Re: 1949 Packard ID help

Posted by HH56 On 2010/5/17 22:32:36

In that era and some states there was not much consistency and engine number or vehicle number was used. New Mexico was one that used engine numbers as did California in some years.

The biggest problem with engine numbers is if the engine changes, so goes the registration number and then it's a bureaucrats delight. If there is any chance to register with a different number it might be an advantage. My 47 is registered with the embossed number because after many years of non registered status when the former owner bought and registered it, there had to be an inspection. The CHP & DMV inspector would only accept a number that couldn't be changed and that's what they recorded. The proper number would be the one on large cowl patent plate, not the little rectangular Briggs tag on firewall near the embossed number. The embossed number is always best but the only one very few records exist for and would not appear in any kind of official database.