Vin help needed

[House6850]

Good afternoon,

I recently purchased what I believe to be a 1956 Dodge Power Wagon, the company I purchased it from has not located title yet but did give me a bill of sale and promising a title when corporate locates it. I cannot find the Vin number on the left front frame rail as there was once a plow mount on it and the metal is kinda pitted. The engine tag number is T137104778, it has a Cab tag of L-10508 and has the distinctions of a 1956 along with the engine number close to the 1957 model break. It has the pressed boxed sides, 3 stake pockets on each side with the flat box top and rounded edge, single speedo black faced with the other gauges in center of dash all of which black faced, it also has Factory heater, deluxe cab The truck is all original with 6823 original miles on working speedo, this was owned by a large company and was considered a fire pick up. It has never been dismantled or cab or engines swapped. It been in the same owner since new up until a merger of which it was moved to another division. From what I understand it's never been on a public road or plated and never been in salt.

Please let me in on any other locations to look for a Vin number or an historical archive to call upon.

Thanks in advance.

[John Waak]

Well, this sounds like an exciting purchase. Congratulations!
You apparently have already researched your truck from the body style, and '56-'57 would be likely assuming it has the 230 c.i. six cylinder engine. The 57 truck used a horn button that displayed the Dodge logo, rather than plain black plastic. Apart from the left front frame rail, the only other location for the serial number would be the identification tag. That tag should be on the driver's side door jamb, up front by the hinges. You have found the body tag, the identification tag would have been attached just above it. Strange if it is not there, as it is usually the body tag that goes missing.

Perhaps with very gentle, non-destructive cleaning on the left front frame rail, you can discern the remnants of a stamped number. Use a magnifying glass and a light. Angle the light. perhaps you can find even a shadow of a number. Others may have other suggestions. It seems I have heard of chemicals that can be used to reveal removed stampings in the case of stolen and altered vehicles.

If you haven't already been to the T137 site, it is your best resource for learning about identification numbers and stampings.

Hope to see some pictures.http://www.t137.com/registry/help/help.htm

[House6850]

Picture of Steering Wheel

Here is a picture of the steering wheel.

[John Waak]

Sweet! We'll see if others more knowledgable than me weigh in. But I think that horn button was exclusive to the 1957 model year Power Wagon. If so, then your truck would be a K6-W300. The T137 site should help you find the beginning and ending serial numbers within which you truck would be numbered. A title would really be a help!

[Greg Coffin]

My 1962 WM300 had the same horn button on it when I got it. Was it original or a transplant, I don't know.

Please post more pictures of the truck, it sounds like a real find.

[House6850]

Vin help needed

So after a little more reading the T137 Website I have now determined it's at least a 1957 truck. The body tag is on cowl under passenger side hood flap and begins with a "L" from what I'm reading that means it should be at least a 1957 model with it in this location and the "L" signifies that it was a light duty truck meaning 1-Ton or less. Also mine has the Off White amp bezel around center gauges which I believe is a sign of 1957 or newer. It has the Synchro mesh trans as the shifter is all the way up the floor pan closest to the firewall and not centered in the cover. When I get back out to truck I will look at the rim stampings for date codes and look under to identify transmission and transfer case. As far as the frame up front has anyone seen any other numbers stamped in frame anywhere else? The body on this truck is totally rust free with only one small hole the size of a dime on drivers side where the removable floor panel is located. It has some paint flaking in a couple other areas where the panels were but nothing going through. Original doors, rockers and cab corners look good as new. Looking forward to Sharing pictures soon and getting to work on it.

I will get some pictures on here soon.