Re: VIN information

Posted by HH56 On 2018/2/20 22:07:19

The number between triangles is the body ID number or today more commonly called the theft proof number. Ironically it is the most permanent number on the car but was only used by the factory and very few records remain.

The number on the small plate 2662-23213 on engine side of firewall is called the Briggs tag put on by the body builder -- Briggs Mfg. The 26 is for twenty sixth series or 1953 62 is the body model or a 6 passenger Clipper Deluxe Sedan and the 23213 is the production sequence number and approximately when in production your car was produced out of all built of that model (starting from 2001 if I remember correctly). The official VN (vehicle number not VIN as VINs came after Packards demise) will be found on a plate located on the front side of drivers door jamb and will be the same or very near to the Briggs number. Depending on when the body was put on the line the two could be a few numbers difference.

The other important number is the engine number and it should be stamped on a pad just below the head and just above the starter motor. Back in the day many states registered the car by motor number rather than the VN. If it has the original engine the first letter will be an L for 1953 the second number denotes the size and configuration and the other numbers are the sequence. There may be a prefix or a suffix letter or symbol which identifies something special or different about that engine as compared to what was originally specified.