The Ford Barn

Pointbreak450 · 03-02-2018, 06:30 PM

A few years back I acquired a 1936 ford truck. I was never able to locate the VIN on the frame as the one located by the engine compartment was long gone. I unbolted and took the bed of the truck off and was able to locate the VIN stamped on the frame. Most of the information i have been able to find is that the vin should start with *18-, but that was also for passenger cars. My VIN starts with a *48-. I also read that trucks may have a different serial prefix. . Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have uploaded a picture for reference. Thanks again for any and all help.

JSeery · 03-02-2018, 06:32 PM

Might clarify what you mean by Truck (what size/tonnage).

Pointbreak450 · 03-02-2018, 06:35 PM

It was the standard 1/2 ton pickup. it was not a commercial truck.

JSeery · 03-02-2018, 06:38 PM

Believe the 1/2T numbers are the same as the cars. Have you looked at VanPelts site? That back location does not normally have the prefix, only the one ahead of the firewall has it.

http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/f...ialnumbers.htm

That would look like a 1939 frame to me. Not enough numbers for a prefix. I'm far from an expert on commercial production numbers (the pickup was referred to as a commercial vehicle, larger than 1/2T as Trucks).

Your number looks like: 4,855,XXX

1939 was: 4,661,001 to 5,210,700

Pointbreak450 · 03-02-2018, 06:45 PM

Yea. Vanpelts was the first place i went to. There was a section on there that stated

a) The serialization applied to trucks and commercial vehicles using these Ford engines. They may have different serial prefixes, but would be inclusive within the serial ranges shown. In other words, passenger car totals must be combined with truck and commercial vehicles to arrive at total usage of the engine production numbers shown.

Yea the VIN on the frame in front of the firewall is long gone. i sanded very slowly to see if i could ever unearth anything and was never able to. The vin i did locate was under the bed and that could explain the missing or different prefix. What about the VIN under the Cab?

JSeery · 03-02-2018, 06:47 PM

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1935 frames up to 1941 were very similar.

Pointbreak450 · 03-02-2018, 06:50 PM

I was just searching out the numbers as you stated. Appears to be a 39 frame. I really appreciate all your replies and help.

JSeery · 03-02-2018, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pointbreak450

Yea the VIN on the frame in front of the firewall is long gone. i sanded very slowly to see if i could ever unearth anything and was never able to. The vin i did locate was under the bed and that could explain the missing or different prefix. What about the VIN under the Cab?

Minor point, but they are not really referred to as "VIN" numbers, they are Serial Numbers on the old Fords. The numbers are there and can be located if you are willing to do what is required to locate them!

There are several methods to "raise" them. BUT, they can be very difficult to locate. The front one can be anywhere from the area around the firewall to the front cross member. The number you posted the photo of is the correct number of digits for a 1939 frame. Is there any evidence it is truly a 36 frame?

Update: Too late with the last post!!!

Charlie Stephens · 03-02-2018, 06:55 PM

Any chance someone slipped a '39 frame under your truck? The '39 frame would have come with hydraulic brakes but I am not enough of an expert to give you the exact details on the differences in the frames. Post the question here or at earlyfordv8.org.

Charlie Stephens

Pointbreak450 · 03-02-2018, 06:57 PM

Yes you are definitely correct. Not a VIN but a serial number. I am almost positive that the serial number up front is all but gone. I really spent a lot of time searching and trying. The body i received is definitely a 1936 (not a 35 or 37).

JSeery · 03-02-2018, 06:58 PM

Pointbreak, if your interested in IDing the frame (beyond the serial number which is fairly conclusive!) post some photos of the whole frame and the front cross member area. There are experts here on the Barn that can tell you the minor frame variations.

JSeery · 03-02-2018, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pointbreak450

Yes you are definitely correct. Not a VIN but a serial number. I am almost positive that the serial number up front is all but gone. I really spent a lot of time searching and trying. The body i received is definitely a 1936 (not a 35 or 37).

Almost impossible to totally destroy the numbers, it upsets the metal when it is stamped and it can be retrieved, but may not be worth the effort.

Pointbreak450 · 03-02-2018, 06:59 PM

More than likely someone slipped a 39 frame under it. When i found her, she was buried in a garage here in California. All the fenders, headlights, running boards were in the bed of the truck.

Pointbreak450 · 03-02-2018, 07:02 PM

Good to note on recovering the serial number. I was reading about some ways to revive the serial numbers.

Don Rogers · 03-03-2018, 08:39 PM

To add to all the good info already given you.....Ford stamped the serial number in three places along the drivers side of the frame. Only the serial number by the steering box had the prefix number (ie 18-) The other 2 numbers were stamped without prefix. Your serial number indicates that the frame was stamped with the serial number of an engine manufactured in January of 1939.

MyFlattyFord · 10-15-2022, 06:31 PM

Greetings,
Can some one please verify this VIN number if it corresponds to a 1- 1/2 ton Ford truck?
What year?
What frame length (?)
41277546
thank you.
Marty

jers36 · 10-16-2022, 06:22 PM

Remove the cover plate on the floor of the cab above the transmission and check the number on the transmission housing if it is original to the truck the number will be the serial number of your truck. When ford installed the transmission in the truck they transferred the trans number to the truck frame. I checked mine and they match.

Model51 · 10-19-2022, 06:31 AM

Big truck serial numbers in the early to mid-1930's started with a "BB18-" and then a seven digit number. The number on the transmission housing was stamped on the top of the left frame rail about where the firewall comes down to the frame. Like jers36 mentioned, the number stamped on the transmission will most likely be the same as the number on the frame.
Also, the serial number only provides an indication of the approximate date of the completion of the engine and transmission assembly. It does not contain any information about the truck (frame type, body style, paint color) like we expect to find on today's cars.

03-02-2018, 06:32 PM	#2
JSeery Member Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 16,132	Re: 1936 ford truck vin help Might clarify what you mean by Truck (what size/tonnage).

03-02-2018, 06:35 PM	#3
Pointbreak450 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 7	Re: 1936 ford truck vin help It was the standard 1/2 ton pickup. it was not a commercial truck.

03-02-2018, 06:38 PM	#4
JSeery Member Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 16,132	Re: 1936 ford truck vin help Believe the 1/2T numbers are the same as the cars. Have you looked at VanPelts site? That back location does not normally have the prefix, only the one ahead of the firewall has it. http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/f...ialnumbers.htm That would look like a 1939 frame to me. Not enough numbers for a prefix. I'm far from an expert on commercial production numbers (the pickup was referred to as a commercial vehicle, larger than 1/2T as Trucks). Your number looks like: 4,855,XXX 1939 was: 4,661,001 to 5,210,700 Last edited by JSeery; 03-02-2018 at 06:44 PM.

03-02-2018, 06:45 PM	#5
Pointbreak450 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 7	Re: 1936 ford truck vin help Yea. Vanpelts was the first place i went to. There was a section on there that stateda) The serialization applied to trucks and commercial vehicles using these Ford engines. They may have different serial prefixes, but would be inclusive within the serial ranges shown. In other words, passenger car totals must be combined with truck and commercial vehicles to arrive at total usage of the engine production numbers shown. Yea the VIN on the frame in front of the firewall is long gone. i sanded very slowly to see if i could ever unearth anything and was never able to. The vin i did locate was under the bed and that could explain the missing or different prefix. What about the VIN under the Cab?

03-02-2018, 06:50 PM	#7
Pointbreak450 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 7	Re: 1936 ford truck vin help I was just searching out the numbers as you stated. Appears to be a 39 frame. I really appreciate all your replies and help.

03-02-2018, 06:55 PM	#9
Charlie Stephens Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern California Posts: 7,051	Re: 1936 ford truck vin help Any chance someone slipped a '39 frame under your truck? The '39 frame would have come with hydraulic brakes but I am not enough of an expert to give you the exact details on the differences in the frames. Post the question here or at earlyfordv8.org. Charlie Stephens

03-02-2018, 06:57 PM	#10
Pointbreak450 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 7	Re: 1936 ford truck vin help Yes you are definitely correct. Not a VIN but a serial number. I am almost positive that the serial number up front is all but gone. I really spent a lot of time searching and trying. The body i received is definitely a 1936 (not a 35 or 37).

03-02-2018, 06:58 PM	#11
JSeery Member Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 16,132	Re: 1936 ford truck vin help Pointbreak, if your interested in IDing the frame (beyond the serial number which is fairly conclusive!) post some photos of the whole frame and the front cross member area. There are experts here on the Barn that can tell you the minor frame variations.

03-02-2018, 06:59 PM	#13
Pointbreak450 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 7	Re: 1936 ford truck vin help More than likely someone slipped a 39 frame under it. When i found her, she was buried in a garage here in California. All the fenders, headlights, running boards were in the bed of the truck.

03-02-2018, 07:02 PM	#14
Pointbreak450 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 7	Re: 1936 ford truck vin help Good to note on recovering the serial number. I was reading about some ways to revive the serial numbers.

10-15-2022, 06:31 PM	#16
MyFlattyFord Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2019 Posts: 25	AGAIN/ more /Re: 1936 ford truck vin help Greetings, Can some one please verify this VIN number if it corresponds to a 1- 1/2 ton Ford truck? What year? What frame length (?) 41277546 thank you. Marty

10-16-2022, 06:22 PM	#17
jers36 Member Join Date: Aug 2022 Posts: 31	Re: 1936 ford truck vin help Remove the cover plate on the floor of the cab above the transmission and check the number on the transmission housing if it is original to the truck the number will be the serial number of your truck. When ford installed the transmission in the truck they transferred the trans number to the truck frame. I checked mine and they match.

10-19-2022, 06:31 AM	#18
Model51 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Fairfax Station, VA Posts: 549	Re: 1936 ford truck vin help Big truck serial numbers in the early to mid-1930's started with a "BB18-" and then a seven digit number. The number on the transmission housing was stamped on the top of the left frame rail about where the firewall comes down to the frame. Like jers36 mentioned, the number stamped on the transmission will most likely be the same as the number on the frame. Also, the serial number only provides an indication of the approximate date of the completion of the engine and transmission assembly. It does not contain any information about the truck (frame type, body style, paint color) like we expect to find on today's cars.