Other: 1952 Studebaker champion serial number help

[Racingmatt73]

I have a 1952 studebaker champion and I need help decoding the serial number and engine numbers. The serial number is GII20005,and the engine # 12G-C3255.

[rockne10]

Studebaker used Roman numeral I to designate a 1. Your Serial number G1120005 simply indicates it was a Champion (G) assembled in South Bend, IN. The engine number should match the Serial Number on the factory production order. Other than that, more detailed information would be revealed by the body tag located on the cowl in front of the passenger. In 1952 that tag should start with 12G.

[Greenstude]

The serial number is actually G1120005. Studebaker used the letter "I" to represent the number "1". The only code here is that "G" means Champion. Numbers started at G101 in 1939 for cars built in South Bend, and continued consecutively except for small breaks at the start of each model year. Separate serial number ranges were used for cars built in Hamilton and Vernon, with no special code to distinguish the plant. There is a chart in your shop manual and parts books which will show the numbers used at each plant.

12G-C3 255 looks like the number on the tag on the upper firewall on the right (passenger) side of the car. 12G = 1952 Champion. C = 5-passenger coupe. 3 = Deluxe trim level. 255 = the 255th 12G-W3 body shell built. They were not installed on chassis in any particular numerical order. (Thank you, RadioRoy, for correcting the year.)

The engine number on a 6-cylinder is stamped on a boss on the top left side of the engine block near the front. A Champion engine (170 cu.in.) number should consist of 6 or maybe 7 numbers, no letters, with I again representing 1 .

[Racingmatt73]

Studebaker used Roman numeral I to designate a 1. Your Serial number G1120005 simply indicates it was a Champion (G) assembled in South Bend, IN. The engine number should match the Serial Number on the factory production order. Other than that, more detailed information would be revealed by the body tag located on the cowl in front of the passenger. In 1952 that tag should start with 12G.

If "II" represents a "11" then what does "11" mean in the serial number?

[RadioRoy]

[If "II" represents a "11" then what does "11" mean in the serial number? ]

Nothing.

Studebaker serial numbers are not like GM serial numbers, which tell many things about the car.

Studebaker serial numbers are sequential records of the whole car production and go from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. The only thing you can tell from the serial number is the YEAR of production and the factory location (South Bend, Canada, or California).

The engine numbers are similar. They tell the year of production, as well as the displacement of the engine, with certain exceptions, and whether that engine came in a car or a truck originally.

The numbers on the body tag are not serial numbers, but rather the style of the body, the level of the trim, and the relative serial number of that style of body. This is explained in post number 3 above (except that 12G is 1952 Champion, NOT 1953).

If you want to know more about how the car was originally built/configured/painted, you can get a copy of the production order from the Studebaker National Museum, in South Bend, Indiana.