I purchased a storage facility this past January and found in a storage unit that was supposed to be vacant, a 1947 Studebaker Land Cruiser in very nice condition. I took a picture of the classic plate to my local police station, but they said that the plate was “dead” but if I brought them the VIN, they might be able to look up the owner. They told me about a dozen places on the car to look for the VIN. Not being a “car guy”, I thought maybe someone here could tell me where I’d find the number. Thanks in advance.
did you try the places the police told you?
As far back as 1954 Studebaker mounted a serial number plate on the left front (driver’s) door post. That’s as early as I have shop manuals. Of course engine serial numbers were used for many years, Willys used the engine number through the 50s. Someone here might have a better answer for you. I am often amazed at what some of these gear heads have laying around their house.
The storage facility should have records of unit rentals for at least five years. They are not allowed to tell you who it was but they can try and contact them. A vehicle this old in most states you can sell it for salvage without proof of ownership.
I own the storage facility (bought it out of bankruptcy in January). That unit was listed as vacant in the paperwork I got with the facility.
Google says
The DATA PLATE for the truck should be on the seat riser on the driver’s side. This is the metal platform under the seat, visible when you open the driver’s door and look straight ahead at the area between the sill and the seat itself.
The BODY TAG is under the hood on the passenger side of the firewall.
Might be fun for you to take a trip to the Studebaker Museum in South Bend, Indiana. They should have a 47 there and would be happy to help you I’m sure or give them a call.
Not knowing what your state regulations are here in OK I would just hold a unit auction and who ever had the high bid had to empty the unit in 48 hours and I would be done with it.
This is off topic but 3 years of managing a storage facility was 4 years too long.
VIN numbers as we know them weren’t used until 1954 and weren’t standardized until 1981 (gosh how time flies). Your '47 won’t have one, although there should be some form of manufacturer’s serialization somewhere on the vehicle.
I just read Bing’s suggestion, and that might be your best source of information.
Know also that you can petition your state to have a VIN number assigned.
Well that answers why they don’t put a slash through the zeros anyway-don’t use letters i, o, and q. Drives me nuts when you don’t know whether its an O or a Zero on model numbers etc.
Go to a Studebaker owners club forum and they’ll be able to tell you all about it.
Studebaker Land Cruisers are passenger cars, their top of the line model…If you know it’s a '47 you must have found some information about the car…The 1948 models were almost identical, very hard to tell them apart…The '47 was the first “all new” post WW-2 era sold . It has some serious collector value today…After you make a good faith effort to locate the owner, (document your efforts) you can claim it was abandoned on your property and apply for a new title in your name…You may charge reasonable storage fees from the day you closed on the storage lot…Towing companies charge $50/day as “reasonable”…
There will be a Studebaker Owners Club / websight and they will know where to find the VIN or other ID number…Search the car carefully for any paperwork…
In the old days, the year was molded into the script on the tail light and turn signal lenses. Don’t know how far back that went but true for at least most 50’s and 60’s cars. Of course now the same parts are used for many years so not likely to find the numbers on the lenses.
I have no idea where the number is located, but before you give up be sure to look
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standing in front of the car, looking through the windshield on either the drivers of passenger side, it may be there on the rim of the dashboard, buy only visible through the windshield;
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same idea, but look through the rear window, both sides;
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in the glove compartment, especially on the reverse side of the glove compartment door;
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open all the doors and for each one, look in both the hinge areas and the lock areas, on both the door and the jams;
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on the underside of the doors too;
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the engine compartment, especially on the underside of the hood or above the wheel areas;
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the trunk, especially on the underside of the trunk lid and the floor of the trunk, you may have to pull up some carpet.
George, you’d be looking on a '47 for something that wasn’t used at all by any manufacturer until '54 and wasn’t standardized until '81.
But if it hasn’t already been assigned a VIN, the state can issue one if you apply.
Speaking of old cars. where’s the guy with the old blue Caddy he was working on. They wouldn’t let him work in the parking lot anymore and he was moving? Haven’t heard from him for a while. And where’s @dagosa been? Pretty quiet without him.
States used the manufactures serial numbers before VINs were in use. The manufactures serial number is on the drivers door post. Some states used the engine number for title/registration use, check both numbers for past records.