Hi all, I have a titled 1942 chevy pickup. I would like as much help as possible decoding the VIN, but have been having a hard time over the last few weeks. I am pretty certain that the VIN number came off of the engine or transmission as I cannot find it on the body currently. Can anyone tell me how to decode these old 9 digit VIN's? The title specifically says its a 1942 so I would like to be able to verify that. thank you! Wyatt
It was titled from the motor number. There is nothing to decode, there were no optional drivetrains or the like. If the title says '42 its a '42, no difference from the '41 but it is what it is and you are lucky to own a '42 as that was the year that they all pretty much became military vehicles.
The serial number, or VIN, is stamped into the cowl tag screwed to the pass side. The model should be BK.
The number on the cowl side tag is the production number, some states used that as the vin and other states used the brass tag on the engine. http://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=828052
Yes, early February they switched over. I just wanted to verify, and possibly see what state, month etc. Thanks! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
If it has a chrome grill and/or chrome headlight trim/hood side trim, its an early '42. Later, they painted these to save the chrome for war efforts. I have a later '46, earlier ones still had painted trim. Body carried over to "first series" '47.
Thanks Brett, it does in fact have a chrome mirror, wiper arm and grill. that's why I believe its one of very few civilian vehicles from that year.
Another way to tell - look at the trim strips in the dash & the inside door hardware. The stainless & chrome parts are used only until early Jan. or until supplies were exhausted. Some painted stuff is still found on trucks well into 1946 production.
Thanks, how many 1942's are still actually out there? I recall the interior trim on it, but I don't know that any is chrome. I'll have to dig into that when I get it into the shop. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I’ve also got a ‘42 1/2 ton. The only bright-work on it are the 3 strips on the hood sides. Everything else was gun-metal grey, because all of the chromium went to the war effort. My understanding is that Chevrolet only produced them from January 1st to January 31st in 1942. They’re not as attractive as the ‘46 with all of it’s chrome, but still a kool piece of history. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
I called about a '42 project in the local paper years ago. California truck....No rust no body damage. The guy told me it ran well with the original engine. Then he sandblasted it. He found 3-4 paint jobs. Blue...some other color, OD green with Numbers on the hood and a big Star on the door. Black and primer under that. When he was "blasting the front......the grille and bumper were chrome under the paint. He blasted that too. Then he cut the truck in two and put a Camaro front under it. He was selling as an unfinished project. He had reached his level of destruction and lost interest. It about made me sick. 42s are kind of special, especially one with that kind of history.
I've caused the demise of more than one '42 as parts trucks .. you gotta admit, they ain't that good lookin'
These are interesting trucks, sometimes showing attributes of the ‘41, others closely resemble the ‘46. You really can’t rely on the grille or anything else that is easily changed. There are probably many more trucks with chrome grilles now. The ‘41’s has a cast park light assembly made of several pieces, by’46 it was a single- piece steel stamping. The ‘41 had a pot metal molding that retained the cab’s rear window, the ‘46 had a rubber gasket replacing the molding. Really early ‘42’s might retain these ‘41 features. Post a picture of your ‘42, it’s nice to see these unusual models.
" The ‘41’s has a cast park light assembly made of several pieces." '40 Pontiac used the same lamp with most of the parts chromed - quite a find when we stumbled into parts cars in a yard back when we still had "junkyards."
Don't know if I should make this comment or not. You guys know a helluva lot more about these trucks than I do but the photo is of my old '46 - at least that is what the title said it was. During the time I owned it I was looking for a pot metal rear window frame that was held in by bolts around the circumferance. Somewhere I read that only the '41's had that. The true '46's had the later, more convention by modern standards glass retained by the rubber. After reading what you guys posted maybe the early '46's STILL had their rear window glass retained by the pot metal frame and bolts? Anyway, a prior owner had put Jag IFS and IRS under it along with a 350/350 combo. It was fun truck and sometimes I wish I'd kept it but I moved on to my '55.2 big window which is now also no longer HAMB friendly.
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