So umm wheres my vin number?

I just cleaned up the plate on my drivers side firewall thinking it was a Vin tag and discovered it says serial number instead. Should there also be a vin number? and if so where would it be located? My CJ-5 is a 1961 according to the previous owner. I have no title (CT does not require one for registration prior to 1981)

Thanks

 

Oh my god I hope thats the case! Ive been freaking out for the last two hours wondering if my project CJ will never be able to be registered.

 

My plate says serial number 8305 186023. I read somewhere that the 8305 means CJ5 and the rest of the numbers are the code for year and build. Is this correct? I'm hoping to find a website that will tell me if this is really a 1961. The prev owner did not seem 100% confident.

 

http://www.earlycj5.com/zoomer/Vehicle_Indentification.pdf

65?

 

VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) didn't become a word or phrase in the jeep world until the later 70's. It consists of federally mandated codes to ID the make, model, build location and etc with the tail end of the number being the sequential serial number. During CJ5 production Willys and then Kaiser used short 4 digit codes to identify model/body type as a prefix ahead of the factory serial number until the new federal VIN law came into being. Then they switched to the VIN system which still contains the factory serial number at the end. Most state DMV clerks are too young to recall anything us older folks know as chassis serial or motor number. They were born and raised with the modern VIN. So when you walk in their door and up to their counter start your discussion with them with "I wish to discuss my 195_ or 196_ Willys or Kaiser built jeep which comes only with the factory assigned model and serial number because they were built before the VIN came to be." Most DMV's actually apply a little common sense here and insert the number from your tag in the vin spot and where a minimum number of digits are required they just prefix the necessary number of zero's. Your 61 CJ5 should read 57548-1XXXXX. The link to the PDF file on VIN's is handy but not correct in it's reference to pre 71 VIN's since that term VIN was not use before 71. Pre 71 jeeps use a model identification number separate from the factory's vehicle serial number with an empty space. The thing to remember is the current day VIN numbering system originated in 1971 and has been updated several times.

 

Haha yup it's looking like a 65! Thanks for the link I bookmarked it for further reading. Hopefully I can clean up my paint and trim tag and decode that as well.

 

Thank You wsknettl for the info!

 

And now back to your regularly scheduled thread.

The VIN is also stamped on the top of the frame rails very close to where the shock mount is on the passenger side.

 

I am in New York and have a 63' CJ5. The serial number on the plate mounted to the inside firewall acts as the vin when registering. There is no title in New York for my 63', the registration acts as the title.

On my jeep the serial number on the plate matches the serial number stamped on the frame (on top) by the right passenger tire.

 

pgte3
Thank you for the information. As soon as I get a chance I need to take a look for the serial number on the frame.