Packard Forum Index » General

So I bought this 1951 2dr post Pacard 200 a few months ago at a collector car auction. I guess because it was from an auction that I am familiar with I didn't look to make sure the vin on the title matched the car. Well now that I am looking to see what I bought I see there is no tag in the door jam on the drivers side(just two holes where the rivets were) and the previous owners used the engine number for the v.i.n. on the title. Usually there is another spot on the frame that has the vin stamped in it. Can anyone tell me where that is? Thanks in advance.

There is not. Only other number is the Briggs Body Number on the firewall. Sometimes it matches the Vehicle Number, sometimes it doesn't. But the first four digits would be the same.

My 54 is also missing its Vehicle Number plate, and was registered by the Engine Number.

Bummer! Thank you for your reply. I guess it is what it is. I will still look for it but probably gone for good.

The door jamb plate is the only official VN location and if that plate is gone so is the number. Unless it was also removed, there should be a small tag of roughly 1 x 4 inches fairly high on the firewall in the engine compartment which was installed by the body builder (Briggs) and is commonly called the Briggs tag. That number is of no use in registering but will often be the same as the official VN -- although it can be a few digits off if the body was placed on the assembly line in a different order than it was received from Briggs. The first 4 digits denoting the series and body type will be correct but the second set of numbers denoting the sequence in build may be off. The format will be 24xx-xxxx where 24 is the series or a 1951 model, the xx for body type and the -xxxx denoting where that particular car was in the total production of that body type

In that era many states did use the motor number to register so your paperwork may well be the only way it was ever registered.

In some states today even the motor number is not acceptable because the engine can be removed and the number lost or changed. In that instance your state DMV may use the large embossed number on the firewall above the heater box or sometimes issue their own.. Ironically that is the only number that cannot be removed but for all practical purposes is worthless in identifying a car because most records tying that number to a particular car are non existent.

Thank you! As I stated this is my first Pacard so it is fun to learn more. My Body number is 2495 so I guess that is a 200 Club Sedan. It does have the Swan? hood ornament and the three port hole things on the rear quarters, does that mean anything else? It is the 288 engine, #J248807H

Art