Hi Ralph

Your serial number (VIN) should begin with a number which designates the factory the car was built in.

In your case it will be a 1, which stands for the Flint factory.

JA is a 1939 Master Deluxe and 01 should mean it was built in January.

And yes, I believe the upper case i (I) was used as a 1 in serial numbers at that time.

If I'm wrong on that last point, someone please correct me.

This information can be found here:

https://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/chevyresto/3913.htm

and here:

https://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/parts/1929_41/41cpi03.html

Hope that's what you need.  🙂

PS

I had a similar problem with my truck.

It had been titled as SDRJxxxx when in fact it is, and had to be changed to, 5DRJxxxx.

@ole-olson I think you're spot on. It's definitely meant to be 1 for Flint production. The problem is I now have a VIN or serial number conflict with DMV in Florida. My FL title copied my VA title when I moved here which reflected the first digit as a letter I and my insurance card from Hagerty reflects it as a number 1.

Self inflicted wound I suppose since I gave the serial number with a 1 to Hagerty. A quick review of my previous JC Taylor policy shows the letter I. So now it seems the easiest solution would be to have Hagerty change their record to match my title.

Thanks for the links!

I wont comment on the US method but here in Aus the rules are the the letters I, O and a few others are not to be used in any vin or serial numbers. If there is any of these it is to be read as a numeral not a letter but I have recently come across a few occassions where this hasnt happened.

Tony 

I believe Florida DMV has a typo they need to correct. Chevy used a capitol I for stampings on the engine (witness the stamped number on my engine shown below) however I believe they used the numerical 1 as a 1 on the data plate (witness the OEM data plate off of my 38 shown below). If the 39 lexicon was the same as the 38, the unit serial number, used as your VIN should have a numerical 1 instead of the capitol letter I. You can show them printed copies of the links Ole posted to help clarify it.

@anthony-williamson Hi Tony, It's actually the same here now. Here's what Google AI reveals:

Then, in 1981, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) standardized the format. It required that all on-road vehicles contain a 17-character VIN, which does not include the letters O, I, and Q to avoid confusion with numerals 0, 1, and 9.

@tiny Morning Tiny, No doubt you're right and DMV should correct it. I remember when I bought this 39 in 2003 from Indiana, the title reflected the letter i. I tried to get Virginia to use a 1, but they refused because I'm rather certain the original serial number plate showed an i. I should have told them Chevy used a Roman Numeral to avoid confusion with the letter i and the number 1!

Wish I could find my original serial number plate. When I did the reproduction plate, I had them stamp it as a 1 to try and avoid this confusion. However, the DMVs just kept copying the VIN from the previous title when I moved around (IN-VA-PA-VA-FL) as well as JC Taylor insurance - until now. Hagerty accepted the 1. Although Hagerty said sometime about some value database reflecting it as a letter i. I need to check with them on that. I'll take a photo of the repro plate with me when I go to DMV today and try my Roman Numeral theory.

Like yours, my engine number also has an i instead of a 1 as depicted in this photo - 22I0679

The OEM data plate would solve the mystery for sure. Good luck.

Wish I could find it. No doubt it will show up next week! As Paul Harvey used to say, "And now the rest of the story."

Talked with Hagerty today. They say the car shows in the serial number database they use when they input the first character as a 1. Nothing shows if they use an i. Then went to my local county DMV. They said the person verifying the serial number when I moved to FL four years ago made a mistake. Although they are required to use the VIN from the previous title, the clerk should have corrected it to a 1 because the VIN plate on the car takes priority. My reproduction VIN plate clearly shows a 1.

Now I have to go to the regional DMV tomorrow to have the title corrected because the local county can't do it. So, a 20+ year issue should finally get resolved, fingers crossed. All that said, I'm still rather certain my original plate had an i for the 1, just like our engine serial numbers.

Cheers!

I posted the wrong photo - nothing was clear in it. This one is better.

FWIW I keep my original data plate in my glove box. If a LEO sometime wants to be anal about the fact the data plate on the car isn't the one it was "born" with I'll at least have it in my possession.

That's exactly what I need to do - once I find it. I was hoping I had done that already when I checked earlier today. Now that I'm getting active again, I'll try and get reorganized since moving from VA to FL. I'm sure the envelope is in a 'car box' somewhere in the garage. I used to be quite active in the old VCCAChat site. Yesterday was my first time back in the forum. Thanks and take care!

Posted by: @ralph-l-lankford

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 I used to be quite active in the old VCCAChat site. Yesterday was my first time back in the forum. Thanks and take care!

I'm happy that you made the move over! It's a benefit to all of us. What was your user name on the old site?

@tiny My user name was RalphL. I was looking in my profile to see how to change from my full name here on the new forum, but I couldn't figure it out.

Yahoo!! I just found my original ID plate in a protective sleeve with some car papers and literature in the trunk.

Well, @tiny you were right - it clearly shows a 1, not an i. Makes me wonder how it got confused in the first place when the former owners titled the car during the 1980s in Indiana.

I think I'll put it back on the car as I head up the the regional DMV office this morning for a VIN inspection. It's about a 120 miles round trip - good opportunity to burn out some carbon. Cheers!