One of most often questions asked in email to me are about VIN numbers and how to decifier them. Lets get one thing out right now and that is that on these trucks they are not called VIN numbers. The governments VIN number idea had not even been formulated at the point that most panel trucks were be built. The numbers that you are reffering to are actually just serial numbers just like you would find on any piece of electronics that you buy today. But like VIN numbers, serial numbers on these a vehicles can tell you a lot about how the truck came equiped from the factory. Things like what model you actually have and what year it was built are encoded in the vin numbers. Now, I will also add at this point a warning that I am by NO means a professional at decoding serial numbers and the information that I have only applies to GMC and Chevy trucks. I do not and will not have any information for cars or for any other make. That information is usually pretty easy to find on the internet in other places and I am posting information on my site that applies to my truck's make and that I have collected for my own purposes and I hope that they can help you out too. Lastly, this information only applies to 1938-1959 and since my truck is a 1953 you can see why it might be limited to those years... and no, I do not know why they changed to this system in 1938 or why they changed away from it in 1960

 

I have some really horrible copies from some old manuals and rather than loose even more information by scanning them and posting them here i will just connect you to the serial number section of Old GMC Trucks.com. The reason for this is because they have permission from GM to post original data and also because they have taken the time to copy them and define everything and I do not want to squate on their site by stealing from them.

 

So click here for examples of what to look for.

 

Now I will cover what I have and hope that it makes sense to you.

 

A good example number to decode is: 101-22P60031

This number breaks down as follows:

10 = 1/2 ton (1000#) load capacity

1 = Short Bed (which is 116" long)

22 = 228 ci straight six cylinder engine

P = Pontiac, MI

The next number that is of importance is the 3, or second to last number which says that the example truck is a 1953

 

 

 

I really do not have much more information that what you have just read...

or skimmed through, but I am happy to do what I can to help you

so you can email me and I will see what I can do.