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Unfortunately, the serial # plate on my '56 is missing. My title says the VIN is E565003829. The appraiser just told me that is an invalid serial # and that it was probably assigned at a later date. A little research tells me the problem is with the 4th digit - the 5. I think it should be a F or an S? I'm thinking that maybe it was typed in incorrectly - an S looks like a 5.
Does anyone know where I can find the VIN on my frame? Thanks.
Yes, the 5 should be a "S" for Saint Louis. The VIN on the frame is on the top of the side rail, drivers side, about where the center of the "X" is on the "X" crossmember. You have to lift the body or cut a hole in the floor to see it.
I agree, ABSOLUTELY 100%, it should be E56S003829. This means that your car was the 2829th Vette built in 56. The first car started with E56S001001. The ORIGINAL VIN tags were held in place by 2 screws, NOT RIVETS, as many people believe, and were easy to become misplaced. The last 56 built was E56S004467 (3467 built).
DO NOT CUT A HOLE IN FLOOR TO READ FRAME VIN. Get a rag with some solvent on it and clean the top of the frame under the drivers seat area on the out side rail. Picture this . open the door and look down. About where the rectangle plate is located( behind the sill plate) the vin is stamped on top of the frame. With a miror, you can see it lying on your back or with the car on a hoist.
Once the paperwork is complete a vin plate can be attached via DMV or?????
Jim
I don't advise cutting a hole in the floor unless the DMV requires him to. It is a better alternative then lifting the body. The plug can be glassed back in. On my '56 the body sits approxmately 5/32" above the frame rail. It is near impossible to take a mirror and read the VIN. I've heard of some that have carefully raised the body on the one side about 1" so they could read the number, but I would be afraid to try that.
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