VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Commercial Vehicles 1944 Chevy Fire Truck

Hello,
I recently purchased a Chevy Fire Truck. It was purchased under a war necessity by my local department here in New York. They sold it on the 1980's and now I have bought it back, so it will stay here. I am having trouble with the VIN number. The guy I bought it from isn't a huge help, he really has no information. The Fire Department records show a motor number of SG-630825, and a VIN of 9M311831. There is nothing left on the truck or the motor, I have looked every where. I can not find either of these numbers on the charts. My suspicion on the VIN number is one of two things. Either its a mistake and they missed a number, likely the second letter after the M; or I know they bought the chassis seperatly from the body, if it has left the plant with no body would Chevy have skipped the number? Also the prefix for the engine number does not appear correct. I know they contracted to have the pump and body put on in 1944, it appears they already owned the chassis at this point, also the glass in the windshield has 4-44, so I am assuming its a 1944, but it could be older. If I add an S to the serial number after the M, the calculator puts it as a 1942.
Any help would be great so I can narrow down model, etc. THANKS in advance. Mike

Where have you looked for the tags? Typical location is passenger side of the cowl where the hood covers it when the hood is closed.
I think you would be pretty safe assuming it is a '42 for parts location purposes.
I have '41 Chevy which was originally a fire truck.

Mike

The articles I have read about vehicle produced after WWII started indicate that the US Government mandated that all vehicles made after the cut off date in Jan. 42 where put into "storage" for the "duration of the war"..
It could be that your truck is in fact a '42, possibly an unfinished cab and chassis.. It could also be that your truck was assigned to the military, then got pulled when the city obtained authorization for a new fire truck...

They were put into storage and released only for certain uses that were connected with the war effort or people like Doctors , police,certain defense workers, etc