VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 AOS Frame Number

I've asked this question before, I'll ask it again. I know the AOS Frame Build Date No. is on the Passenger side of 34-35 Masters and on the Drivers side on 35 Standards. But where is the Number on 33's? Maybe no one pays attention to that.

I would hope that if anybody knew 100% they would respond.

mike

Has anyone with a 33 ever looked to see what the AOS Number is on their car?

What does AOS stand for?

Is this painted number or stamped into the frame #?

I can look on mine, if it is stamped number as there is zero rust on the frame. On the later cars, was it just on the side frame rail, and about where? it at least gives me an area to start looking.

Doug

Joe Iaccino did a lot of posting about this in last 2 years while restoring his 33 standard series sport coupe.

Hopefully he will see this and respond. He is right down your way in Albuquerque I believe.

I think the AOS was stenciled on the frame.

mike

AOS is for AO Smith the company that built the frames. The ID number was white paint using a stencil. The company founded by Arthur Oliver Smith is headquartered in Milwaukee, WI and still in business but now is the largest water heater manufacturer in North America.

The 1932 frames had the number stenciled on the driver's side between the running board brackets.

I would suspect that 1933 frames to have the ID the same location as 1932. The frames are similar.

Joe is in Tuscon and would also like to know where the Number is as he has not found it on his car.D Melton: Do you have a 33? It will be about where the seam in the Front Fender and Runningboard meet, maybe a little behind that. It will be had to see when the body is on the Frame.

Yes, my car is 1933, but the frame was stripped and repainted by some PO. I did not see that they stenciled in numbers on the frame, but I wasn't looking for them at the time either.

I will take gander when it is up on the lift for seat belts, later today or tomorrow.

Doug

The 1929-31 frames also had the stencil in the same location on the frame as well.

I think it is hilarious that people know where the Number is on every year except 33!! My guess would be it is on the Drivers Side.

I don't have my notes here at home. I've seen 1931/1932 frames & I've seen 1934 frames. I can't remember which is which but one group has mm-dd-yy & the other has mm/dd/yy so which did 1933 have?...Joe

Nobody put a number on my frame when it was repainted.

Doug

Most of the time that number is gone. It wasn't the best of paint but it was usually better than the black. The numbers were white & the times I've found the numbers it was the number against a rusty frame rail & only 1/2" tall. When the frame is unrestored you really need to know what you're looking for...Joe

Joe, this is what the ones on my parts car looked like.

That's the Driver's side correct Pat? Did you see anything on the passenger side? Parts car was Canadian....Joe

Yes it was the driver's side. Don't remember seeing anything on the other side. I do remember someone saying that his were upside down.

Looks like Date is on Drivers Side on 33s but was it ---- between the numbers or ////?

Just remember that people took a stencil and a paint roller or brush and put the numbers on each frame. It was not a robot like today. Also remember that people don't always adhere to directions for various reasons. So the occasional upside down or opposite side or moved forward or back is likely.

That being written also be aware that many of us want to present our older Chevrolets to represent history as correctly as we can. Anything else is disservice to our forefathers.

I was under the 34 master this evening and found this on the right frame rail after I wiped the dirt off. I did not find anything on the left side. FYI, Mike
https://photos.app.goo.gl/O3h7jIr4F4qtofMk1

That's great, same as mine. Now who has one on a 33?

I'm still looking for the AOS Frame No. on my 33. Not that anyone cares but I've found two members who have the Number on their 34 on the Drivers side. The number on my 34 is on the passenger side. Does that mean it could be on either side on a 33?

Jon, What is the AOS Frame No. reference towards? What would you use those #s for?

On my 1934 Chevy Holden body Roadster I only have the VIN/Title #s under the passenger side seat.

My VIN/Title #s start with MR. The “M” means that it is a Standard and the “R” means that it is a Right hand drive car!

I forget when I built it in the 90's if it had an AOS # stamped on either side of the frame!

When I take my car apart for a rebuild I will check for those #s.

Rory

I don't think you would use the numbers for anything, they just let you know when the frame was built by AOSmith which could be days or even a few weeks prior to the build date of the car.Since I have the Number on three of my Coupes I'de like to have it for my 33. I know it's there, just don't know where.

I don't know where the frame "number" is on a '33 Chevy. For those not familiar with them the numbers were painted on the frame using a 1/2" stencil. They were a combination of letters and numerals used to identify the application and a date code to roughly identify the assembly date. They are not a serial number and in no way can be used to identify a single vehicle!

I never found an AOS number on the 1933 Master I have owned since 1971.