1922 chevy touring 490 Vin location

[Classics]

Wondering where the vin number or chassis number is located on the 1922 chevy 490.

[Vila]

First, Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) did not come out until the late 1970s or early 1980s, when a standardized system of numbering all cars came out.  Until that time it was referred to as the Serial Number and each car manufacturer used there own system for numbering cars.

 

Not sure about a 1922 CHevrolet, but I would look for a worn metal plate on the floor boards just in front of the front seat next to the left or right front door frame thresholds.  That is where the Serial Number plate is located on later 1920s and early 1930s Chevrolets.

 

For the late 20s and early 30s Chevrolets there were no numbers on the chassis and other than the Serial Number plate, a lot of cars were registered using the engine serial number, depending on the state where the car was sold.  That said, you may want to compare the engine serial number to the number on the registration documents.

 

Another issue is the year of registration.  Some states registered vehicles by the year the car was manufactured, some by the model year, and others by the year the car was first sold.  That said you could have an early 1923 Model year Chevrolet made in November or December and it could be registered as a 1922.  On the other hand you could have a 1921 Chevrolet that was not first sold until 1922 and it could be registered as a 1922.  The only way to know  for some cars is by researching the Serial Number.  Your Chevrolet 490 so it should not be confused with a a 1923 Chevrolet, which looks totally different then a 490.

 

I bought a 1964 Vespa scooter 3 or 4 years ago  that was registered using the engine number.  When I bought it I got a special Pennsylvania Department of Transportation form, had to have the local police come over to my house to verify the vehicle had been registered using the engine number and I also listed the Serial Number and sent the form in with the registration to register is using the Serial Number stamped into the body rather than the engine number.

Edited August 20, 2020 by Vila (see edit history)