Re: Vhehicle Number Plate

Posted by Owen_Dyneto On 2013/12/16 14:17:11

The number given as a vehicle number is incorrect as it's not in the format of a vehicle number, it's probably a motor number. For 1940 the original vehicle # would have been in the format of "body type" followed by the sequential production number, for example 1392-XXXXX for a 1940 120 5-passenger sedan. "C" is the correct prefix for a 1940 motor number and the 3XXXXX would indicate a "120" motor.

As these cars changed hands and titles over the years, some states occasionally chose to title by motor number, especially if the original vehicle number plate was missing or altered, but without any doubt the original plate gave the vehicle number, not the motor number. Unless you have some old documentation from prior owners it's nearly impossible to recover the original vehicle number as the "patent plate" or vehicle number plate was the only place it was provided on the vehicle.

If you provide us with the "theft-proof" number I can look it up in my database on the remote chance I might have som record of the vehicle. The theft-proof number is the large embossed number on the engine side of the firewall.

PS - assuming your car is a "120", the body type number for a club coupe was 1395 so the original VN would have been 1395-XXXX. One historian estimates about 2580 such club coupes built on the 120 chassis in 1940. The sequential numbering began at 2001 so the last known club coupe would have had the vehicle number of 1395-4580.