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58GMCSB · 01-11-2016, 12:40 PM

Ok, i went all over this frame last night with a mirror and my phone's camera. Now i haven't scrubbed the frame off yet and it has a fair amount of general dirt/scale and crud on it. I dont see any tag. It could be stamped in but i'll have to wait to see that when i get the frame off.

Digging around on the internet through various websites, i keep seeing that GMC's in this era didn't have VINs, the truck was registered by the ID number in the door.

The explanation i keep seeing is that until about 1980 every manufacturer had different formats for VIN. In the 50's for trucks, Chevrolet had VIN number/tags on the frame and firewall, but GMC had just the ID plate. GMC's also had numbers on the frame, engine, transmission and rear end, but they weren't ID numbers that linked the part to a particular vehicle, just numbers to identify that particular part of the vehicle and the features it had (gear ratios on rear ends, CID on engines, type of frame..etc).

I don't see any place below the ID in the door where there was a VIN plate welded in. I see 2 square recessed spots where something was obviously riveted or screwed in. By the placement of the rivets, the top recessed area is obviously the ID tag, the bottom one looks to be maybe the size for something like a tire size/rating badge or something like that.

Can anyone with a 58/59 GMC give me more info or tell me if what im reading is right?

01-11-2016, 12:40 PM	#22
58GMCSB Registered User Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Brandon, Florida Posts: 33	Re: New to the site, new project Ok, i went all over this frame last night with a mirror and my phone's camera. Now i haven't scrubbed the frame off yet and it has a fair amount of general dirt/scale and crud on it. I dont see any tag. It could be stamped in but i'll have to wait to see that when i get the frame off. Digging around on the internet through various websites, i keep seeing that GMC's in this era didn't have VINs, the truck was registered by the ID number in the door. The explanation i keep seeing is that until about 1980 every manufacturer had different formats for VIN. In the 50's for trucks, Chevrolet had VIN number/tags on the frame and firewall, but GMC had just the ID plate. GMC's also had numbers on the frame, engine, transmission and rear end, but they weren't ID numbers that linked the part to a particular vehicle, just numbers to identify that particular part of the vehicle and the features it had (gear ratios on rear ends, CID on engines, type of frame..etc). I don't see any place below the ID in the door where there was a VIN plate welded in. I see 2 square recessed spots where something was obviously riveted or screwed in. By the placement of the rivets, the top recessed area is obviously the ID tag, the bottom one looks to be maybe the size for something like a tire size/rating badge or something like that. Can anyone with a 58/59 GMC give me more info or tell me if what im reading is right?