Hi...I was looking at purchasing a 54 GMC...the seller sent me the VIN..but it looks too short to me and I can't find any info on it...can someone please help...in case the pic isn't clear it is... 8KSH-1669
Do you have more info about what kind of truck it is? half ton pickup, or something bigger? And where is that tag located?
No..truck is out of state..its supposedly a 54 GMC 100 1/2 ton short bed...I wanted the VIN to verify it is what he says it is before I take a 10 hour drive. He has no title. Perhaps he sent me a serial number off of the frame and not the VIN? but the pic kinda looks like the VIN plate since it has the weight numbers on it correct??
That is a body serial number, AD trucks from that era did not have a frame stamped number, they were registered by either the body serial number or the engine number. If it has the original engine it will decode to show the truck style it was in, if the body tag has the same info it is also going to tell you what the truck is, though the numbers are completely different. Is the truck registered now? If you post where you are located someone from your area may be able to tell you what is required where you are. What is required from elsewhere is pretty much meaningless.
Well... That is NOT what any of the number tags I have seen look like. All 7 of the ones I've had were riveted vertically to the drivers door jamb. I've had both American and Canadian trucks with the same tags (although the different models were given different numbers in each country, the layout of the tags was the same.) I have a tag from a 1959 with me now and it has the word "Serial" embossed in the tag followed by 11 digits and then a letter.(this one is Canadian so there may be more digits on the US tag since they likely made more) BUT: The first 5 digits tell you the Year and Model of the truck. In my case the first digit is a 9 because my truck was built in 1959. The next 4 digits are 9653 which is the model of this truck and the last 6 digits are the sequential number given to my truck (the 'serial number' if you will, though my registration paperwork includes the first 5 digits as well) This tag on the truck also has a separate line that again shows the model number, and a line that gives the engine number. (the "engine serial number" if you will) which is a different number than the body 'serial number' Hope this helps, Gregger
Ok, I just ran out to the shop to look at my 1951 truck (the one I should have looked at in the first place since your truck is an Advanced Design truck) The tags are basically the same as I described above except the 1951 tag also lists three more codes: a 'trim' number, a 'paint' number, and a 'body serial' (which is only a 2 digit number so it is likely a code number of some sort, NOT an actual 'serial number' One other difference: the number after the word 'serial' on the 1951 tag does NOT end with a letter. Best of luck, Gregger
Final thought before I head out on vacation (I was sitting on the HAMB waiting for my wife to get ready LOL) I have seen different styles of tags on: Huge trucks, Cab & Chassis vehicles, Miltary, etc. But unless your truck was military or something unique this info doesn't apply.
Thanks for the help..i requested the seller to look for other ID/VIN tags..I will let you know if I get anything back.
The VIN decoder you sent me states (others I tried did not work)...1952 3800 1 ton 137 inch wheel base...truck is being sold as 54 1/2 ton (sure looks in the pics like a 1/2 ton)
Here's a '54 GMC 1/2 ton 8' box tag ... the 6' is a 102-22, I think. Or maybe they're a 101-24 ... GMCs can be confusing.
Cab could have been swapped, they are the same across the sizes. Big truck cabs often had little or no rust as they sat higher, and many were not used in the winter months. Note cabs are the same, fenders are not.
That is a 52 Chevrolet 3800 one ton truck built in Atlanta At least that is what the serial number is to. Flat 2 piece windshield rather than a curved one piece that 54 Chevy and GMC trucks have. 8KSH-1669 It was the 668th 52 3800 off the line in Atlanta that year.
This is the only link I know of that gives older GMC serial numbers. http://www.oldgmctrucks.com/page0009.html If you check they all jive exactly with what 302GMC said. Any photos of the complete truck? That may tell the tale better than anything/ This is a blank replacement 51/52 Chevrolet 3100 door post tag that shows the place for the serial number and the Warranty void warning that shows on the cropped photo you posted. . Simply put the guys either is clueless as to what he has, is a bs artist or a scammer. The clueless part may be because someone pawned it off on him as a 54 GM half ton or it may be sitting on a half ton chassis with a GMC nose on it.
It all may be on the up and up but the big problem is the "no title". I would check with the DMV or whatever it is called in your state to see how (or if) a title can be obtained legally.
Why wouldn't you just call the owner and ask him about this? I think he will explain everything to you. But I personally think this isn't a VIN code, cause it should contain more digits and should be longer. I am not sure where can you find out this information, but try a VIN decoder and you'll see if it works or not. It's easy to use and the decoder Vingurus provides you all the stuff you'll ever want to know. I wish you good luck, because you obviously need it, man!
I run into GMC mis-identification all the time. Firstly, that is a Chevy ID plate - not GMC. 8 KSH-1669 breaks down as: 8 = Atlanta Chevy Truck assembly plant K = 1952 S = 3800 - 1 ton w/137" Wheelbase H = August of '52 1669 is the regular sequential chassis serial number - the 1669th 1 ton off the line.
Exactly as I said in post 15 on Aug 9, 2020. 302 GMC showed the correct 54 GMC door post tag in post 13. Frigging amazing what you can find out when you read the complete thread before you toss out an answer to a year plus old thread.
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