Vehicle Identification

Method 1 -- The Body Data Plate

Find the body data plate, it is located in the engine compartment on the passenger side of the firewall. If the plate is intact it will tell you the model of your car or truck. The model and serial number can be used to determine the year.

Method 2 -- Detective Work!

If you do not have a body data plate, you will have to do a bit more detective work. You should collect as much of the following information as possible and then use the web site and any other source you can find to deduce where your car or truck fits.

• engine type and serial number, this is located on a plate, typically on the left side of the engine.
• engine block casting date
• engine head casting date
• engine number of cylinders
• engine - is there an air filter or an oil filter present
• transmission, number of forward speeds
• transmission - is it equipped with "free-wheeling"
• brakes - two wheel or four wheel
• brakes - two or three shoe
• brakes - internal or external
• wheels - wooden, steel or wire
• wheels - number of rear wheels
• wheelbase (center of front axle to center of rear axle measurement)
• radiator badge type (different badges were used in different years)
• number of leaf springs (front and rear)
• length of leaf springs (front and rear)