VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 41 pick up serial #

will the serial # on a 41 1/2 ton pu be the same as the engine id #. i was told that the serial # on a 41 should be 9 characters starting with AA. i have an engine id # starting w/ AA but only six digits after. is there a resource to research these serial and engine #'s like a chevy production archives or something to that effect? is it also true that in some instances where the serial# data plate was lost they used the engine id # as the recordable (title) # for rhe vehicle?

Prior to 1955 most states used the motor number for registration. The serial number was not used and would be very different. The serial number in 1941 will begin with either one or two numbers. The numbers indiacte where the vehicle was assembled. The numbers will be 1,2,3,5,6,8,9,12,14 or 21. Next would be the letters AK for a 1941 1/2 ton, following that will be two more numbers which indiacte the month assembled (example 01 for Jan. or 12 for December. Then the actual number. This will be from 1001 and up to a five or six diget number.
The engine number for a 1941 1/2 ton will begin with either AE or AK (AA and AC engines were passengr car engines.)
The original title would have had the engine number. Through the years some have been changed and the serial number could be found on the title.

I have the first title from my 1941. It was first titled in CA. It has both the engine and serial number on the title. When I bought it two years ago it still had a CA title but only the engine number was on that title. When I titled it in Wa, they took the number that was on the current title.

Over the years I have titled classic cars in several states. I have yet to have one state actually compare the number on the title with a number on the vehicle. They have simply copied the number from the current title. However, I understand several states do require a physical inspection before granting a new title when an out-of-state title is involved.

A good resource is www.chevy.tocmp.com Go to the "Chevrolet Mannuals and Information section -- Model and Engine identification Information" which is about a 1/3 way down the page. However, Gene pretty much covered the basics.

Here in my part of Aus there are a limited number of inspection stations that do the identification and the RTA (your DMV) dont actually see the vehicle. These stations are for first registration in this state or when registration has expired. They also do inspections when vehicle details have changed (engine # for instance).
A new car will not be reinspected untill its 3rd renewal and then inspected every year. Commercial vehicles upto 4.5 tonne unladen are inspected every year at privately run stations but over 4.5 tonne are inspected by RTA run stations.
These inspections include chassis (body) #, engine#, trans type and # of gears, seating capacity, fuel type, basically a full description as well as a safety inspection. It takes the best part of 1.5 hours to to do.
Tony