vin number location

[oldguy51]

Hello,
Looking at buying a 2R5 truck. The identification plate normally located on driver side running board / kick plate area, is not there. Were on this truck might I find a vin number or registration number, so the seller can put it on the bill of sale, should I buy it.
Trying to ensure , I am not buying a stolen .
thxs
David

[62champ]

Unfortunately - that plate is all trucks were equipped with to serial number the vehicle. Some places used the engine number as its serial but that has its own problems. Good luck

[StudeRich]

On the Rear Left Door Post there is usually a Body Info Plate, it MAY have a Truck Serial Number, but most likely only a Cab Number not used for registration.
Unlike Cars, Trucks do not have a "Secret" Serial Number on the Frame, so older paperwork, Registration Cards with a matching Lic. Plate Number to the Lic. Plate on the Truck could be your Only clue to it's real Serial Number.

I guess you never know for sure, but Old Stude. Trucks are rarely stolen, just get a Providence Registration VIN Number from your Motor Vehicle Dept. if all else fails.

[Skip Lackie]

As stated, there are no secret serial numbers on Studebaker trucks. This issue is discussed on the Stude truck history here: A-Brief-History-of-Studebaker-Trucks.pdf (studebakerdriversclub.com)

If the engine is original, a 2R5 truck would have a Champion 6 engine with an engine serial number starting with 1R or H1R (Canada). The Studebaker National Museum can provide a production order some trucks, and might be able to work backwards from the engine number to the original vehicle serial number. They would charge for this service.

If the engine for this truck has been changed, you are looking at a vehicle whose ID cannot be validated. At that point, it would depend on the laws in Ontario.

[Greenstude]

If the truck carries a license plate, does the current owner have a registration that matches it?

If not, has the current owner insured the truck in recent years? Perhaps he could get the serial number from the insurance company. I assume they keep records for a while even after insurance is terminated.

If you had the serial number, you might be able to get a production order from Studebaker National Museum if it is a U.S. built truck. I don't think they have Canadian records that far back. (A Canadian truck would have a serial starting HR5.) (The 1949 2R5 which I once owned, and now may be in Napanee ON, was HR5-719.)

Without the serial number plate on the truck, you will not be able to prove the documentation actually belongs to that vehicle. It may be necessary to find if you can swear a legal affidavit at Service Ontario taking personal responsibility for the legitimacy and accuracy of the registration. If so, what evidence is required to have the Province issue a serial number? This certainly was possible at one time in some provinces, however I do not know if it still applies. Good luck!!

[altair]

Here in B.C. all vintage cars were registered in a separate file then the Motor Vehicle Branch discontinued the vintage file and assigned a registration number for all vehicles in one file. My 54 was originally registered using the engine number but that was discontinued and replaced with a seven digit number.