VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION New User Forum 1940 Chevrolet Cabriolet VIN Question

Hello all, just joined today and am hoping you can help me. I picked up a 1940 Chevy Cabriolet project from a fellow VCCA member but the Vin tag is missing as the floors are rotten. My engine stamp shows # 3371517. I have read that Cadillac stamped the frames with the VIN near the master cylinder in 1940 and was wondering if you are aware if Chevy did as well? Also I note on my firewall trim tag there is a stamp B in the bottom corner...can anyone help me decipher what that means? Sorry can't figure out yet how to post an image.

Thank you - Drew

[img]https://goo.gl/photos/FTykzMKDFoLqXBz99[/img]

Chevrolet did not stamp the serial on the frame in 1940.
Most states used the engine number for regisration prior to 1955.
The "B"...???

Thanks Chev Nut...

Looks like the "B" might mean it was produced in the Baltimore plant according to another thread I was reviewing.

Bomsaway, congratulations on your purchase...My second favorite car next to a 41.
I think the B refers to black top. The Fisher plant code for Baltimore is M. Incidentally all cabriolet bodies, painted and trimmed were built at the Fisher body plant in Lansing MI. then shipped to the various Chevrolet plants for final assembly.
Too bad the Chevrolet Motor Division tag is missing it contained the car number (serial number), assembly plant code and the month of the build. With the tag gone that information is gone too. you could "guesstimate" an approximate build month using the Fisher Body tag on the firewall, it will have the style number:40 1067 (1940 Cabriolet), body number: L (for Lansing) followed by a number representing the number of that body style down the line at that plant, starting with number 1. So with 11,820 cabriolets built, all of them at that plant, we get an average of 985 per month. See where your body number would have fit in... higher number, later build.
Also on that tag is the trim number (color of upholstery)and paint code. My 41 tag is hand stamped B T in the lower left corner for black and tan top.
Good luck with your project and come back for advice anytime.
Jay

Ah Ha, I just saw the picture you posted of the Fisher tag and it proved me wrong...Never think you know everything. F is Flint and Final assembly may have been there too. Trim 96 is red leather but paint code 283 is not in my 41 master parts book...I'll check other sources.

OK I found it at TCP Global http://images.tcpglobal.com/chips/1940-Chevrolet-pg05.jpg
Glamour gray poly

Seeing your body was built at Flint throws my guesstimate theory out the window unless all 40's were built at Flint and moved to Lansing for 41.
A bulletin I have dated Sept 4,1940 lists Lansing as cabriolet only

I don't know about 1940 but all convertible bodies were made at the Lansing plant and went on to be assembled at the Flint plant. In 1957 some were also assembled in St.Louis also. That is the first deviation I know of.

Hi 41carguy first off thank you so much for all of the data...that's fantastic information. Yes red leather is still on the seat frame, sorta, and the door panel. Glamour gray huh? I'll have to check that out...the current color is very patina'd so it almost looks like it could have been a black or charcoal color at some point but it's 76 years old. I will definitely be reaching out for more information as I begin to tackle it...thank you. Drew

I have a 1942 Cabriolet...fisher body tag also shows L for Lansing plant, the body number is 1802...from what I have read/heard from various sources, there were only 1782 Cabriolets produced that year.
So I have two questions on that...
1) Did they make other bodies(coupes, etc) at Lansing, MI plant, or ONLY cabriolets?
2) On the Fisher body tag, is the body number specific to that body type(cabriolets for example) or is the body number general to sequence of all bodies? For example: Say a fisher body plant's first car was a Fleetline(style 42-1007) and it was body #1, then say the second car they made was a Cabriolet(style 42-1067), would it be body #2(meaning 2nd body made out of that plant), or would it also be body #1(meaning the first cabriolet out of that plant)? Thanks in advance for any/all info!

Any info on last 2 questions?

The body number would be for a specific body type and from that plant. In other words there could be several bodies with #1 for bodies made at several Fisher Body plants. In the case of the 1942 cabroilet only one plant so if your body number is #10 it was the tenth convertible body produced at Lansing.

As always, thanks Gene!