1953 Dodge VIN #

[red ram]

My 53 Dodge title from Iowa listed the engine number as the VIN. I looked at the two plates on the firewall and one was a body number the other just a manufactures label. the door frame had another plate with a vehicle number. none of these was the VIN number on the title(the engine number). the Oregon DMV finally!! allowed me a new title with the comment that I better never lose the engine. What is the scoop here? Anyone know?

[TG57Roadmaster]

Back then, before the modern VIN numbers, the motor number was the most-often used car ID. But not always; they also used serial numbers, basically the car's sequential production number.

A good case in point is my friend's '42 DeSoto, a car bought from the man who'd owned it since 1949. He had kept all the registration cards for the car, which was cool. But in 1954, the number (VIN, if you will) on the registrations changed, because the original engine blew and was replaced with a short block from Sears. Still virtually the same 6-cylinder DeSoto engine, but a new '54 version. And so, based on that new motor number, the VIN changed.

For your '53 Dodge, the Serial number is located on the door frame, and the Motor number (for 6-cyl.) is on the left front near top of the block. The V-8 number is found left front top of block.

If you wish, post the VIN and I'll tell you exactly where the car was made, (the plant location), as I have access to the entire ranges of both numbers. Your option.

Regards,

TG

[ply33]

Using the engine number for registration purposes was pretty standard in many states in the old days. Chrysler used the serial number off the door post for their tracking. If you lose the engine, you can find the original engine number stamped on the driver side frame rail at the rear wheel kick up. At least you can on Plymouths and I'd be surprised if that were different for Dodge.

Also, you can send off some money and your serial number to the Chrysler Historical collection and they will send you a copy of the "build card" which should show the original body and engine numbers for the car. That might be enough to allow you to convince the DMV that the car is the one even if the engine has been swapped.

[Guest rickomo1]

CHECK THIS OUT IS WAS TRUELY A HEADACHE. I also live in oregon and i bought a model a some years back. when i decided to sell i ebayed the car and it sold to a guy in Australia. Since it had a valid oregon title and the guy that bought it came to get it and ship it we went to the dmv and did a title change. Here is where it got sticky he shipped the car home but when he went to do paper work he found that the serial on the engine did not match the title

i had never looked! lucky the serial was on the frame also. Buyer beware always check the numbers, i did not since the car had a valid oregon title when i bought it which was a mistake on my part.