the truck from the death of one of his family members and there wasnt any paperwork that could be found at that time. I know i know sounds fishy but i really dont think it is knowing him as well as i do and knowing how many old rat rods, old pickups, etc the cousin had collected(hoarder) over time before his death.

State of wa is a pita when it comes to missing titles. Ive been down this road with 3 wheelers and a 72 chevy c10 before. Will have to go to state patrol and they verify vin # on frame and body match each other, run the vin # through their database, if everything matches and vin # is clean you get a "ownership in doubt" registration only for 3yrs. At the end of the 3yrs if nobody else has flagged the vin for being stolen etc you get a replacement title. Of course they make atleast a few hundred $ off of this process.

That is the issue that has me held up on the sale currently, the obvious vin #'s on the body itself(firewall and glovebox) are missing so i need to know if there are any other locations of the vin stamped in the body.

 

According to the serial number you posted it would be an early 1950. I would recheck the firewall markings the SP would be Twin City/ St Paul assembly plant. The S before that would be the paint code S= special (fleet?) If instead it is a 5 that would be Sheridan Blue.
Are there any numbers between the E and the 6? The E would be May (build month) followed by the day.

 

To answer your last question: No, the serial number is not stamped anywhere else on a 49/50 model. The frame rail and the missing tags are it.

 

Might be a 1 between the e and the 6.

Definetely a S not a 5. Was there a dedicated fleet color like white or how did that work? It is blue currently but that really doesnt mean anything 60yrs later lol.

 

Thats what i was afraid of

 

SS = Truck was painted a non standard color, and it could have been any color, there were no specifics as the color depended on what the original purchaser requested.

It could have been, for examples: Bell Telephone Green or Coca-Cola Red. Dark Blue was used by both American Airways and the USAF

 

I have a 1948 F1, no plate on the glove box.
The stamp on the frame says 7RC-54**
And thats it. Can anyone help me decode it?

 

That makes no sense, if it's a 48 it should start with 8 such as 88R for V8 or 87H for 6 cylinder. The C indicates 1/2 ton F1

 

Can you see it?

 

I Dont kbow what the PP stands for either?

 

That's not the correct stamping.

The serial number is stamped on the top of the PS frame rail on the 48 - 50 models. Look between the radiator and block. The stampings are not very deep and can be destroyed with aggressive abrasives. Best method is to use a scotch pad or steel wool and water.

 

That is NOT a serial number, it is the part number for the spring shackle that you are looking at. The serial number is actually on the frame itself.

 

That is NOT a serial number, it is the part number for the spring shackle that you are looking at. The serial number is actually on the frame itself.[/QUOTE]


So its on the passenger side?