ViN location needed for 1932 Chevrolet Confederate

[Alex D.]

I may be going to look at a 32 Chevrolet and want to make sure the title matches the car. Is there a body tag with serial number or stamping on the frame, or did they go by the engine serial number like other makes of that error?

 

Alex D.

[39BuickEight]

There is no telling what they used for the title.  My car used the model type, which was the same for every one of the nearly 100,000 made that year.  Some use serial numbers, some engine numbers, some titles have the incorrect year because some were issues based on year bought, not model year.

 

You need to see what number is on the title, and what part of the car it corresponds to, before we can tell you where to look.

[Alex D.]

There are projects out there that have been purchased without titles , then the seller will purchase a title from a vender of historical documents to match the year and make of that vehicle.  Just trying to avoid that scenario.

[kings32]

The vin number should be on the right floor by the front seat . Most are gone or can;t read them .If the title is for a 32 that you should have no problem .  I have a 32 sedan .Howard

[chistech]

Often, if they didn’t use the number on the sill plate as Kings 32 described, they used the engine serial number which is stamped on a machined area on the passenger side of the block to the front of the distributor. Of course, if the motor got changed, then the numbers no longer match The title.

[JV Puleo]

I think the first thing you have to determine is if there ever was a title. By no means did every state have a title law and many that do now didn't enact it until long after 1932...

[Alex D.]

1 hour ago, JV Puleo said:

I think the first thing you have to determine is if there ever was a title. By no means did every state have a title law and many that do now didn't enact it until long after 1932...

There is supposedly is a title. I just needed to know where to look to verify the numbers. 

 

Alex D.

[tcslr]

closed body types - on the right front sill

open body type - right front seat frame

commercial - on front of dash.

first one or two numbers are the factory where the vehicle was built. then two letters - BA is Confederate, ( all cars), BE - 1/2 ton truck, N with another letter is commercial trucks.

 

Howard has a beautiful special sedan. It was the feature car on the Gettysburg Founders tour.  2018?

 

Tom

[BearsFan315]

My 1929 Chevrolet Title matches the serial number on the data plate on the right passenger side front corner of seat on sill plate. the serial number 

 

then on the 1930 since the data plate was gone, due to rotted wood and rusting out, when i had it titled they sued the serial number off the engine. as Chistech state above. the serial number on the engine is in 2 locations, one out in the open on the pad next to the distributor and the other a little hidden for security/back up purposes  just in case someone ground the visible one off 😛

 

there is a body tag/plate on the firewall engine side that tells you job no and body number, and in later years color codes.

 

little blurb on older Chevrolet numbers: 1925-1939 Car Number Plates

 

view of my data plate, with teh serial number which matches the title, 9 AC ####, says N = Norwood plant, AC = 1929, then number off the line minus 1001. then the body plate 8850 = four door sedan and N 7762 mean Norwood plant and body number 7762 assembled, which matches the engraving under the short floor board at front edge of seat

 

both of these tags are reproduced !and readily available. they change from 1929-1932 each was a little different.

[Alex D.]

Thank you to all that has responded. All good information and a great help.

 

Alex d.

[Vila]

1.  They were not called Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) back in 1932, they were called serial numbers and were was no standard format like todays VIN.

2.  The serial number for a Chevrolet of this error should be on a metal plate nailed to the wood floor just inside the threshold of the right front door. Everything is most likely worn off except the stamped number.   Chevrolets had no number stamped on the frame

3.  As others have said, the car could be registered by the Serial Number or Engine Number.  Registration by the Engine number could be an issue if the engine wore out and was replaced.

4.  The other issue is the year.  Some states would register cars by Model Year, some by the year it was made and even by the year the vehicle was first sold.

     a..  You could have a car made early during the model year, which could be registered a year earlier then the model year.

     b.   Obviously registered as the correct year.

    c.    you could have a leftover car that was not sold during the model / production year and is registered as a year or so later then then model /production year.

5.  For a 1932 Chevrolet the Serial Number should start with a one or two digit  factory code followed by BA and then digits for the unique serial number.  Example 12BA123456789