Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

A friend of mine called and they stated that they someone show up at their shop with a 1938 110 Business Coupe that had been stored, for who knows how long, and it was part of an estate sale. They knew that I had and liked Packard's, so they called me and I went down to take a look. Need someone who wants a pretty formidable, not me
Any they had a question about the vehicle ID Plate. It seem that it is a paper decal that was painted over. Never heard of this, but I saw it and don't what to think. Their question is " are the VIN numbers located somewhere on the frame?"
Thanks
W James

38 used a one year only decal for the VN information and apparently those did not hold up well at all. From all that has been posted the decals seemed to self destruct and disappear over the years. The fact that one was painted may be the only reason it is still on the car.

Perhaps if the paint is not too thick an alternative light source and varying angles looking at the decal might be able to bring out the numbers but if not, unless there is some original paperwork available there is no other place to look or any way to retrieve the number. The motor number should be stamped in the usual place and some states did use the motor number to register by. Without paperwork, today that number would only verify if the engine was the correct one for the car and might not necessarily be the same engine the car originally had.

My 38 coupe (120) has a decal still somewhat intact. If you hold a light just right you can make out the numbers. In order to make life easier in the future I stamped the number into the frame rail near the steering box.

So there is not any VIN on the frame or body. My Friend stated that his ford has numbers on the frame in 3 different places and you have to remove the body to see two of them

Other than the engine number anything stamped in steel or on the Packard frame was stopped sometime in the late 20s era. By the early 30s it seems to be the engine number was stamped on the engine and VN was only on the separate patent plate.

The only exception to HH56's comment that I'm aware of has been seen on two 1601 chassis sales for export to overseas coachwork builders. In both cases, in addition to the patent plate decal, the vehicle number was stamped on the top face of the right-side frame rail adjacent to the generator. Whether this was done as part of the original chassis build or after delivery is unknown to me.

Hello, everybody, i don't know if i'm on the right place to talk about the decal id for my 38 packard six but i not sure of what i read on it ^^
i identify the body number (easy) 1184 but for the sequence number i have some hesitations

2566
4566
5661
5663
???

the date nov 20 37

and dealer i don't know and the car have his original 38 ny plate so i think she was sold new in buffalo where i find it.

any suggestions for my VN?? ^^

thank you yall

Here is the picture of my decal

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a DYI video on a 1938 Packard Coupe by Mark Lambert:

youtube.com/watch?v=3XzRCGFTtOY&t=18s

Thank you for your answer, i try to find other packard six 16th s?rie to see the decal and i find one from may 38 and the number is arround 3800 my car from november 20th 1937 at 565 seem to be correct but on the pckard info model it say on a vase of 2000 so i though my number is supposed to be 2565 but i can't see 2 before 565.

Anyway

Thank you for your help :)