1936 Oldsmobile VIN

[Guest KevinF]

Good afternoon,

I recently purchased a 1936 Oldsmobile Sudan 4door. It has a plate on the drivers side firewall which indicates 

Olds Motor Works

Lansing Mich.

Style No. 36-3619

Body No. 39778

Trim No. 4

Paint No. 106

Body by Fisher

is any of the above the VIN No?

[Guest]

No, none of these are the serial number.  " VIN" numbers did not appear for several decades.  At this time the serial number was simply the number of the  vehicle as it came off the assembly line.  She style number tells you that you have a six cylinder 1936 Oldsmobile four door sedan. (Chevs were 10's, Pontiacs were 20's, Buicks were 40's, 50's and 60's)  I am not certain on Oldsmobile but there should be a long narrow plate with a number stamped on it.  Perhaps on the firewall or on the "A" pillar.

Also at this time many States registered cars by the engine number not by the serial number.

[1939_Buick]

As above VIN numbers as know today did not exist until the 1950's.

Buicks of that era had a stamped engine serial number and a chassis/frame number on a plate riveted to frame. Location of that plate varied from year to year. As a guess Old's were the same

Body No. 39778 is a unique number. Others are a code system, as above