1930 ford vin

i recently picked up a 1930 ford. the vin on the ***le says nc7***4cal
(the *'s are numbers)
it's previously from california so, i'm guessing thats where the cal comes from. does the rest of this seem right? i can't check the numbers on the frame until i take the body up.

 

It sounds to me like the number might be california issued to that car and not the factory vin number.At least you have a ***le and vin number...


Steve

 

most Model A's are ***led by the engine number which starts with an A.

 

could anyone give an example of a valid vin or know of a website with this kind of stuff on it? i'm guessing i'll have to lift the body, find the numbers on the frame then try to get a ***le for that number. i'd like to know what i'm looking for so i don't have to do it more than once. PA is such a pain in the ***.

 

I didn't think the Fords had VIN's until '32.

 

The reference to CAL in your VIN suggested to me that it's a re-issued number -- not an original. I have 3 Model A ***les -- and just checked them all. In each case they're a 6-digit number preceded by the letter "A". In one case, I can trace ***le history back to the original owner, so I ***ume this is how Model A VINs work.

 

The engine number was stamped on the frame - so I guess it's called a VIN, since that's what we use on our ***les here.
Anyway, 1930 numbers were 2742696 to 4237500

 

October 1927 started with one digit. They increased numerically to seven digits in February of 1929. You are right about the A... my 1930 is A374****

 

Disregard my last. I had recently looked at Van Pelt's site and it started
with '32.

Try this;
Click here: http://www.geocities.com/jim_mason_49913/numbers.html

 

so where on the frame did they stamp the engine number? just wondering

 

The frame number is stamped on the frame underneath the body, near the driver's door sill. It may or may not match the engine number. Neither was meant to be an identification number for the car, but states requiring VINs generally used one or the other for that purpose.

As others have indicated, your current VIN is not based on either factory number; it has been ***igned to that car by some state, probably California. That ***igned VIN number was probably been stamped on the frame, too; probably in some accessible spot near the engine. If so, ***uming it matches, then it is a perfectly legal ***le.

 

State ***igned numbers are generally on a little plaque reiveted on...if you have a good ***le matching the plaque, seems like you should just register it. It should be an entirely valid number and I think all states have a similar process for ***ling cars with lost paper.
My B truck has a Pennsylvania ***igned number and ***le...have not re-registered it but it is a valid state issued setup.
Original numbers not already equipped with a valid ***le can dump you into a hornet's nest due to all the mistaken earlier activity and all the thoroughly illegal modern activity...people in the past oftened ***led a derelict A by the number from a changed engine, and people now buy ***les and use them on restamped or numberless cars introducing CRAZY and often criminal problems for whoever has the actual car the numbers belong to properly. I think once the states start examining the current practices of selling ***les, a lot of stuff is going to get very hard for old car people, but right now the hardest trail might be for the legitimate car owner whose number is in use on a streetrod somewhere. The state issued number should be valid and safe.