Re: vin help

Posted by Owen_Dyneto On 2008/1/31 18:32:36

Your car is either a 53 or 54 as clearly identified by the front windshield shape and these are the only two years that long wheelbase cars were produced in the 4 year run of this basic body style. The grille is from a 1951 or 1952. Your thief-proof number says 1953. The VN you state, 52664001 does not correspond to any Packard VN that I'm aware of, though it might be a Henney number for the body itself; Packard's VN on the driver's door jam should be either 2650-XXXX (with divider window) or 2651-xxxx (no divider window). The fact that the front grille has been replaced with an earlier year may explain why you also have the incorrect engine; perhaps the entire nose and engine was replaced as a result of collision damage?

You might go thru the PAC directly and contact other owners of 53/54 long wheelbase cars to see if the 52664001 means anything with regard to Henney's numbering system. As Kev states, once the original VN tag has been removed (as yours has), there is no other way to find the correct number other than thru documentation, it is not elsewhere on the car.

BTW, tampering with a VN is a felony in most if not all states.

PS - re your comment about Packard VN tags being "ornate" and yours looking like "government issue", the 54 thru 56 tags are not ornate, no lithograph or other decoration, just 3/4 x 3-1/2 riveted metal tag with embossed border and information. I'm not sure what they used in 53.