vin number?

[phoenix]

I just picked up an M715 with a goofy vin number. Instead of having the vin number on the dash data plate, this truck has an aluminum plate mounted by the drivers side door hinges. The vin is 3406X 50194

The aluminum plate is embossed with Kaiser Jeep and is original. I was under the impression that all of the trucks had the numbers on the dash.


Any thoughts?........















Any good thoughts?.........

[randyscycle]

Somebody in the past added a civvy VIN plate to the doorjamb, probably.

[brute4c]

Maybe the door was from a civvy vehicle and modified to fit in the M715 for a repair?

There were a few that were sold in the early 70's off dealer lot to the public...not many...but maybe they added such a plate...cant say for sure...


Check the frame locations and see what you find...heres a thread to show you where to look for the stamped numbers:

Frame rail serial number stamping locations

[phoenix]

I have not looked at the truck too much since it was raining, but it is blue and has the OD interior. I was thinking maybe an air force truck? It has all the dash plates except the one that has the VIN on it. The aluminum vin plate is on the cab not on the door itself. It is mounted between the hinges.

There is some stickers on the tailgate that reads U.S. in yellow I think. Not sure if there is anything else on it. I cant really say for sure if this was originally blue or painted afterward. It has the fiberglass top, has 11,000 miles on it and already the engine has been rebuilt. It has the typical pin holes in the gas tank and no brakes syndrome. floors look ok, a little thin behind the seats, rocker panels are rusted. Non winch truck with NDTs still on it. This truck has the older style air filter for the engine with the older style blinker box that looks like the one that I had on my 67. I noticed that the valve cover is black on this one and was green on my 67. Not sure if that is somehow year specific.

I looked where the vin plate should be on the dash, and if you look at the four holes that would normally have the rivets in them to hold the plate on don't even look as if they have ever been used. there is still paint in the rivet holes.

From what I know, some of these trucks were starting to leave military service around 1978. If this is the case and the military took off the VIN plate to sell it, then it could not have had a "kaiser Jeep" vin plate on it since Kaiser was no longer in business. In fact, AMC bought Jeep in the early 70's if I remember right.

My camera is not currently working, but I should post some pics eventually. I was originally just looking for a plow for my M715 and looked over to see this truck with a plow on it already for a very good price. basically I got a good deal on a plow and got the truck for free.

[phil]

I also have the same data plate;the data correspond to those of the dashboard but not the chassis number.
I guess this is a new cabin ?
I'll send pictures

Phil

[brute4c]

There were some that were sold off dealer lots in the early 70's and that could account for this...seems the dash late would have been put on at the Jeep factory so it seems lke they all would have had that...unless...if at the end of production, the militay had received all of theirs and the factory knew whatever remained was going civilian then they may very well have put the door jam style plate on them as the end user was to be from the civilian market and not the military...

Guess, but makes sense...

I still would try to find the frame vin...if my theory is even close, the frame vin number would be a high one from the very end of production.

[randyscycle]

If I remember correctly (I'll have a look later) all of the 715 cabs have two small holes in the door jamb on the "A" pillar for the civvy VIN tag to rivet to on the J truck application.

Most likely, someone used a VIN plate from a civvy J truck to get around the lack of any paperwork when they titled it. Just a guess, but I figure that is the most likely explanation. I'd think that any trucks actually sold through dealerships would have still used the regular data plates and numbers, as that is what they were issued with.

[Duane]

Do we know of any of those new M715's that were sold at dealerships and not used by the military, By the 70's you couldnt have removable vins, they were riveted to the vehicle, maybe to sell these new to the public this was something that was done. it would be nice to find someone that has a never used by the military m715 to verify this.

Duane

[phil]

Hello,
a picture of the plate

On the dash plate, serial n° is the same (33209) but on the chassis, the n° is 23812.
On the dash plate, the date is 12-68.
So, I think the cabin is a new one with data plates of another m715.
Could you tell me when was produced the chassis 23812 ?
Phil

[Duane]

thats looks like something that had to be done to get a legit titile, the date on the tag 10/8/82 seems like that when it was put on, maybe when it went from the govt, to civilian hands. in NJ if you go for a reconstruction title, the state police issues something like that after they inspect the vehicle. RTI on the bottom may stand for re title inspection or soemthing like that

Duane