body & door tags

[Kory Fox]

Hi guys. I used to be on the old chat group 6 or 8 years ago I guess. I lurk on here alot. Anyway, I have a 48 Kaiser that I inherited from my grandfather. I got the body work and paint done "professionally" and then started having kids and haven't had money to do anything else. Well to try to make a long story short, my body shop went out of business as my car was being "finished", so I had to scramble to get the car back. I lost my sunviser and a few other things in the process. So, this morning I was reading the thread about car someone just bought and he was trying to figure out info. about it. On the last page of the thread someone posted a couple pictures of interior fabric that looks exactly like mine. So, I went out to get the info. off my tags to see if this is the right material. Low and behold, my tags are gone. The shop must have removed them for painting and never put them back. What can I do?

Kory

[joefrazer]

If you have a title, you can get the serial number from it. Hopefully, you have a photo or other documentation of what was on the data tag (big tag on the firewall). If so, there are companies that can reproduce your missing tag. One used to advertise in the club bulletin and is located in Connecticut. I believe there at least one company other out there.

[Kory Fox]

I have the title. I'll dig that out when I get a chance. I don't however have any pictures of either tags that I know of. All I remember is that the car was a special, not deluxe and the exterior color was something beige. I know the trans. is manual. I don't believe it was overdrive. Engine of course was flat 6. For some reason the number 281 sticks out as having something to do with the interior or maybe that was the exterior color code.

Kory

[superk226]

Paint code 281 is sportsman beige.

[Gordie]

Depending on your state some cars were registered by the motor number and some by the serial number.  California registered everything by the motor numbers until 1955 when they switched to serial numbers.  Old Fords always had a serial number on the frame and the motor number which was the same was out of sight on the transmission bellhousing.  The motors actually had no serial numbers.  I have a '48 Frazer that had no title but I had a title for a car whose engine I removed and put in the 48 Frazer.  I have an instant title for the car whose title was missing as it was registered by the motor number.  Your state will also issue you an assigned number and install a new serial number plate on your car.  Not great for judging but it takes care of the legalities.

[Kory Fox]

281 must have been right because sportsman beige was the right color. I live in Virginia, but my grandfather lived in Iowa, so I registered the car here when I brought it here. I have no idea how it was done. I'll have to dig the title out and see. I'm not concerned with judging. I want to make the car as close to original as I can, but I intend to drive it, not show it. I may take to a local show now and then for fun, but I'm not looking for points or trophies.

Kory

[Gordie]

If you're lucky your car may be registered to the motor number.  If so all you need to do is clean the number off and make it visable and if you ever get stopped your motor number will match your title. and registration.  Good luck!

[R-Sargent]

Was the car ever recorded on the clubs on-line registry ?   if so there would be your numbers you need.

[pnw_oldmags]

Online Club Registry
http://www.eskimo.com/~hhagen/reg/reg.htm

[Kory Fox]

I got the title out. The VIN is 082236. There is another number, I'm not sure what it is but it reads 671   067112. Then there's a title number but I don't think that has anything to do with the car.

I don't believe that the car is in the online registry.

Kory

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

Of course, if your engine number does not match the VIN on the title then it was the door post tag.

You had the 122 Trim on this car (the only trim available in 1948 with Sportsman Beige non-metallic) Which covered Green sidewall & Rosetone Beige cloth with Sandtone Beige plastics and Cloud Taupe Beige interior trim paintwork.  There is no indication of any wheel stripe color for Kaisers painted in Sportsman Beige non-metallic on any of the factory stuff I have at present.

What about using a body tag (paint, trim, etc) off a parts car?  Outside of the different body number, the other information would most likely be identical if the paint and trim numbers are correct.

[Kory Fox]

Using the tags off a parts car is one thing I had thought of. I imagine I'll spend quite a bit of time looking for the right car though.

Kory

[Kaiser Ranchero]

Kory
I have a 48 Frazer parts car if the tags are the same.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

Only Kaiser tags work with a Kaiser.

[pnw_oldmags]

By looking at the Body, Data & Door Tags ... how do you tell whether the 54 Kaiser is a Late or Early 1954 Kaiser???