Does anyone out there have any knowledge concerning 50's Mopars VIN's? I am trying to figure out and decode my VIN. The car is a 1950 Dodge WAYFARER BUSINESS COUPE D-33 VIN 'T53820529' According to Chrysler records the VIN's for 1950 D-33 are Plant Serial Number Detroit 37060001 - 37129622 San Leandro 48004001 - 48007069 Los Angeles 48502001 - 48504748 The closest to the VIN would be a 1953 D53-3 Royal Detroit 38525001 - 38534205 if I juggled the numbers a bit. Anyone have any ideas as to what the 'T' in the VIN represents or why the serial is out of sequence? The VIN is the original to the car, it has the same dimensions and rivets that a 1950 would have. I have a 1950 Wayfarer Convertible and both VIN tags are identical down to the last detail.
Not sure when they changed, but the 48-50-51 Plymouths I've owned had 1) serial #, on an oval plate screwed to driver door post. 2) Body #, plate on firewall. 3) Engine serial # on block. In some states, engine number was used as VIN. My current 1950 3 window business coupe, titled first in California then transfered to Texas, uses the "serial #" as VIN. Does your title match any of the numbers you have?
Yeah my title that I have matches the driver door vin tag, the firewall tag was long gone when I got the car and the original flatty was gone to. From what I can tell the Detroit plant cars all serials began with a '3********' and the California plants cars all began with a '4********', I have come up with two possible conclusions both long shots in the dark. First is that the car was stolen/ recovered and a new VIN was givin to the car by the issuing state or possibly the car was an executives car or test car that was serialized to begin with 'T5********'. I am doing a title search in NC but that takes awhile to get done.
picture colors can be off, but is that tag painted over? If yes, I'd clean it off to see if it looks real.. The number stampings raise a flag with me. They look "odd". But, if it was mine, and if it was painted over, I'd clean it first. Oven cleaner on a rag, or maybe a bit of laquer thinner to see if it will clean.
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