Month of manufacture

[whirnot]

I recently acquired a 30 CCPU, and the title as well as Radiator shroud and splash pans are 1930. Not surprising the engine number shows a 31 serial number, obviously someone changed the title to match the replacement engine somehow.
The frame has a December 1930 serial number. Now, the part I don't understand. The restoration guidelines say the number is stamped on the engine when it is built. But it says the vehicle could be assembled up to 3 months after the engine. If an engine is built in December of 1930 and the car was built in Feb of 1931 then it would be a 31 not a 30.
I'm confused.

[Tudortomnz]

If frame has late '30 number, that was also original engine number. Your pickup is on cusp of 1931 & probably first registered in early '31. Unless you have the original/ when new title, at later date it has been dated 1930. All 1930/31 commercials had the steel painted 1930 shell & often the 2 piece valances. A '30 will have enamel Ford badge but the '31's had the new s/s stamped Ford badge, like the car models. Usually it could take up to 3 months for an engine to go into a chassis on production line, but also it could be much less in hign production periods. Cheers. Tom.

[Mulletwagon]

Many of us have heard stories about creative ways in which Model As have been registered when a clear connection between an existing title and vehicle could not conclusively be established. VIN numbers really did not exist before 1955 and assigning a vehicle number based on the engine number is by no means permanent (especially since the frame number is not readily visible without major disassembly. Stories of locating a title of a vehicle long since gone and renumbering the engine number on an undocumented barn find for the purpose of registration out of state could be true. Would be interesting to see if your frame number matches the title - but maybe it would be best to let the sleeping dog lie.

[whirnot]

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Originally Posted by Mulletwagon

Many of us have heard stories about creative ways in which Model As have been registered when a clear connection between an existing title and vehicle could not conclusively be established. VIN numbers really did not exist before 1955 and assigning a vehicle number based on the engine number is by no means permanent (especially since the frame number is not readily visible without major disassembly. Stories of locating a title of a vehicle long since gone and renumbering the engine number on an undocumented barn find for the purpose of registration out of state could be true. Would be interesting to see if your frame number matches the title - but maybe it would be best to let the sleeping dog lie.

No, the frame number does not match the title, the engine number does. But none of this matters to me, the engine number matches the title so plates are not a problem.
I might have given to much info and made it confusing.
My real question is, if the engine was built in Dec 30 and the truck assembled after the first of the year, surely they would not have sold it as a 30?
This question applies to any car made bear the end of the year....