Have i decoded this VIN correctly????

[Bextreme04]

So, I have a plan. Kind of.

I have spoken to a highly regarded UK based American vehicle club who also know the ins and outs of our DVLA (vehicle registration) system.

Their members are regarded as an official reference to age and identify imported and restored vehicles.

Through their members and the vehicles they own they are fairly sure the can compare this vehicle i am interested in, confirm its identity which i hope to be a factory K10 chassis rebodied with a C10 cab.

Once confirmed they can provide documentation I can use to update the vehicle documents and use to prove all the changes are inline with all regulations and standards.

It’s a bit of a long winded process given the vehicle has been in the UK since 1985 with no issues but due to changes in enforcement and regulation in recent decades i feel a necessary step to prove the authenticity of the vehicle.

Really appreciate all the help and info everyone on the forum has provided so far.

Should I strike a deal and buy it this forum and its members will be an invaluable source of information to help me get it up and running.

I’ll update once / if things move along.

Regards
Jordi

On my 1980 K25, the frame stamping is visible by looking straight down between the cab and bed on the passenger side.

 

[Jordi]

On my 1980 K25, the frame stamping is visible by looking straight down between the cab and bed on the passenger side.

I’m going over this weekend to hopefully get the frame number, engine and axle numbers and a bucket load of pictures of all over everywhere, under, inside, front to back, left to right, top to bottom.

That will all hopefully be enough for them to compare and verify remotely.

 

[AuroraGirl]

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here are two prior-to-1981 17 digit vins that are stamped on the frame rail. notice this is the top of the c channel

 

[Bextreme04]

I’m going over this weekend to hopefully get the frame number, engine and axle numbers and a bucket load of pictures of all over everywhere, under, inside, front to back, left to right, top to bottom.

That will all hopefully be enough for them to compare and verify remotely.

The only difference between 2wd and 4wd frame is the engine cradle and front spring mounts, so make sure you take really good pics of that whole area. You'll be able to tell real quick if it is an original 2wd frame converted to 4wd or if it is an original 4wd frame just from how the spring mounts are attached to the frame and what all of that looks like.

 

[Jordi]

The only difference between 2wd and 4wd frame is the engine cradle and front spring mounts, so make sure you take really good pics of that whole area. You'll be able to tell real quick if it is an original 2wd frame converted to 4wd or if it is an original 4wd frame just from how the spring mounts are attached to the frame and what all of that looks like.

Once i have all the pics i’ll post and get more guidance.

 

[Old Guy Bill]

Post a photo if it is convenient.

I used to be the foreman on the line where they were stamped.

I think you'll find the VIN is on top and there are supplier marks, date codes and part number on the side.

K

Yes, you are right, I was incorrect.
I looked at the frame today, its stamped twice on the top passenger side rail, about two feet apart along the fuel tank area.

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[Keith Seymore]

Beautiful photo. Thanks for posting.

Must be a Chevy nameplated '78 built in Flint.

K

 

[Keith Seymore]

This might be a good time to describe how the VINs were stamped in the factory. As I mentioned, I (briefly) ran the area on the Chassis Line - I think as a summer student.

The VIN stamper is a large hydraulic "press" hanging from a tool rail and with the weight offset by a "balancer" (imagine a Harley-Davidson hanging from the ceiling that you are supposed to maneuver into position and press a button). The fixture has a little "hook" so you can grab under that top flange of the frame rail and then the hydraulics "press" the letters into the steel.

It is supposed to index to the next digit automatically -but - if you mis hit or get out of sequence for some reason then you have to make a repair. Chevy and GMC can have different VIN sequence numbers, requiring different stampers hanging there, so if the operator stamps a Chevy VIN on a GMC, for example, then not only is that particular truck wrong but you are out of sequence on every truck after that.

The assembly line repair person and/or the "quality man" (the foreman's right hand man) follow the vehicles down the line with an "X" stamp and a 5 lb hammer and correct the VIN sequence number as required.

Usually it's not just one truck. It normally takes several trucks before somebody notices, so you'll have five or six trucks that have to be fixed - all without the line stopping - so it's quite a scramble for a few minutes while you figure out what went wrong and what has to happen to make it right. You pray nothing else goes to crap while you've got your two best guys otherwise unavailable.

It is a Federal requirement that the VIN is correct, and we put a lot of effort into making sure that was the case. A few years ago I would have sworn that none got out but I have seen so many in the hobby now that obviously that is not the case.

I'm a "never say never" kind of guy but I share this to demonstrate how, by knowing the process, one can determine that putting the VIN on the side of the rail is very, very unlikely (at least in Flint).

K

 

[Keith Seymore]

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here are two prior-to-1981 17 digit vins that are stamped on the frame rail. notice this is the top of the c channel

Your photos are nice, too!

 

[Jordi]

TBH, i just wanna get home. Get pics and get everyones opinion on if its an original chassis.

The joys a being a “long distance” truck driver. I say “long distance” because the miles we can do are nothing compared to in America.

Photos I have so far, courtesy of my wife.

Quite hard to get a decent photo as its quite close to a wall and has shelving, boxes and pallets stacked around it.

 

[Jordi]

Hoping pics of the spring mounts will help someone confirm what it is.

 

[Jordi]

More random pics.

 

[RaisedK5]

Not sure about where all the parts came from but that appears to be a factory 4-wheel drive frame.

It also appears that you have a Dana 60 one ton front end and a 14-bolt one ton rear end. Great combo of parts. But I think its safe to say you have a Frankentruck. I hope you can get it all documented and have fun driving it.

 

[Jordi]

Not sure about where all the parts came from but that appears to be a factory 4-wheel drive frame.

It also appears that you have a Dana 60 one ton front end and a 14-bolt one ton rear end. Great combo of parts. But I think its safe to say you have a Frankentruck. I hope you can get it all documented and have fun driving it.

The axles did confuse me, especially having the 8 stud hubs.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

The axles did confuse me, especially having the 8 stud hubs.

I'd be concerned about the crack in the cab near the corner of the rear window. Might be Bondo or rust under that paint; paint can crack from extreme temperature shifts too.