1950 Buick Estate Wagon VIN / ID Number

[50BuickWagon]

I recently picked up a 1950 Buick Super Estate Wagon. When looking at the VIN/ID number my plate has a couple letter mixed in with the numbers, specifically " I "s. When I looked at a couple of Buick Books they never mention the VIN/ID could include letters. I was wondering if the numbering was different for the Estate Wagons. Maybe the " I "'s have something to do with the body being build by Ionia? I am new at this and would appreciate any help.

Thanks

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear Wagon:

Those aren't "I"s, they're "1"s. Don't feel bad, Buick's printing on plates has confused every new owner for years.

If you post the numbers from that frame number plate, the body data plate, and the engine number, I'll be glad to decode them for you.

Regards, Dave Corbin

[50BuickWagon]

Dave,

Thanks for the reply. The number starts with a 1 and then later on in the number are 2 different " I "s. The number 1 looks like what you see in this sentence. The other 2 are a straight vertical line with a short straight horizontal line at the top and bottom of it. There is no question that it is stamped as an " I " versus the 1 at the beginning. Did they use different stamps to make the 1's?

Here are the numbers:

Vin 1584I2I5

Engine # 60472776 (an F-263)

Body Tag: MOD 59 Body # 1367 Trim # 87 Paint # 07 Ionia Body

Thanks so much for your direction.

Rhet

[50BuickWagon]

Dave,

One additional thought I had today as I looked at the VIN number and considered what you said about the Numbers being printed unusual. If the " I "'s with the short vertical line at the top and bottom are the number one, then is there a chance that the " 1 " printed like this but without the short vertical line at the bottom could be the way they printed a " 7 ". I notice in the Standard Catalog of Buick that they show an ID Number range starting with 75397001 - 76011309 for cars made in Farmington Mass. I know the original owner was C. Markland Kelly Jr., owner of Kelly Buick in Mass. If this was the case then my ID number would be 75841215.

Thanks Rhet

If you are willing to share any information and want to talk by phone I am at 480-759-3374, or you could send me a phone number and I will contact you. Thanks again for all you help. You are teaching a new"be" to the Buick world.

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear Rhet:

OK, pretty straightforward as follows:

VIN decodes as follows: 1 indicates a car built at Flint and 5,841,215 is the actual frame number, which Buick factory records would indicate was built very late in September 1950.

Engine decodes as follows: Engine number 6,047,277 was probably built in early September 1950, and installed about 2 weeks later. You give the last digit as 6 which is for a Century and would be a 320 engine. Check closely and you should find it's actually a 5, which would be for a Super and would be a 263 as you note.

Paint code 07 is for a car painted Royal Maroon.

I don't show that trim number 87 was used for 1950. Trim 57 is for Tan Leather and would be a common trim for a station wagon Model 59.

For further information, Buick built 2470 Model 59's for USA use and exported 10 more, so they weren't common when they were new and are quite rare today.

If you haven't joined the Buick Club of America, consider this an Invitation. I'm aware of a car like yours being restored by a BCA member now.

I hope this helps.

Regards, Dave Corbin, South Central Regional Director, Buick Club of America

[50BuickWagon]

Dave,

Thank you so much for the information. You are correct that the engine number does end in a 5, so it sounds like it this the correct engine. I am dealing with the Dept of Motor Vehicles on this VIN number issue. Any suggestions on documentation that can tell them that the " 1" used at the beginning is a 1 and that the two " I "'s are also "ones", even though they are punched out to look like " I "'s. I can tell that it is going to take some convincing to get this thing done right. It is interesting that it was registered correctly previously in California.

Thanks for the invite to join the Buick Club. I will do that so online today. Do you know if there is a local chapter in the Phoenix area? I ran into a dead-end searching online.

I would like to talk to the guy restoring 50 Estate Wagon if he is interested. Feel free to pass along my email rhetandrews@cox.net or my phone 480-759-3374 . I really appreciate your willingness to help out.

Rhet

[50BuickWagon]

Dave,

In addition the Body Trim number is 87. The interior is a Maroon Leather and Maroon carpet, the dash is a 2-tone greyish color. It was purchased by the Dealer for his wife. Could he had ordered a special trim?

Rhet

[Guest imported_Thriller]

Rhet,

Welcome aboard...good luck with your car. I don't know Arizona geography, but there are 2 chapters located in AZ according to BCA Chapters and Regions page - one is based in Tucson, the other in Peoria.

I've been a BCA member for about 5.5 years and I'm really enjoying it, not to mention learning a lot as there isn't sufficient Buick expertise in my own local area to help me out too much.

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear Rhet:

One of the things that makes working with Buicks so interesting is the answer to special orders. The basic answer is yes and there are numerous Buicks in existence that prove this. However, that goes to my point in my PM to you about documentation being literally worth its weight in gold. BCA rules would require you to provide documentation of a special order car if you have it judged.

I tend to think the answer is a bit more ordinary, that is that my trim table isn't complete and may not cover a car built by Ionia Body. They may have had their own trim codes, as who does the interior and what it cost would not be the same as a car built at Buick.

Regards Dave Corbin

[sean1997]

I know this is an old thread and that Dave is no longer with us, but there is another 1950 Super Estate Wagon on ebay with trim code 87:

Buick : Other Wood in Buick | eBay Motors

Serial number = 15967802

Body number = 2284

Trim code = 87

Paint code = 07

Attached are some pictures.

[billbuickgs]

Dave,

One additional thought I had today as I looked at the VIN number and considered what you said about the Numbers being printed unusual. If the " I "'s with the short vertical line at the top and bottom are the number one, then is there a chance that the " 1 " printed like this but without the short vertical line at the bottom could be the way they printed a " 7 ". I notice in the Standard Catalog of Buick that they show an ID Number range starting with 75397001 - 76011309 for cars made in Farmington Mass. I know the original owner was C. Markland Kelly Jr., owner of Kelly Buick in Mass. If this was the case then my ID number would be 75841215.

Thanks Rhet

If you are willing to share any information and want to talk by phone I am at 480-759-3374, or you could send me a phone number and I will contact you. Thanks again for all you help. You are teaching a new"be" to the Buick world.

WOW !

I just saw this post.

C markland Kelly Jr was the son of the owner of Kelly Buick Sales in Downtown Baltimore, Maryland . The foundation that owned the wagon and a 55 Black Roadmaster Conv for years was the C Markland Kelly foundation started by the father when Jr.( being a pilot ) was shot down and lost at sea. Check out the C Markland Kelly Foundation on the internet.