VIN Question - 1935 Ford

T

Timothy Kelly

Member
I own a 1935 Sedan Delivery that I purchased many years ago. It is and has been stored in another state for many years. So the car is not at my fingertips. If it were, I could answer my question without posting this note.

In reviewing the VIN on the title, and the VIN on the title receipt, I noticed that they are not the same.

The VIN on the title reads: 78D3xxx

The VIN on the title receipt reads: 7803xxx

Is there a standard format for the VIN that would allow someone in the know to confirm for me whether the third character in the VIN for my car should be:

(1) the letter "D" or

(2) the letter "O" or

(3) the numeral zero "0"?

Thank you in advance for any assistance that you might be able to provide.
 
A related question that I meant to ask:

Is there a "Model" designation for my 1935 Sedan Delivery? If so, please share it with me.

Again, thank you in advance for any assistance that you might be able to provide.
 

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https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52648

Total Ford Production for 1935 820,253
Total production of Model 48 Eight for 1935 786,730
Deluxe Convertible Sedans 4,234
Deluxe Fodors 75,807
Deluxe Fordor Sedans 105,157
Deluxe Phaetons 6,073
Deluxe Roadster Rumbleseats 4,896
Deluxe Tudors 84,692
Rumbleseat Cabriolets 17,000
Standard Coupes 78,477
Standard Fordors 49,176
Standard Tudors 237,833
Station Wagons 4,536
Three-Window Deluxe Coupes 31,513
Tudor Sedans 87,336

http://www.macsautoparts.com/ford_mercury_early/early-ford-v8-specs/#1
 
The sedan delivery body designation --- 780, if it had a body tag it probably would have --48-780-XXXX----whatever the numerical sequence of build, Ford factory built bodys probably didn't have body tags

the VIN would look like --- 18-and a number between --1,23457 and 2,207,110

So on the trans, and frame it should look like--a star,18-XXXXXXX star---no letters, the star at the beginning and end
 
Timothy, Your vin # (either one) appears not to be in the same format that Ford used when your vehicle was built. Your vin # should be between *18-1234357*and *18-2207110* This number is stamped on the top side of the frame on the driver's side near the steering box, as well as 2 other places along the driver's side frame rail.

Here is some added info. There were 7687 domestically built sedan deliveries in the 1935 model year as well as 504 Canadian build units and 97 Foreign units.

Don Rogers
 
Charlie, I think that you are right. A Murray body plate would have a number for a sedan delivery in the following format.....48 780-1234. The 48 would be silkscreened while the 780-1234 would be stamped. As you can see from the attached images the 48 would disappear over time.
 

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Canadians had some different numbers but they started with a C. Ford used some special characters for some of the numbers that may have caused an error in documentation. There is also the possibility that is an assigned number due to some change in the past. Many states will affix a tag to the body with the assigned number stamped on in the event of a loss of VIN due to a frame change or a builders title.
 
Thank you to all who responded.

Based upon the very on point information shared above it appears that the body number for my Sedan Delivery is: 48-780-3xxx. Further, it appears that the body number, less the Model year designation 48, has been utilized, inappropriately, as the VIN.

In any event, the numbers on my title and title receipt have been decoded.
 
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