VIN location on frame?

[ModelA29]

So my question is, can I stamp the serial number on the side of the frame where it can be seen by any DMV or highway patrol person without removing the body?

You can stamp the number anywhere or on anything you want. Technically the only place DMV or the cops should look for the serial number is on the engine. But that knowledge is not common after 90 years. If your car is stolen the stamped numbers may help get some of it back. Since 1968 the Feds have required the VIN to show up in more places and on major components to cut down on theft. The use a hand held device that stamps the numbers like a dot matrix printer. Some cars even get VIN stickers on body parts.

 

[Gary WA]

I lifted the body on my 30 Town Sedan to take the front fenders off for painting. While there I verified the serial number on the frame and took a photo. I have the original engine in my shop with the same serial number. Both numbers are the same as the paperwork. I stamped the same number on the Burtz block when I installed that. I used the original stamps.

So my question is, can I stamp the serial number on the side of the frame where it can be seen by any DMV or highway patrol person without removing the body?

Yes just do it!!!

 

[rotorwrench]

We don't see many Canadian model A cars in Texas but I'm sure a few have migrated this direction. Canada has always had their own way of doing things since they manufactured most all the chassis parts. If they purchased bare frames from the Rouge then they would not be stamped yet. Canadian serial sequence started CA in 1928 but then changed to a three letter prefix for 29 that changed after a certain production number through out the model A production. I've read in several different places that some assembly plants did stamp the frames but not all.

 

[ModelA29]

Thought I would add our Tudor "tag". It was added to the LF frame rail just ahead of the firewall. It does not match the engine and I have no clue if it matches the number on the frame - or even if there is a number on the frame.
It does match the title and that's all that matters.

 

[German guy]

The VIN # on my 1930 Tudor is stamped inside the right front wheel well. An extremely diligent inspector found it for me. I had told her that it could be anywhere on the body including needing to take it apart to locate. She did not seem to buy that thought but was kind and passed the car. Leaving the car on the lift I went into the office to pay and she came in after a few minutes and led me out to show me where it is. Yup.....matched the registration doc.

 

[TH40A]

On my (November) 1928 roadster, (ex-California), the number was in the usual place under the left-hand cowl, but also on the top of the chassis right-hand rail, just ahead of the body. It looks to be an original stamping.

 

[Brad in Germany]

I found the serial number stamped on the right side of the front cross member of my 1929. I suspect that it was added sometime later in its history, but it matches the engine number and the serial number stamped on the original firewall data plate (as was required on all Model A's assembled in France):

Brad in Maryland



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[gdmn852]

Hello,a friend of mine had a1939 Lincoln Zephyr brought in from NewYork to Pennsylvania and couldn’t find an engine number, so Pennsylvania issued a vin for it to be attached to the firewall. Later he found out the engine number was stamped on bell housing like the V8 Fords . The Model A I currently own now has one of the firewall tags some one made up , wasn’t questioned when registered, also had title corrected to roadster rather than convertible.Pennsylvania only seems concerned about numbers when brought in from out of state.

 

[Omar Morales]

Good information! Thank you for sharing. My engine does not have a number and now I know where to look.

 

[Randy in ca]

Here's an enlargement of a document from the Benson Center showing the location of where the engine number was to be stamped on the US frames - adjacent to the brake rod bracket, as was shown in the picture posted early in this thread. The original Benson image was pretty blurry when blown up, so I did a little editing to make things more visible and added a new box copying and enlarging the small blurry instructions.

-

 

[Gene F]

I have a streetrod that has an assigned number in the state I bought it. I made the previous owner secure a VIN before I would accept the car. My state recognizes this VIN without even a question.

FYI, my car was built in 1936, and the MFR affixed a painted VIN tag to the passenger side A-pillar. As you can imagine, that was long gone.

If I had my way we would have all states and provinces assign proper VINs to the frames now, so we can stop all this nonsense.

 

[German guy]

For the first time ever an inspector for bi-annual registration (TÜV) asked me where she could locate the serial number on my 30 Tudor . I told her that it was probably buried somewhere that would take disassembly. She reluctantly agreed to stamp the form anyway and I went into the office to pay. She called me back out to the shop area after a few minutes and showed me that it is stamped inside of the right front wheel well at the frame. She was Polish and said that she looked it up on a Polish website that listed several possible locations for a 30 A. Go FIGURE!!!!!

 

[Bruce of MN]

The Virginia title for my coupe showed the engine number as the serial number. Since I replaced the old cracked block with another good one, I wanted to get the title updated to have the documentation in order. I inquired at my local DMV and was given a form. I sent that in with a check and a little over 2 months later, an agent from the DMV called and said he would be in my area the next day. He looked at the engine number in the car and at the old cracked block that I had saved for this purpose. He said the serial number on the title would stay the same and he would have the new engine number noted on the updated title. He said he could come back and install a number plate on the firewall or door jamb or I could make one and install it or I could do nothing. I decided to get an official VA DMV plate. I was surprised by the casualness of the verification, I have to say.

 

[Brad in Germany]

For the first time ever an inspector for bi-annual registration (TÜV) asked me where she could locate the serial number on my 30 Tudor . I told her that it was probably buried somewhere that would take disassembly. She reluctantly agreed to stamp the form anyway and I went into the office to pay. She called me back out to the shop area after a few minutes and showed me that it is stamped inside of the right front wheel well at the frame. She was Polish and said that she looked it up on a Polish website that listed several possible locations for a 30 A. Go FIGURE!!!!!

You should have just shown the friendly TÜV inspector the original owners manual which clarifies the serial number issue. Here is a photo of the relevant information from the owners manual:

MFG (mit Ford Grüßen) aus den USA,
Brad



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[Gene F]

The Virginia title for my coupe showed the engine number as the serial number. Since I replaced the old cracked block with another good one, I wanted to get the title updated to have the documentation in order. I inquired at my local DMV and was given a form. I sent that in with a check and a little over 2 months later, an agent from the DMV called and said he would be in my area the next day. He looked at the engine number in the car and at the old cracked block that I had saved for this purpose. He said the serial number on the title would stay the same and he would have the new engine number noted on the updated title. He said he could come back and install a number plate on the firewall or door jamb or I could make one and install it or I could do nothing. I decided to get an official VA DMV plate. I was surprised by the casualness of the verification, I have to say.

Wow, lucky you. If I lived in VA I'd be doing that.

 

[Randy in ca]

TRANSLATION:

ENGINE NUMBER​

.

The engine number is stamped on the left side of the cylinder
block above the water inlet connection.
The engine number is at the same time the car's serial number.​

 

[Brad in Germany]

TRANSLATION:

ENGINE NUMBER​

.

The engine number is stamped on the left side of the cylinder
block above the water inlet connection.
The engine number is at the same time the car's serial number.​

Here's that same excerpt, but from there US Ford Model A owners manual:

Brad in Maryland



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[Russell Reay]

NK--see my post #6. I stamped a strip of 18 ga metal and pop-riveted it to the cross member behind the battery for the same reason you suggest --legible w/o removing body

 

[atch]

This story might or might not help someone on here.

Quite a few years ago my friend (let's call him John Doe) bought a Model A coupe in a state other than Missouri where he lived. Missouri required an ID/OD inspection for all cars titled in another state and bought by a Missouri resident in order to get a Missouri title.

ID = VIN number (identification) verification
OD = odometer reading verification.

Knowing that the numbers on the title and engine didn't match (imagine that!!!) he stamped the title numbers on a strip of aluminum and pop riveted it onto the car somewhere. I don't remember now where it was. He then took the car to a local gas station that did vehicle inspections on a Saturday when he knew that the only employ on duty was a high school boy who wouldn't have any idea about Model A numbers. John showed the boy the out of state title and bill of sale. The boy asked to be shown the VIN on the car. John showed the boy the aluminum plate with the "VIN" stamped on it. The youngster signed off on the paperwork and John got a Missouri title using all of that paperwork.

Note that "John" has been deceased for a number of years and I have no idea where the car went.

Read this and do with it whatever you want.