C1 61' Frame VIN stamp

[Jim K.]

I'm doing an investigation on my frame VIN stamp on my 61 and have wedged up the floor to do a wire wheel brush and dental mirror search for the numbers. I know where to look and have even found some hints of numbers. What I need to know is how much of the VIN is there? I think it's everything after the "S" but want to be sure. I know it's there twice and that it reads right side up from standing outside the drivers side. The frame is rusty but solid and is somewhat pitted. I'm thinking if I clean it up and can get some flat black paint on it, I should be able to read it better. Like I said I can read some partial numbers with the mirror and some through the drain plug in the floor. Any help with the number of numbers in the string or other help is greatly appreciated. (I did an archive search, got some info but didn't get the answer)
Thanks!!!
Jim

[Daniel Cavendish]

Re: C1 61' Frame VIN stamp

Hi Jim, My 62 has SI and then the last five numbers. Hope this helps

[Daniel Cavendish]

Re: C1 61' Frame VIN stamp

Sorry, make that S and then the last six numbers.

[Dennis C.]

C1 61' Frame VIN stamp

The first number after the S will be a 1 in any case... Good luck trying to read this baby. Some of them are hard to read with the body off when you know what the VIN is...

[Jim D.]

Re: C1 61' Frame VIN stamp

My 1960 has S then 6 digits. Mine has 2 sets of stamped numbers. Each set is perfect and readable. I don't believe Mr. Adams ever found the reason that some were double stamped.

[Ray C.]

Re: C1 61' Frame VIN stamp

Here is a picture of my 61 frame stamp:

Ray

[Jim K.]

Re: C1 61' Frame VIN stamp

You guys are awesome! I think I see a faint 055?? which is a great start. The frame is pitted and I can see it better through the plug hole than the mirror trick, but I did find the spot with the mirror. This is directly over the 3/8" hole in the outside of the frame AND directly inbetween the plug hole and the seat-nut-plate under the floor, I need to find the "S1" and the last two digits and/or the second stampping which I think is toward the front of the car from this one. Thanks a ton boys!!! I'll keep you posted (I'm just really happy that the number is beginning to match what my title says!!!) Jim

[Jim K.]

Re: C1 61' Frame VIN stamp

Well, I found the "S" and the "1" and have it very close as "S1055(0or6or9)(0or6or9)" and will keep working it and keep looking for the second stamp...

[Mike B.]

Re: C1 61' Frame VIN stamp

When I was in the hunt for mine, I found a wipe down with WD-40 after a light sanding helped the contrast a bit. I also tried wiping white chalk from my carpenter's chalk line into the numbers but the oil based penetrant was better. Even with that, one number in the middle was so faint that it could not be seen. But all of the others on either side were perfectly legible.

With the use of a mirror and a light positioned at a certain angle I snapped a few digital photos. Then using Photoshop I flipped the image so that it read from left to right.

Good luck in your hunt.

[John H.]

Re: C1 61' Frame VIN stamp

The VIN derivative was stamped twice on C1/C2 frames because the George T. Schmidt "egg" stamper tool had to pivot twice in order to be re-set to the next sequential number. The second-design Schmidt stamp tool used on C3's changed to a direct vertical imprint instead of the rolling "egg" type, but the double-stamp was continued.