Serial Numbers
Serial Number Decoder (For 1947 - 1955 1st Series Chevy Trucks)
Serial Number Location
The serial number is located on the left (driver's side) front body hinge pillar, except on models with a cowl less windshield, where the serial plate is located on the left hand cowl side inner panel except forward control chassis serial number plates installed by the body builder.
Serial Number Composition
The serial numbers for 1947 through 1955 US made Chevrolet Advance Design trucks are 8 to 12 digits long*. They are comprised of two sections. The first section ends with the last alpha character. It is arranged in one of two distinct formats, depending on the year the truck was built, as explained below. The second section, all numeric, is the plant production number, with the first truck built at a given plant receiving the number 001001.
| Serial Number Order |
1947 - 1952 |
1953 - 1955 |
| First Digit |
Assembly Plant* |
Series |
| Second Digit |
Year (E, F, G, H, J, K)** |
Year (Decade, always 5) |
| Third Digit |
Series* |
Year (3, 4 or 5) |
| Fourth Digit |
Month (A - L for Jan - Dec) |
Assembly Plant |
| Assembly Plant |
1947 - 1952 |
1953 - 1955 |
| Atlanta, GA |
8 |
A |
| Baltimore, MD |
14 |
B |
| Flint, MI |
1 |
F |
| Janesville, WI |
21 |
J |
| Kansas City, MO |
5 |
K |
| Los Angeles, CA |
20 |
L |
| Norwood, OH |
9 |
N |
| Oakland, CA |
6 |
O |
| St. Louis, MO |
3 |
S |
| Tarrytown, NY |
2 |
T |
| Year |
1947 - 1952 |
1953 - 1955 |
| 1947 |
E |
- |
| 1948 |
F |
- |
| 1949 |
G |
- |
| 1950 |
H |
- |
| 1951 |
J |
- |
| 1952 |
K |
- |
| 1953 |
- |
53 |
| 1954 |
- |
54 |
| 1955 |
- |
55 |
| Series |
1947 - 1952 |
1953 - 1955 |
| 1508 |
J |
D |
| 3100 |
P |
H |
| 3600 |
R |
J |
| 3800 |
S |
L |
| 4100 |
J |
N |
| 4400 |
K |
P |
| 6100, 6100S* |
V, VS |
V, SV |
| 6400, 6400S* |
W, WS |
W, SW |
| 6500, 6500S* |
Y, YS |
X, SX |
| Month |
1947 - 1952 |
1953 - 1955 |
| January |
A |
N/A |
| February |
B |
N/A |
| March |
C |
N/A |
| April |
D |
N/A |
| May |
E |
N/A |
| June |
F |
N/A |
| July |
G |
N/A |
| August |
H |
N/A |
| September |
I |
N/A |
| October |
J |
N/A |
| November |
K |
N/A |
| December |
L |
N/A |
* 47-52 serial numbers on 1-1/2 and 2 Ton Heavy Duty Specials may contain an extra S character as part of the Series code. 47-52 Assembly Plant codes may be 1 or 2 characters. 47-52 Plant Production Numbers did not include leading zeros.
** Except 47-52 1-1/2 and 2 Ton Heavy Duty Trucks, which used Q, R, S, T, U, V to designate Year.
*** Partial List. It does not include C.O.E., Forward Control, or School Bus. 47-48 used Thriftmaster or Loadmaster rather than this Series designation or it was not well known, as indicated by a cross reference chart in the 48-51 Chevrolet Truck Shop Manual. The 6500 and 6500S were first listed in 51.
**** At least one document for 47 specifically lists Van Nuys, CA and not Los Angeles as Assembly Plant location 20.
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