We're trying to find out where our 1955 Chev Pick up truck was manufactured, the first number in the VIN is a 5.

The VIN does not designate transmission type. You will need to get the information off of the transmission itself.

Dear Kendrick,
You have it backwards.
The manufacturers production number is "inside" the VIN number. The manufacturers number will be, (for example), the last six numbers of the VIN number.
Sorry.

Its probably ok but I would recommend 10w30 for anything with more than 100,000 miles on the odometer.
Also, 5w30 works better in colder temps, the first number is the "cold thickness" and the second number is the "hot thickness". The bigger the number the thicker the oil in basic terms.

Ford moved the "vin tag" around a lot in the 50-60s from door posts, door edge and glove box doors. I'm am not sure exactly when but by the late 50' and 60's ford also stamped the vin number on the frame. They were located on the passenger side about mid engine on the top of the frame rail and also on top of the frame on the same side underneath the cab. This was the secret vin that police and insurance companies looked for on stolen cars as they were not listed in the owners manual or common repair manuals. The one under the cab can be seen with a mirror but is not where it could be filled off or rest amped without removing the cab from the frame. I have restored a 58, 61,65 and 66 ford pickups and all of them had the vin on the frames. I have run across lots of trucks where they simply moves the glove box door or swapped doors to change the vin on a Ford truck or moved the metal I'd tag but it is seldom they remember the frame stamping of the vin. They also all had a star at the beginning and end of the stamping.

try adding some valve & lifter top oil to your oil.
If you ever take the oil pan off, remove the oil pump pickup screen and clean it. You can also try a lighter weight oil.
If you take the VIN number to your chev dealer parts dept they can tell you which transmission you have....for free.

selonoid problems most likely on chev.hot start problems since 1955.you can install external starter seloind to correct problem or try and insulate seloind

How to read a VIN
1st character- Identifies the country in which the vehicle was manufactured.
For example: U.S.A.(1or 4), Canada(2), Mexico(3), Japan(J), Korea(K), England(S), Germany(W), Italy(Z)
2nd character- Identifies the manufacturer. For example; Audi(A),
BMW(B), Buick(4), Cadillac(6), Chevrolet(1), Chrysler(C), Dodge(B),
Ford(F), GM Canada(7), General Motors(G), Honda(H), Jaquar(A), Lincoln(L), Mercedes Benz(D), Mercury(M), Nissan(N), Oldsmobile(3), Pontiac(2or5), Plymouth(P), Saturn(8), Toyota(T), VW(V), Volvo(V).
3rd character- Identifies vehicle type or manufacturing division.
4th to 8th characters- VDS - Vehicle Descriptor Section. These 5 characters occupy positions 4 through 8 of the VIN and may be used by the manufacturer to identify attributes of the vehicle. Identifies vehicle features such as body style, engine type, model, series, etc.
9th Character - The check digit "character or digit 9" in the sequence of a vehicle identification number (VIN) built beginning with model year 1981 (when the 17 character digit format was established) can best be described as identifying the VIN accuracy.
A check digit shall be part of each vin (since 1981) and shall appear in position
nine (9) of the VIN on the vehicle and on any transfer documents containing
the vin prepared by the manufacturer to be given to the first owner for purposes
other than resale. Thus, the VINs of any two vehicles manufactured within a 30
year period shall not be identical. The check digit means a single number or letter
"x" used to verify the accuracy of the transcription of the vehicle identification
number.
After all other characters in the VIN have been determined by the manufacturer
the check digit is calculated by carrying out a mathematical computation
specified. This is based on vin position, sample vin, assigned value code,
weight factor and multiply assigned value times weight factors. The values are added and the total is divided by 11. The remainder is the check digit number.
The correct numeric remainder - zero through nine (0-9) will appear.
However, if the remainder is 10 the letter "X" is used to designate the check
digit value/number.
10th character- Identifies the model year. For example: 1988(J), 1989(K), 1990(L), 1991(M), 1992(N), 1993(P), 1994(R), 1995(S), 1996(T),
1997(V), 1998(W), 1999(X), 2000(Y)------2001(1), 2002(2), 2003(3)
11th character- Identifies the assembly plant for the vehicle.
12th to 17th characters- VIS - Vehicle Identifier Section. The last 8 characters of the VIN are used for the identification a of specific vehicle. The last four characters shall always be numeric. Identifies the sequence of the vehicle for production as it rolled off the manufacturers assembly line.

Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) are used to uniquely identify motor vehicles. Prior to 1980 there was not an accepted standard for these numbers, so different manufacturers used different formats. Modern day VINs consist of 17 characters that do not include the letters I, O or Q.

Eng. Vin (1) 50/50 mixture anti-freeze and water 9.6 Qtr.
Eng, Vin (1) heavy-Duty 50/50 mixture anti-freeze and water 9.8 Qtr.
Eng. Vin (w) 50/50 mixture anti-freeze and water 11.1 Qtr.
Note: Vin ( ) is 8 character on Vehicle Identification number.

It's all in the VIN.

A car’s vehicle identification number (VIN) is the automotive equivalent of
human "DNA".

How to read a VIN
1st character- Identifies the country in which the vehicle was manufactured.
For example: U.S.A.(1or 4), Canada(2), Mexico(3), Japan(J), Korea(K), England(S), Germany(W), Italy(Z)
2nd character- Identifies the manufacturer. For example; Audi(A),
BMW(B), Buick(4), Cadillac(6), Chevrolet(1), Chrysler(C), Dodge(B),
Ford(F), GM Canada(7), General Motors(G), Honda(H), Jaquar(A), Lincoln(L), Mercedes Benz(D), Mercury(M), Nissan(N), Oldsmobile(3), Pontiac(2or5), Plymouth(P), Saturn(8), Toyota(T), VW(V), Volvo(V).
3rd character- Identifies vehicle type or manufacturing division.
4th to 8th characters- VDS - Vehicle Descriptor Section. These 5 characters occupy positions 4 through 8 of the VIN and may be used by the manufacturer to identify attributes of the vehicle. Identifies vehicle features such as body style, engine type, model, series, etc.
9th Character - The check digit "character or digit 9" in the sequence of a vehicle identification number (VIN) built beginning with model year 1981 (when the 17 character digit format was established) can best be described as identifying the VIN accuracy.
A check digit shall be part of each vin (since 1981) and shall appear in position
nine (9) of the VIN on the vehicle and on any transfer documents containing
the vin prepared by the manufacturer to be given to the first owner for purposes
other than resale. Thus, the vins of any two vehicles manufactured within a 30
year period shall not be identical. The check digit means a single number or letter
"x" used to verify the accuracy of the transcription of the vehicle identification
number.
After all other characters in the VIN have been determined by the manufacturer
the check digit is calculated by carrying out a mathematical computation
specified. This is based on vin position, sample vin, assigned value code,
weight factor and multiply assigned value times weight factors. The values are added and the total is divided by 11. The remainder is the check digit number.
The correct numeric remainder - zero through nine (0-9) will appear.
However, if the remainder is 10 the letter "X" is used to designate the check
digit value/number.
10th character- Identifies the model year. For example: 1988(J), 1989(K), 1990(L), 1991(M), 1992(N), 1993(P), 1994(R), 1995(S), 1996(T),
1997(V), 1998(W), 1999(X), 2000(Y)------2001(1), 2002(2), 2003(3)
11th character- Identifies the assembly plant for the vehicle.
12th to 17th characters- VIS - Vehicle Identifier Section. The last 8 characters of the VIN are used for the identification a of specific vehicle. The last four characters shall always be numeric. Identifies the sequence of the vehicle for production as it rolled off the manufacturers assembly line.

j'aimerai entrer en contacte avec pour l'achat de votre vehicule

Mr Kakou