Hot Rods Looking at a 51 Chevy Convertible. Any serial # experts out there?

I'm looking at buying a 51 Chevy convertible that has been stored since 1966. Title is 1951 and the serial number on the driver's A pillar matches the title. Pillar number is 14KK 0 ######. Weird thing is the internet says the serial number is for a 1952. The Body By Fisher plate on the cowl also is 52. The car has all 1951 stuff on it(grill,parking lights, etc.) Nothing on it is 52. What do you guys think?

 

How can we think anything ? You didn't post a photo of it

 

KK is 1952, but the character following the KK should be a letter A through L, telling you what month it was made.

Also, is the serial number tag spot welded to the pillar, like it should be? or is it riveted or screwed on?

 

14 = Baltimore, K = 1952, K= Deluxe, o = ? Good mystery you've got going here! Just for grins, what's the engine # that is stamped on the flat pad by the dizzy?

 

The 0 after the K could actually be a C . I will have to look at it more closely. And Jim, the serial plate is spot welded/riveted like the others I've seen..

 

Here are 2 pictures. One of the car and one of the serial plate.

 

that plate is supposed to be spot welded on....not riveted....but that type of rivet was used to secure the cowl tag (which is a larger aluminum tag, installed by Fisher Body)

Interesting.

 

this is what spot welds look like

 

Those rivets have been there forever...hopefully someone just resecured its popped loose original tag back on...

 

Kind of unlikely, since it's a 51 car with 52 numbers

 

Bummer...maybe im an optimist...but couldnt it be a proper 1952 car with a '51 grill...etc? Im not an expert on those...are there any frame numbers or year specific things he could look for? In other words....things a '52 would have and not a '51 or vice versa...

 

The weird thing is the car is titled as a 51 and the serial pillar tag numbers/letters match the title. Jim, I agree about the rivets; the Body By Fisher tag on the cowl has the exact same rivets so I guess that's where I am familiar with seeing them. NOTHING on the car indicates 52.....

 

Could have come from a state where they title it the year it was sold like late 51.

 

I agree with your thought however if on the serial plate after the K is a C that means it was built in March of 1952 which is WAY late a production to be sold as a 1951.

 

not sure when they started, but by 1955 they were stamping part of the serial number on top of the frame rail, under the driver. Usually it's pretty hard to find it, because the floor is right over it. Might do some research and see if they stamped the number back then.

But really, if you are just looking at buying the car, you would be better off not buying this can of worms.

 

That's a '52!!! The only thing '51 I see is the grill. Side trim is '52. So, how it got titled as a '51 is anyone's guess. And I see no can of worms here, as long as the # on the title matches the # on the plate - you're good to go - as far as the DMV is concerned it's a '51, who cares?

 

yeah, what Waldo said. also the front bumper and guards are '49. if you have a title that matches the vin number I wouldn't worry about it.

 

If it is a '52 car....it could have been incorrectly titled as a '51. Could have been sloppy used car lot paperwork...or clerical error. Perhaps the year of the car could be changed to match the title...you can do that here in CA...im sure you can there too.

Like Squirrel said...it might be a can of worms if the vin and cowl tag have been swapped. But if the tags are from that car...and the only thing wrong is the date built on the title...and I was sure it was a '52...id go for it.

 

Definatly has 1952 side trim