Frame and body tag numbers, was "Bert, About The FAQ.&q

[Ugg]

Hi Bert:

Where would the body tag be located on a 3/4 ton? I finally found my frame #. It was on the drivers side rail, almost by the bumper (about 6" from it, on the upper part of the rail).

TIA

[Richard]

Do you have a pic of your frame#
I don't find it on my WC53 ?

Richard

[Ugg]

Richard:

Naw, sorry. I had searched like crazy for it too. I was shown pictures both immediately fore & aft of the front axle, both high and low on the frame rail and was also told it may be on the passenger side. I used a wire brush, wire wheel mounted on a drill, a torch and scrapper and finally sandpaper until I found it. If ya use sandpaper, BE CAREFUL!!!! You could sand the #'s off, so use a fine to extra fine grade paper. Also try hand sanding. The #'s are about 1" high, and mine were about 1/2" from the top of the frame rail, on the outside.

Later

[Richard]

Thank's Ugg,

I believed you speak about frame part number and not the serial number

We must find this part number on the middle right rail side= 921609 for WC53.

Richard

[Ray]

Hi again Ugg the holes should be on the pass side A pillar just above the lower hinge ,there is 2 small holes for the body number tag {4249-xxxx ] ther are 2 other holes further up about 3 inches apart ,i am not sure what nomenclature plate goes on here [does any body know?] Regards Ray

[Ugg]

Richard:

Nope, it is a 816#. With that #, I was told that mine came from a group of 450 built under a certain contract. I am going to contact Dodge to see if I can get the build sheet on the Beast, and this way, find out it's serial #, which from my understanding, was issued by the military after they took possession of it.

Ray:

I haven't had a chance to take a look see yet. If memory serves me, it's not there. I DO have all my other tags, the general types, but nothing specific (interior).

Later

[Gordon_M]

I hope the WC53 is doing well....

The FRAME number on all these trucks is in the left front frame rail side, above the left front spring front hanger, in 3/8" characters stamped approximately 1" below the top edge of the rail. I know it is visible because I had to get the police to inspect it before the registration number was issued for it so you should find it.

The chassis PART number is stamped approximately halfway along each chassis rail on the same sort of location - midway between the axles.

On open cab trucks the BODY TAG PLATE tag was under the engine cover on the firewall, on closed cab trucks it was on the right front door hinge pillar, although I think it was missing on our WC 53.

You can get build card with build date and original engine number from Chrysler Historical, and a few of them were ink-stamped with the original USA number too.

It's worth knowing where the chassis part numbers were stamped, as on some truck series the chassis can be virtually identical and subsequent modification can make identification of the original vehicle body type impossible - like distinguishing between half ton Command, Radio, and Carryall chassis for example.

Gordon

[Ugg]

Hey Gordon:

Yep, the Beast is still cooking. Took it for a spin yesterday. I LOVE watching people rubber neck as we drive by. Yeah, that's exactly where I found my frame #'s. I had seen pictures and had been told by others that it was in a different location. I'll check for chassis #'s at another time. I did locate the body tag, and was able to read the #'s off the data plate on the glovebox. I'll be posting them on another thread.

Thanks O Knowledgable One.
Later

[Ugg]

I'm so embarassed. THIS IS THE THREAD.

Okay Bert or Gordon:

I found the body tag. and from reading the FAQ about #'s, the xxyy part is correct, but what do the zzzz #'s stand for? Body Tag # 4249-8681. I also was finally able to read the Data Plate on the glove box. This is what was stamped in;

WC53 ¾ Ton TRUCK............................................................CARRYALL

ORDNANCE DEPARTMENT.....................................................81585775

.................................7550.......................................................1800
.................................1000


The dots are there because that's the only way I was able to space it out. I was not able to read what was printed on the plate.

TIA

[Gordon_M]

The 42 is the model year, 49 for Carryall, and 8681 is the sequential number of the bodyshell.

Trouble is the Master Parts list says they only made 8400 3/4 ton WC 53, so going from that you have the 8681 st of 8400 made....

I'd double check the 8681 part, but wouldn't be that surprised if it was correct as truck production was like that. In the 42 model year they made 700 or so WC 48 4 x 2 trucks and probably a few civilian types as well which might be added into the number. Either way yours has to be one of the last made.

G

[Ugg]

Gordon:

Ah, the mystery sickens, er, thickens. Going by the frame #, I was told that Da Beast came from a contract group of 450. Another tag that I found before (but can't locate now) said it was either the 152nd or 157th built. I DO intend to send away for it's build sheet this week and will let ya all know what (if anything) turns up. How about that 815# on the glove box data plate, what's it supposed to be for? Shouldn't it be the same as the frame #? BTW, the frame # is 81628995.

Thanks Again

[Gordon_M]

that's why I didn't ask you to check the d/o/d on the glovebox plate as it looks to have been swapped.

Ah well.

[Ugg]

Gordon:

Probably the body tag too, as it is mounted with a couple of sheet metal screws, not rivets. Believe me, I was so happy to discover the #'s on the frame. For a time there, I was thinking that the Beast was a truck that was thrown together from pieces laying around. You've heard the old saying, "IGNORANCE IS BLISS", well, it's true.

Da Beast was/is my 1st step into the wonderful world of MV's (other than my time in the service). However, many years ago, I did own a WC 54 for about 2 weeks, and I also almost got a WC 57. We got the Beast as a father/son project as my son is a big WW II buff. Anywho, I really didn't know or understand what we had. Da Beast was bought mainly because of it's looks (like some of my former girlfriends). I knew at the get-go that it wasn't all original, but didn't care, as a museum piece was not the goal.

The more we got into it however, the more dishearten we got, as we discovered many of the parts were from something other than a Carryall. BTW Gordon, your Carryall site was among the 1st I discovered, and really got my son and turned on to the project, and was/is a great source of information. THANKS! The capper was when I got a whole bunch of different parts, and discovered what the stock shocks looked like (Da Beast has tube shocks, and I thought that was the correct shock as they are huge).

Later