ClassicCar

joycescheetz

Trying to insure my purchase for its trip up from Kentucky to New York. 1970's Maryland registrations show a 7-digit serial number which is what the seller gave me as VIN. They sent me an e-mail with a picture of the old registrations and the last one that I can not make out completely shows a number starting with H followed by 12 digits...is that the VIN? Need to know asap. thx ~X(

46HudsonPU

Hudson, nor any other older vehicle had 'VIN' numbers. They had/have 'serial numbers'. The serial number is the number that the car is and will be registered under (I am located in Maryland, and have two earlier Hudsons registered/titled in this manner).

The serial number of the car should be located on the right-front door pillar, about level with the top of the glove compartment door. (there are other locations where this can be found, but this is the easiest location to find)

You probably need to speak to a 'collector car' insurance company. They will be familiar with 'serial numbers', and are MUCH less expensive that a conventional auto insurance company. I went thru Hagerty, and had NO problems getting my trucks insured (two separate occasions), and they were fully covered before they were loaded in the transport trucks...

joycescheetz

We have collectors insurance on our 5 others so that is the route we go. How many digits are in the serial number...we still seem to be having confusion on the other end. thx.

That "H" ended up being a drivers license number, I could not make out the description from the pic they sent to me.

46HudsonPU

Ok... First thing is that the 'serial numbers' are all numbers.
The first number should be a 7 (meaning the 7 in 1937), and the second number should represent the series of the vehicle. The remaining numbers (five more, I believe) should represent the sequence numbers of the production - total I believe is seven, however that is all from memory and I do not have a '37 Terraplane.

You can find a lot of this information online, thru Alex Burr's Hudson Literature -
http://www.hetclub.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=98

joycescheetz

Great! That confirms it to my satisfaction. The number is 716...total of seven letters. thanks 46HudsonPU :)>-

hudsontech

Serial numbers in the mid-30's began at 101 and went up from there - ending numbers vary from year to year and should not be used as an indicator of the number of cars produced.
For example in 1937 Model 73 Custom 6 models ran from 101 thru 6913 - this does not necessarily mean there were 6,812 Model 73's produced. These were serial number blocks.

Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

Jon B

Joyce, may I suggest that you contact Robbie Williams who is "Mister '37" in my book? He maintains a list of all existing (and a few "former") 1937 Hudsons and Terraplanes, and their current owners. He would love to know your serial number and add you to his growing list (I'm pretty sure the list is well over 400 at this stage). If your car was previously listed on his registry (by a former owner) he may be able to give you the 'chain of ownership', at least for the last two or three owners. He is a wealth of information on 1937's, and he still has a fair amount of parts he's accumulated from the innumerable '37's he's parted out over the years. A good man to know. He's listed in the National roster you get when you join the H-E-T, and his e-mail address is HETRTerraman@aol.com -- delete the HET from that address before you send your e-mail!

hudsontech

Rick, serial number plate on firewall - didn't go to right hand door post until 1940.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

46HudsonPU

Alex - Guess somebody didn't tell Hudson that... My '39 has it there (showed a fellow chapter member the serial number location on it, this past weekend), and I recall having seen it on a '38...

Trevor J

Hi Alex. The serial no on my 37 Terraplane coupe is on the right hand pillar.
Trevor NZ

hudsontech

Hmmmmmmmmmm.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

joycescheetz

She is not home yet, but here is the pic that got my attention :x

hudsontech

Ok, lets look further into the serial number plate location. The Standard Catalog of Independents says the serial number plate on Terraplanes, 1933-1937, is on the firewall, right side of frame. From 1938 up on the right front door post. For Hudson they get a little complicated, saying for 1935-1936 on dash, right rear frame cross-member. For 1937 on plate on firewall. Starting in 1938 right front door post, exc 112 which is a plate mounted on the firewall.
I checked what owners manuals I have in the online library - 1936 Hudson and Terraplane is given as on dash under hood; 1938 Terraplane on right front door post (assume Hudson likewise.)

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

4Hud

Just to complicate things a little more, the Canadian cars that were assembled in Tilbury,Ontario in this time period had the 3rd number replaced with a "C", after the model designation. eg. 71C### Bob

hudsontech

Even better, Bob - 1935 Canadian numbers started with a "C" - C51### LOL

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

Gary

Alex,
I can confirm that Canadian 1939 112's (mine anyways) has it on the right hand pillar, along with the "C" as mentioned above. It also may have had something on the left side firewall (I think, not being near the car) as there is a dark rectangle of paint that hasn't faded over the years, but no rivet holes.
Gary

Jon B

My '37 has it on the right side door pillar.

Kdancy

The 37 PU I am working on has it on the right side door pillar. The parts PU had it in the same area. Both also had them on the right side frame behind the front tire area, as well as the right rear side of the rear end housing. Seems like they were also stamped into the top of the frame on the right rear.

66patrick66

Vin, serial number, they are for all intents and purposes, "vehicle" numbers. Both ID an automobile or truck. The name change came in the late '60s, but both serve the same purpose.

Alex, my '37 Terraplane model 71 Brougham had the "serial number" tag on the right door post. As did all '37 Hudson/TP vehicles.

hudsontech

'tis a puzzlement, isn't it. Looks like most sources are wrong - I'd love to find a 1937 owners manual and see where that puts the plate. As I said earlier the 1936 owners manual gives it as under the hood.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

hudsontech

Ok, I found a copy of a 1937 Terraplane owners manual - it says the serial number plate is on the right front door post - I stand corrected in my earlier post.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

Browniepetersen

My SN is under the hood on the firewall on the Left Side? But, then my car was built in London, England.

hudsontech

So, Brownie, what you're saying is I was "half-right". I've been half-a, er well, all my life.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

Browniepetersen

Nope Alex, not what I am saying at all. What I am saying is that the Brits did everything on the wrong side--somewhat like their steering wheel?

sidevalve

But this Brit has a car from NC with its steering wheel on the 'right' (left) side (ex-Duke Marley car), although it is on the wrong side here! And my VIN is also on the right-hand door pillar. Actually, bias aside, I have always thought it was more logical to have the steering wheel on the right side, because then you don't have to shift gears and operate the turn signal switch with the same hand (although of course a lot of cars used not to have turn signal switches - but they do now!).

sidevalve

Sorry, what I meant is that you don't have to hold the steering wheel with your left hand while you shift gears - I am right-handed, and I find it much harder to hold the steering wheel with my left hand and shift than vice-versa

sidevalve

Joyce - I like your car. It looks pretty much a carbon copy of mine (pic)

Jon B

Sidevalve, your '37 is a veritable time capsule! I've been aware of this car for decades, starting back in the days when Jim Many owned it. I had the pleasure of driving it just before Duke sold it to you. It's great to have an all-original car in that fine a condition, so that anyone who's restoring a '37 can see just exactly "how it's spose to be". I love the little aftermarket gizmo on the radiator brace rods that holds the hood open -- wish I could find one!

My only regret is that we Yanks have to travel so far, nowadays, to see your car!

Disciplemgaolcom

I have a 1937 Terraplane and my serial number is on the passenger front door post.

joycescheetz

Ahem...back to me...now that I have the car on the trailer and am headed home with her MY answer is, serial number plaque is on passenger door post (period)

46HudsonPU

Joyce - Yup. :)>- ;)

Glad it all worked-out.

joycescheetz

@ sidevalve, just saw your contribution to this post...I aspire to get my new jalopy into half as nice of a condition as yours appears to be ^:)^

I think she is relatively complete, but old restoration needs some freshening up - pretty stripped down model with not a lot of factory options. Still beautiful :x

4Hud

Car looks great. Any more pics you can share with us? Interior etc. Thanks

4Hud

OK. I guess I should have checked the layer post.

joycescheetz

@ sidevalve, I just took a closer look at your pic. I see you have a vase on your dash, was that original to your vehicle, an option - how does it attach, can you post a pic?

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