New to me M54A2, and a few ?'s

[RecMech]

Greetings.. Just picked up an M54A2 and have some ?'s..

1. Trying to find vin/ frame number and have searched for proper location (behind steering box). As shown in pic, I think I am in the right area, but cannot find any numbers.

2. Same area on frame shows a large bracket was removed.. I hope it wasn't important!!

3rd and last.. How do I determine the year of mfg?

Thanks in advance.

 

[NDT]

Welcome to Steelsoldiers. Keep looking around the handle area for the vin, it may be stamped lightly. The missing bracket means you have the steering upgrade. There was a large casting bolted there before. The number on your main data plate looks to be the VIN, more or less. I believe the "51" is the lot number, the "59" is the chassis type, and the rest in the sequential build number for that lot. I don't know when lot 51 was built, but I know lot 54 was built starting in 1965, and 51 would have come before that. This number system is only for Kaiser Jeep. I could be dead wrong about this decode if your truck is a rebuilt gas powered truck, as the VIN is somewhat too long for Kaiser Jeep. International and others built gas trucks starting in 1950. The multifuels came along in the early 1960's. Give the VIN you have to CARNAC's 2014 VIN decode thread and cross your fingers.

 

[11Echo]

Welcome to Steelsoldiers. Keep looking around the handle area for the vin, it may be stamped lightly. The missing bracket means you have the steering upgrade. There was a large casting bolted there before. The number on your main data plate looks to be the VIN, more or less. I believe the "51" is the lot number, the "59" is the chassis type, and the rest in the sequential build number for that lot. I don't know when lot 51 was built, but I know lot 54 was built starting in 1965, and 51 would have come before that. This number system is only for Kaiser Jeep. I could be dead wrong about this decode if your truck is a rebuilt gas powered truck, as the VIN is somewhat too long for Kaiser Jeep. International and others built gas trucks starting in 1950. The multifuels came along in the early 1960's. Give the VIN you have to CARNAC's 2014 VIN decode thread and cross your fingers.

My 1962 5 ton International M51 Continental gasser has a 4 digit serial number.

 

[vtdeucedriver]

sent you a PM
Good looking truck. I'm envious of the later power steering. I have that in my M-62 and its wonderful!!!

 

[TacticalTruck]

Come on Jeff, you know new style steering is not correct for Vietnam....

Amazing to think that truck could have been in service for 50 years.

 

[vtdeucedriver]

Come on Jeff, you know new style steering is not correct for Vietnam....

Amazing to think that truck could have been in service for 50 years.

Well it is a nice feature on the M-62

 

[RecMech]

Thanks for the info.. I am glad it was an upgrade and not something missing! Truck does steer with one finger!

I will do some more digging for the frame number after work. Odometer shows just under 2000 miles? Rebuilt in 1991?

There is also a tag on the windshield.. Auction tag?

 

[Warthog]

The second picture is the location of a 1968 M54A2. The stamping was very light,

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?50797-M52A2-and-M54A2-VIN-Location

 

[Robo McDuff]

I have a VIN with nine numbers, first four, than a space, than 5 more. Starts with 5123 but its mentioned as a 1973 Kaiser Jeep. However, the engine may be from 1965 and was overhauled in 1973, so the entire truck maybe is a lot older than I think. Unless they put an old engine in a new truck (not very likely) or f***ed the first engine within a few months and replaced it with a rebuilt.

My truck did not have a VIN on its frame, the Dutch DoT put it there still using the old numbers.

 

[RecMech]

Got some info from CARNAC:

Organization: HHD, 867TH QUARTERMASTER BATTALION
Location: OMAHA NE
Nomenclature:TRUCK CARGO 5-TON Model:M54
NSN:2320008358348
Serial Number:674
Registration Number:5159866
Year of Mfg:1952
Manufacturer:31007
Info Dec 1981


So I have a 1952 IH M54 that was re-powered and tagged A2 at some point? Not what I expected, but interesting.
Any way to tell the engine year based on data plate?

 

[NDT]

How cool is that. So the 5159866 is the Army registration number that would have been painted on the hood. And the VIN is 674. Glad to learn something new.

 

[k10greene]

How much did one of these trucks cost the government new in 1952? I'm buying one and need to know so the can figure my excise tax.