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serial number

Started by p4jim, March 28, 2008, 09:04:29 PM

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p4jim

My 30U has the engine number U237191 and body number 383-4318 but no serial number on the door post.  Can these two existing numbers be used to find out about the car?

Thanks, Jim

Old Plymouths

The 30U was the first Plymouth to have a straight numerical serial number dropping the letter/number combo of '28 and '29. My list says 30U numbers start at 1,500,001 to 1,570,188 U.S. production and 9,300,001 to 9,305,327 Canadian production. The other number is a combination body style and body number. I believe '383' indicates a 4 door sedan? 4318 is the sequence body number and I believe these early bodies came from Budd. You're right about the location of the main serial number tag. It should be on the right hand door jamb attached vertically, on it's side, for the first time for Plymouths. Are there 2 small holes about 4" apart on either post of the front right door jamb?
I understand American production had their main serial numbers stamped into the frame some where in the area of the left or right rear fender arch. I do not know if you have to remove the fender or just clean the area. You might look there.
   At some point around '32 PB or '33 PC/PD Chrysler Corp. started stamping the main serial number on all their makes in the area of the left front spring at the rear shackle just above the bottom lip of the frame again about in line with the driver's feet. But I think this is about 3 years too early for the 30U but I'm not sure. This practice became common for many years after. You might look there also. 
Just as an aside:for some reason many American jurisdictions used the engine number for the VIN number on our early cars. I see quite a few cars on E-bay that are advertised with the engine number as the serial number. And the car has been registered like that from the beginning.
Any of this help.     

p4jim

Thanks, the car is registered by the engine number and the CHP confirmed that is the standard number to use. There are holes on the rightside  door post where a plate could have been.  It is a coupe with an oval rear window but the 4318 seems to mean an early body?  I'll check the frame but removing the fender may be more than my curiosity can afford.
thanks, jim

ehenin

The engine number is on the left side frame rail stamped in the wheel well between the brake hose mounting and the shock mounting below the fender.  I have never seen the serial number for a 30U on a frame.

Old Plymouths

That's the strange part about using the engine number as the car's registration VIN. A tired engine could be removed for a rebuilt 'short block' and the D.O.T. VIN would no longer match the car. If the vehicle was then stolen how would one identify the car? Or the thieves could themsleves just flip some blocks around and the VINs would never match the pink slip again.
A hot rodder could take your coupe and put in a 350 Chevy and how would you ever prove the actual vehicle was your 30U coupe?
The engine block number was never used in Canada by the M.O.T. as the VIN number. It doesn't make any sense. I would locate the main serial number at the earliest and register that with the Cal. D.O.T. to protect myself in case of theft. And I would stamp it into steel somewhere on the car in a concealed spot and then keep the location to yourself.

ehenin

The photo shows the location of the engine number on the frame, it is hard to find and to read.

p4jim

My engine number is there behind the left front wheel, thanks.  Actually it was easy to see once I knew where to look.  That picture was very nice.

thanks, jim