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

1940 super 8 coupe has no theft id number just wondering why?

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Typical for 1940 vehicles. What is the VIN?

Source:packardinfo.com/xoops/html/downloads/PackardIDNumbers.pdf

Vin plate was removed years ago by someone and it may be in 1 of the boxes of part’s but I haven’t found it yet

Some years had a decal and I’ve seen other 1940s without the anti-theft number too. I owned three but that was back in the ‘60s for two of them and I never paid any attention whether they had it or not even on the one I owned for decades.

I've not yet heard a good plausible explanation for why the early 1940 cars don't have a theft-proof number. Of the data I've accumulated, the last 1939 number is 517170 so one would think 1940 would begin just beyond that. The range of known (to me) 1940 numbers is from 521052 thru 541112 with 1941 commencing about 542XXX. Hence it would appear that about 78,000 of the 98,020 1940 cars were built without an antitheft number.

Adding a bit further to the curiosity, some 1940 cars without the antitheft number have the opening and closing brackets, and others don't.

Don, only 1938 used a decal, and only for Detroit production. The Canadian-built 1938 Packards continued to use a metal plate.

Yes, I knew it wasn't 1940 but it does seem curious that a decal would have been used at all!