Hey Guys We just acquired a 1940 Ford, from my Father-in-Law. It was ***led, registered and insured in NJ. We moved to NC and we had to have the State Police come and inspect it. I didn't know where the vin number so they couldn't ***le it. I have now found the vin, thanks to you guys. BUT the vin on the frame and the ***le don't match. The vin on the frame is 1854***47 and the ***le is the same but has the letter "Z" after the 47. Does the Z mean anything? It is on the NJ ***le, reg and ins. I'm afraid I'm going to have a problem with the police inspector. Any ideas? Thanks Ed
There were apparently some specials, cars with 239's...they would have 99 prefix and a fairly low number in the 99 sequence. The V8 club magazine once did a write-up on a '41 wagon with 99 engine and number, and full paperwork back to original sale...and this was a normal civilian car sold to a customer who probably just told the dealer the wallet wasn't coming out til he got what he wanted. Whatever they did, it was on a pretty small scale. Trucks with 239's also had serials from 99 sequence. # of digits in a serial is of course just the result of production number of that engine family since day one...there was a car with serial 18-1 and one with 99-1 and the numbers just ran from there until production ended. I'm pretty sure the British (who were ***igned blocks of numbers from US sequence even though they manufactured 221's on their own were stamping 18 serials up into mid 1950's...
Most DMV's will not accept the number from the transmission case as it was common to change transmissions. If the number by the steering isn't visible most DMV's will have you pull the body off to see the number on the frame under the body. Charlie Stephens
The Jalopy Journal
