I bought a nice older restoration '32 Sedan a year ago this October. Car came from Texas several years prior. When I registered it I used the Texas title to get my NY registration. For those of you that are not aware NY does not have titles for pre-'74 cars. We only have transferable registrations. So I have my car registered with the VIN number from the Texas title, but when I investigated the VIN I found the VIN to be outside the range for '32 Fords. This is not uncommon as the early Flatheads had some teething issues and many cars got replacement service engines and it's also be nearly 90 years since they were new so an engine or two has been swapped for cars that are still running. I was able to get pictures this past weekend of the VIN stamped on the frame of my car. Surprise. Surprise. Surprise. They do not match. But the numbers are a little difficult to read. And it looks like an unidentifiable character is at the end of the VIN. This is teh only '32 VIN I've even seen stamped. Does anyone with more experience with these cars have any thoughts? I see 18-107672 and an additional symbol...maybe. I want to get this VIN record updated/corrected with NY. Pic below.
Couple ‘responses’ on this question I’ve found. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/32-ford-vin-number.1041779/ and Took this pic of statement on Ford Barn. Great source for info on these old cars.
For the 32 V8's the first 2 numbers are 18 then the following numbers begin with 1 and the last 32 V8 was 212,238. So your number corresponds to July 1932.
The one option I see if the serial number of the engine doesn't match is make sure everything is go to the show clean and go to the dmv and ask for an engine change update on the vin. If they ask where the old engine is = blank stare dumb look. Play totally innocent. The whole concept is that you need to change the vin because the engine with the vin on it broke and isn't available.
Beginning with the 1932 Ford vehicles, the factory did not stamp the VIN (aka serial number) onto the engine at all. It was stamped onto the transmission gearbox case….at the front top, on a flat pad just above the inspection window opening. The earliest cases for 1932 did not have the inspection window opening but the number was still stamped in the same area. The engines and transmissions were assembled in the same factory and bolted together before being sent to the various assembly plants. When the engine/transmission was to be mated up to a frame, they stamped the particular serial number into the driver’s side frame rail (usually in 3 locations). This information is well documented. The factory never put the serial number on a data tag until 1951 if I remember correctly.
Correcting a VIN discrepancy in NY isn't a big deal, but you have to be prepared. Pics and rubbing of the correct VIN and a calm truthful demeanor are key. My Father did it a few times. Unfortunately he's been gone for a few years so I can't get his advice on this.
The serial number was first stamped on the trans, and then added to the frame when it was dropped in. I’m guessing the OP’s car had the number from a later replacement trans used on the title sometime in its life. Switching it back to the frame number now would be my recommendation if it can be done in his state.
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