1940 Ford Vin numbers

3

392 Hemi

Member
I was wondering if the vin numbers that are stamped on the 40 Ford frame rails indicate what type of vehicle it is (coupe, 2dr sedan,4dr sedan).

Thanks
 
I don't think so,,,,but the gussets on the side of the frame will tell you if its a pickup or passenger car...if they are missing it's a pick-up
 
Ford's vin numbers (at least up to 1948 that I know of)offer no clue as to what body style it was.At least pass cars I think.Others will chime in I am sure.
 
frame numbers indicate year of manufacture, i believe....if there's a plate on the firewall, that might indicate body style.....Mike
 
As has been stated, P/U and convt frames are different; coupe,tudor and 4 drs are all the same. i don't know about Sta.wagon.
 
Those numbers are sequential serial numbers within a model (No.) run. They have no significance as to the identification of the car. The numbers were assigned as the engine/ transmission assy was produced in the Rouge engine plant. Those assemblies were shipped out to the various assembly plants around the country. At the point where the engine/transmission was mated to a chassis on the final assembly line that number was read and stamped into the frame. The only piece of info you can glean from a Ford serial number is an approximate date of assembly-and that's only because records exist as to start and finish of a model run.
 
i am wondering if the 40 ford convertibles Vin number differs from the passenger car vins... can anyone help me thanks tommy
 
Dale Fairfax said:
Those numbers are sequential serial numbers within a model (No.) run. They have no significance as to the identification of the car. The numbers were assigned as the engine/ transmission assy was produced in the Rouge engine plant. Those assemblies were shipped out to the various assembly plants around the country. At the point where the engine/transmission was mated to a chassis on the final assembly line that number was read and stamped into the frame. The only piece of info you can glean from a Ford serial number is an approximate date of assembly-and that's only because records exist as to start and finish of a model run.
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They DO NOT differ with regard to a convertible. READ and UNDERSTAND very carefully what Dale has written directly ABOVE. Engine / transmission ASSEMBLIES were stamped with sequential numbers when manufactured. When ANY engine was subsequently installed in ANY chassis, that assembly's number was stamped on the car's chassis. DD
 
joel said:
As has been stated, P/U and convt frames are different; coupe,tudor and 4 drs are all the same. i don't know about Sta.wagon.
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The only difference between a pickup frame and passenger car frame is the absence of the "outriggers" on the PU frame. Other than that, they are identical to one another.

add Feb. 26: I have been informed that the pickup frame is also a heavier gauge. Not being anything close to an expert on the PU's I will have to defer to Larry... He knows his stuff when it comes to the trucks. i keep learning...
 
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kusdomh said:
i am wondering if the 40 ford convertibles Vin number differs from the passenger car vins... can anyone help me thanks tommy
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Nope. However, there was a body number plate on the firewall that indicated the sequential order when the body was built.
 
Mike:
The pickup, convertible and wagon frame has a heavier gauge central x member than the other closed body passenger cars. You can tell this easily by looking at the two cone shaped holes for the anti-chatter rods. On the thinner closed car frames these holes use an added doubler plate and on the heavier frames these holes are only a single thickness.............Larry
 
40larry said:
Mike:
The pickup, convertible and wagon frame has a heavier gauge central x member than the other closed body passenger cars. You can tell this easily by looking at the two cone shaped holes for the anti-chatter rods. On the thinner closed car frames these holes use an added doubler plate and on the heavier frames these holes are only a single thickness.............Larry
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Larry, I should have been more definitive in my previous post. I do agree with you that the convertible and wagon frames are heavier gauge through the "X" member. I think of that as part of the side rail.
The welded "pad" at the anti-chatter rod attaching point was welded to all frames beginning in mid 1939.
My personal experience has borne this out on numerous convertible frames. As you know, I am just recently getting my feet wet on the pick up trucks.
The wagons I have played with also had those pads welded in place. The only exception I've encountered was a very early 39 wagon.... VERY early.
 
Kube said:
Nope. However, there was a body number plate on the firewall that indicated the sequential order when the body was built.
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I've never seen a body number plate with a sequential number on any 40 firewall I've looked at.The only plate that I've seen has patent numbers only.
 
I do know that on 1939 models, convertibles and pickups have about 3 circular cut-outs along each side of the rear diagonal chassis sections.
Passenger vehicle chassis do not have this feature.
 
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