Customs Serial number (VIN) location on a '64 Cadillac...

I'm driving over to St. Louis tomorrow to buy this Coupe de Ville and wanted to see what you guys thought of the serial number being located on this plastic piece which is attached by two Phillips screws. Is this the way it came from the factory? I've heard some people say that it needed to be on a piece of metal and riveted onto the body. Does anyone have a '60s Caddy with the serial number on a plastic piece like this? I'm not even sure where it's located on the car but the seller emailed it to me last night as well as a pic of the ***le with this same number on it. Thanks in advance....

 

It would only let me attach one pic so here's what the car looks like....

 

GM was pretty good about spot welding the stainless steel serial number plate to the driver door hinge pillar during the 50s-60s.

 

Here is one I found on a search:
It is also stamped into the top of a front frame horn

 

There were alot of variations on how the manufacturers placed the vin tag on vehicles prior to 1969. Maybe '68? Anyway, the only sure way to verify the vin is to find the stamping on the frame.

 

My '67 is the same, on the driver's side b-pillar down low. The DMV didn't like it, but that's the way it is.

That is a sweet car, by the way.

 

My 53 Cad has the Serial number Stamped on top of the right side frame rail directly behind the upper control arm. also on the engine block just below the head

 

Those plastic plates appear to me to be not the 'official' serial number plates, but plates for the convenience of dealer service departments. Note the "serviced at" and "date" fields, which can be updated at every service. The ID number is also for the convenience of the service facility. It would surprise me completely if there is not another metal plate, more permanently attached than by screws, that can be found with additional searching.

Ray

 

Cadillac had some pretty strange ideas on serial #s. Many years have nothing attached to the body in the way of the vehicle's serial #.
Your '64 plastic tag is real and factory installed ...

 

Thanks for all the comments. I was pretty sure it was the real deal but I have never seen a plastic VIN tag before....

 

Thanks. Hopefully it runs as good as it looks....

 

Thanks for doing a search and finding that. Hopefully the 300 mile drive back (probably in the rain) will go smoothly tomorrow. It will barely fir on a UHaul trailer as shown by this pic from the seller when he was hauling a different Caddy several years ago so I'll make sure to strap it down good....

 

yep that plate is correct. I have a '61 Biarritz conv. and a '63 series 62 conv. here and both are like the ones pictured here except mine are cracked at the screws and really yellow from age.

 

If you plan on using a UHaul trailer, DO NOT tell them you are putting that huge Cadillac on it --> they could deny you the rental. Tell them you are hauling a Camaro or something small.

 

also when renting a uhaul trailer, the tow vehicle needs to outweigh the towed vehicle otherwise they can still deny you rental. the towing vehicle should be heavier anyways than the towed vehicle for safety.

 

Thanks for the tip. I already told them it was a Ford Focus....

 

^^ Perfect ^^. Good luck and be safe. Your car looks awesome!!
My nephew had a 1963 Coupe de Ville a number of years back and a friend currently has a 1964 Coupe de Ville.

 

My 63 series 62 sedan Deville had the same plastic tag with Phillips screws

 

Thanks. I have another question. I just put 1000 pounds of railroad ties (cut into 3 pieces each) in the back for extra weight to make the truck heavier because isn't the tow vehicle supposed to weigh more than the vehicle being towed? My truck is an extended cab with an 8 foot bed and it also has the max tow package and heavy duty payload package so should I leave them in or take them out. The Caddy weighs 4700 pounds btw....

 

Towing doesn't work like that. You will be OK without the RR ties. What is the tow rating on the truck? As long as you are within or close to your truck's tow rating, it will be fine.

 

I think it's 11,000 pounds but I'm not sure. It's a 2012 F150 extended cab with 8 foot bed and the HD payload package and max tow package and the Ecoboost 6 cylinder engine with twin turbos which is rated at 365 hp. How much does the trailer weigh? The Caddy is 4700 pounds. Thanks....

 

You will be good w/o the RR ties. The Uhaul trailer weighs 2200lbs --> https://www.uhaul.com/Trailers/Auto-Transport-Rental/AT/

 

Two things.....

First: my earlier post 're the 'VIN tag' was NOT to say it wasn't factory installed...I believe it was....I just doubted it was the only tag with the vehicle serial number....

Second: please follow the recommendations to remove the railroad tie ballast. With the truck you have, equipped as it is, that is totally unnecessary and counter-productive.

Bonus tip: while you have CYA'd yourself on the Caddy with Uhaul, be aware they have two different capacity car hauling trailers. By telling them you are hauling a Focus, you may very well be issued the lighter duty trailer. I would strongly recommend you make it a point to get the heavier capacity trailer for your 'Focus'.

Ray

 

They only had one trailer there and in the paperwork it said the capacity was 4450 pounds which is only 250 pounds less than the weight of the car so that shouldn't be a problem. Also, the wheelbase of a '64 Coupe de Ville is 129.5" and the loading area of the trailer is 148" so I should have a little more room than the Caddy in the pic in post #12, shouldn't I?

I'm going out now to remove the railroad ties from the truck. Thanks for the comments....

 

No, it will be the same as the Cadillac loaded on the trailer you posted in the picture above. The wheelbase is measure from the CENTER of each wheel.

 

The gross weight rating (GVWR) of the trailer is important to know. If the trailer weighs 2200 lbs and the caddy weighs 4700 lbs, that is 6900 lbs. the trailer would need to have a GVWR capacity in excess of that.......For instance 7000 lbs, which is a common tandem axle trailer rating. (Two axles @ 3500 lbs each).

Though I have had my own trailers for about 20 years, I nonetheless have had two occasions to rent Uhaul units in recent years. I know they have two weight capacity units in their fleet and likewise two deck lengths. What I don't recall is the specifics of each. But for the Caddy, you will want/need the larger of the two. Most communities of any size have more than one Uhaul franchisee. If yours doesn't have the trailer you need, perhaps he can get it from another Uhaul dealer. Or, you can go to a dealer that does have it.

One other thing. The trailers do not come with spare tire/wheel units. If you have a flat, you call and they dispatch a service truck with a spare. That can take awhile. I have taken my own....along with a jack and lug wrench. 5 x 4 1/2" bolt pattern is the Uhaul standard.....if you are renting the trailer for 'round trip', perhaps your Uhaul dealer will provide you with a spare tire ***embly. It's worth asking about it.

Ray

 

Plastic tag in door jam are just oil change reminders


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Thanks for the tips, Ray, but I already have the trailer in my driveway and am leaving around 6 AM so I'm going to take this one and hope for the best. Since I have a heavier than normal F150 with the max tow package it should be able to handle 6900 pounds with no problem (I hope). I'll post an update here tomorrow night with a pic or two of the Caddy. Here's one of the original seats which will hopefully look better after a good cleaning....

 

Quite a bit of information in this thread. Some is good, some is bad, and quite a bit is missing.

As a former U-Haul franchise, I can tell you that the trailers are NOT always ready and safe. Please check the tire pressure and lights before leaving the U-Haul dealer. But I guess it is too late for that already.

The plastic tag is for the service department at the dealership. Typically used for an oil change reminder. This was previously mentioned and is accurate information.

That tag will NOT suffice for vehicle identification. Due to the fact that it is simply attached with screws and could easily be switched for another tag.

There are factory stamped serial numbers on your car. You will find quite a bit of information with a simple Google search. I found this: https://6364cadillac.ning.com/profiles/blogs/bodystyles

It is imperative that you always ask the seller to verify that the serial number on the car matches the VIN on the ***le...BEFORE you decide to make the trip and/or send money.

I have had to walk away from quite a few purchases because they DID NOT match. It is a real challenge to fix a VIN problem once you have purchased the vehicle. Often, it cannot be done.

I use Google many times every day. Truthfully, my business would not succeed without it. Arm yourself with information before you make a decision!

 

Thanks for the info. I ended up not making the drive to St. Louis due to weather concerns, a**** other things. It was raining here in the Louisville area and the forecast for St. Louis called for rain also so I emailed the seller at 4 AM, went back to bed, and returned the trailer later this morning. I would feel better about the car if it had a metal VIN tag riveted somewhere so we'll see what happens down the road with it....