Where Are My Buick Numbers Located?

FRAME & SERIAL NUMBERS

1904 - 1913 - Located in various places. Usually stamped directly into the frame or on a tag attached to the frame.

1914 - 1918 - Stamped on an oval plate attached to the chassis under the left headlight.

1919 - 1922 - Stamped on an oval plate attached to the left rear side of the chassis by the gas tank.

1923 - 1925 - Stamped on a plate attached to the chassis in back of the left front wheel.

1926 - 1931 - All except 1930 Marquette are located under the right front fender.  1930 Marquette is stamped on a plate attached to the frame under the left front fender.

1932 - 1935 - Stamped on a plate attached to the frame under the right front fender.

1936 - 1937 - Stamped on a plate attached to the right frame side rail, located under the right front fender and behind the wheel.

1938 - 1939 - Stamped on a plate attached to the top of the right frame side rail, and located ahead of the front body bracket.

1940 - Stamped on a plate attached to the right frame side rail, and located just ahead of the fire wall.

1941 - 1948 - Stamped on a plate attached to the upper right side of the fire wall. 1948 vehicles will also have the serial number stamped on a plate attached to the left front door pillar.

1949 - At the start of 1949 production, the serial number was stamped on a plate attached to the left front door pillar and on a second plate located on the upper right side of the fire wall. After the following break points the serial number was also stamped into the top surface of the left front frame extension immediately behind the brake master cylinder and near the firewall. Flint, Michigan-15143558; South Gate, California-25150454; Linden, New Jersey-35102400; Kansas City, Kansas-45164190; Wilmington, Delaware-55113800; Atlanta, Georgia-65173901; Framingham, Mass.-75119885.

At an undetermined point in the 1949 model year, the serial number plate attached to the upper right side of the firewall was discontinued and only the plate attached to the left front door pillar and the stamping on the frame extension were continued in production. Click here to view a photo that shows the location.

1950 - Stamped on a plate attached to the left front door pillar. The number is also stamped near the front of the left frame side rail, or on the left frame cross member extension.

1951 - Stamped on a plate attached to the left front door pillar. The number is also stamped near the front of the left frame side rail.

1952 - 1953 - Stamped on a plate attached to the left front door pillar. The number is also stamped on the left frame side rail near the master cylinder.

1954 - 1956 - Stamped on a plate attached to the left front door pillar.

1957 - 1965 - Stamped on a plate attached to the left front door pillar. The number is also stamped on the engine block, just ahead of the left push rod cover. (1957 was the first year that vehicle serial and engine numbers were identical.)

ENGINE NUMBERS

(Note: Do not confuse a casting number, which is cast into the engine block during production, for an engine number. Look for a number which has been die-stamped onto a machined pad or tag.)

1904 - 1913 - Stamped in various places on the engine. Two cylinder engine numbers are often stamped on the flywheel, four cylinder engine numbers are often stamped on the left rear motor mount.

1914 - 1922 - Four cylinder engine - die-stamped on a plate on the upper left side of the engine between the number one and number two cylinders.

1914 - 1922 Six cylinder engine - die-stamped on the upper left side of the engine at the number one cylinder.

1923 - 1925 - Stamped on the upper left side of the engine near the carburetor.

1926 - 1928 - Stamped on the upper left side of the engine in front of the rear breather tube.

1929 - Stamped on the right upper rear side of the engine to the rear of the starter motor.

1930 - All except Marquette are stamped on the right rear side of the upper crankcase at the rear of the starter motor. 1930 Marquette is stamped on a boss on the cylinder block located at the upper left front corner.

1931 - Stamped on the upper right side of the engine above the oil filter.

1932 - 1933 - Stamped on the upper right side of the engine above the rear push rod cover on 50 series, above the front push rod cover on 60-80-90 series.

1934 - 1935 - Stamped on the upper right side of the engine above the front push rod cover on 50-60-90 series, below the front push rod cover on 40 series.

1936 - Stamped on a pad on the right side of the engine at the front push rod cover for all series.

1937 - 1938 - Stamped on a pad on the right rear side of the engine, below and to the rear of the push rod cover.

1939 - Stamped on a raised boss on the right side of the engine below the push rod cover. The number is located near the front of the engine on 40 series, near the rear on 60-80-90 series.

1940 - Stamped on a raised boss on the right side of the engine below the push rod cover. The number is located near the front on 40 & 50 series, near the rear on 60-70-80-90 series.

1941 - Stamped on a raised boss on the right side of the engine below the push rod cover. The number is located near the front of the engine near the crankcase ventilator outlet on 40A, 40, & 50 series, near the rear of the engine below the push rod cover on 60-70-90 series.

1942 - Stamped on a raised boss on the right side of the engine below the push rod cover. The number is located near the front of the engine near the crankcase ventilator outlet on 40, 40A, 40B & 50 series, near the rear of the engine below the push rod cover on 60, 70 & 90 series.

1946 - 1947 - Stamped on a raised boss on the right side of the engine below the push rod cover. The number is located near the front of the engine on 40 & 50 series, near the rear on 70 series.

1948 - Stamped on a raised boss on the right side of the engine below the push rod cover. The number is located to the front of the distributor on 40 & 50 series, near the rear of the engine on 70 series.

1949 - 1952 - Stamped on a raised boss on the right side of the engine below the push rod cover. The number is located near the front of the motor - ahead of the distributor on 40 & 50 series, near the rear of the engine on 70 series.

1953 - 40 series - (Straight-eight) Stamped on a raised boss located on the right side of the engine between the ignition coil and the distributor.

1953 - 50 & 70 series (V-8) stamped on the top outer edge of the left cylinder bank, between the middle branches of the exhaust manifold.

1954 - 1956 - Stamped on a machined surface on the top outer edge of the left cylinder bank, between the middle branches of the exhaust manifold.

1957 - 1965 - (4400 - 4600 - 4700 - 4800) Stamped on the left side of the engine block with the number facing forward so that it is readable to a person standing in front of the vehicle. (1957 was the first year that vehicle serial and engine numbers were identical.)

1961- 1965 (4000 - 4100 - 4300) Stamped on the crankcase at the front end of the block just forward of the right cylinder head. The engine number is readable to a person standing in front of the vehicle.

BUICK BODY DATA

Fisher Body data plates were first attached to Buick firewalls beginning with vehicles produced in January of 1926. Data plates are always located on the firewall.

Some early wooden car bodies used by Buick had the body numbers die-cut into the wood sill, just inside the right front door.

From approximately 1910 through the 1932 model year, a series of open car bodies were produced for Buick by the Stewart Body Company which was located right on the Buick plant complex in Flint. Body numbers on some of these vehicles can often be found die-cut into the wooden body sills or stamped in the wood support frame for the front seat. The numbers may also be located on an aluminum plate located on the front seat frame. The seat cushion must be raised to read the number.

From the mid 1920s through the 1932 model year, Stewart body information can often be found stamped on a plate attached to the firewall. These plates were identified only as "Buick Motor Company." The Stewart Body Company name will not appear on the plate.

The various companies producing Estate Wagon bodies for Buick from 1940-1964, also attached body plates to the fire wall.