1940 Vehicle Serial Number

[Rusty Heaps]

Where is the vehicle identification number located on a 1940 Packard 120 series? Also the engine number? I believe that the car was last titled using the engine number. The car is a basket case and the door handles have been removed making it difficult to open the doors. As of yet I have not opened them. I have already had the vehicle titled in my name, but may need to have it corrected if not VIN.

[K8096]

Open up the drivers side hood.  The serial # plate should be on top of the firewall.   It’s a square plate made out of aluminum.   The engine # is stamped on the drivers side of the block on the side just below the head.   

[Steve_Mack_CT]

It's actually visible in your May 13 post announcing the car.  Look under driver's wiper blade.  Packard called this an "anti theft number" I believe although most states at the time still used engine # for registration purposes.  But yeah that's the number you want.

Edited August 1, 2023 by Steve_Mack_CT (see edit history)

[Rusty Heaps]

The large numbers stamped into the firewall visible in this photo? 

 

Edited August 3, 2023 by Rusty Heaps (see edit history)

[HH56]

Here is a Packard article showing numbers and locations applicable to cars from early 30s thru 1950.  Ironically, the only number that could not be removed was the large embossed number (C) but that was used only in the factory and most records that could identify a particular number to a specific car have been lost.

Edited August 5, 2023 by HH56 (see edit history)

[Rusty Heaps]

Thanks HH56, I will look the next time I’m doing something to the car. It’s not at my house, I have too many hanging around now. 

[Steve_Mack_CT]

On 8/3/2023 at 8:56 AM, Rusty Heaps said:

The large numbers stamped into the firewall visible in this photo? 

 

Yes, my experience has been this is pretty much considered the "VIN" in most states.

[Ozstatman]

If I remember correctly, 1940 was a year in which the Theft Proof Number was not stamped into the firewall of Packards.

[Rusty Heaps]

9 hours ago, Ozstatman said:

If I remember correctly, 1940 was a year in which the Theft Proof Number was not stamped into the firewall of Packards.

Are you referring to the large numbers visible in the photo under the driver side wiper blade?

[Owen_Dyneto]

It is not entirely correct to say that the Theft Proof or Body Serial Numbers (the embossed 6-digit number between the triangular brackets) were not stamped into the firewall in 1940; more properly they were not stamped for the first approximately first third of production but then resumed again as in the past at that point.   This number is NOT the vehicle number, that number is stamped on the patent plate ("B" in the excerpt above).

[West Peterson]

On 8/6/2023 at 8:23 AM, Steve_Mack_CT said:

Yes, my experience has been this is pretty much considered the "VIN" in most states.

 

NOOOOOO... those are the theft numbers. Practically meaningless. The Vehicle Number plate is on the top side of the driver's side firewall, as explained in the images above.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

West thank you and Dave for the correction.  Apologies to @Rusty Heaps for confusion.  

 

I just ran downstairs and I see my car is actually registered via the vin # on the tag.  Having previously been registered here, no VIN verification required.  That said, I am 99% certain my out of state 39 Packard had been registered by the anti theft # but that car has been gone for over a decade.  (That doesn't make it correct, just how it may have been handled here - still easier than getting an earlier car with no "vin" registered...)

 

Anyway, the other Easter Egg on the "B"  tag is selling dealer which is a fun fact, I think it's on most of them.

Edited August 8, 2023 by Steve_Mack_CT (see edit history)

[Rusty Heaps]

Aha, the data plate above the heavily stamped numbers on the firewall.