Tricks for making my VIN readable

[Smokeater11]

Ok guys, I took the body off the frame tonight and the first thing I went for was my grinder and wire wheel to find the VIN # on the frame. I found the spot on the passengers side frame rail but the # is so worn that I can read it. I tried to use chalk and a colored grease marker to make it readable but neither worked. Are there any other tricks that can bring this out where I can read it or are there any other locations on the frame that I can look for? I seem to remember something about some sort of acid or something but can recall it enough to be able to bet the right stuff. I'm sure some others have had similar problems and have asked this question before but the only things I could come with on the search was location oriented. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Mark

 

[Tito]

Did you check out the other VIN on the passenger side (back by the crossmember)? Might have a better chance reading this one.
As far as other ways to read it, maybe a charcoal rub. Paper over the Vin and use a pencil (on angle).

 

[Smokeater11]

There is one on the back end of the frame? I was working on the one that is under the passengers front floorboard. If there is one on the back of the frame where at exactly. I'll try the pencil and paper trick tommorow.

 

[agirgen]

ok, this is going to sound kinda crazy... But you could try some dye penatrant, like what welders use to inspect there welds. You smear this stuff on the affected area and shine a black light on it. It will glow where the chemical accumulates and pools. I work on B-52s and we have to record the SNs on the landing gear... The plane is so old that any new gear are rebuilt and covered with YEARS and YEARS worth of layers of paint. We have gotten with NDI and gotten them to do a dye penatrant check to determin the painted over SNs...

Hope this helps,
Girg

 

[iwlbcnu]

See if this helps, thinking of submitting a tech article on it, but need to write it nicely. http://groups.msn.com/6677BroncoPartsForSale/ebframevinlocations.msnw

 

[Skiddy]

You also could try and rub it with a piece of soapstone

 

[bronko69er]

The etching process you are referring to is what the VIN inspectors use to recover serial numbers that have been ground off. (I know this from recent events ) Basically what they do is polish the surface as best as possible using finer & finer grit sand paper and then a polishing wheel. After it is polished they drip acid on the area where the SN was. Likley Nitric acid but I think sulfuric (battery) acid would work too. The compressed grain structure under the original stamped character will etch darker than the surrounding material. Voodoo magic if you ask me.....

 

[Smokeater11]

Well as I cleaned the frame with the wire wheel some more today there all of the sudden appeared another VIN # right under where the passengers floorboard would be. The first one I found was about 2 ft forward of this one and was just at the base of the down swoop. This new VIN is as readable as if it was stamped yesterday.... and it matches the kickpanel VIN. woo hoo!!!! Never did find one on the rear end of the frame but I found what I was looking for. Thanks gentlemen for your advice. ttyl, Mark

 

[744x4]

You got it about 2 ft apart on the pasenger side.I wire wheeled the entire frame of my 73 Buggy project and thats the only places it was found.