No data plate for manufacture date

Hello! I’m pretty new to anything m715 or it’s variants. I found a local truck with a welder/generator and cargo bed. It also looks to have a custom modified deuce and a half front bumper and an original winch. The truck looks good and all, but the listing says it’s a 1965, which seems quite early. The other problem is that it’s missing the data plate that would have the manufacture date. The truck has a title, and I’m not sure what was used as a VIN, unless that tag was there when they got it registered. My real question is how do I determine the date of the truck without that plate? And is it even capable of having a title? I am unaware if the m715 have a traditional VIN being made by jeep/Kaiser, but I’ve heard other military vehicles of the area pull their VIN for a title from that data plate. Any information on where to look for rust or things to look out for when buying one of these trucks would also be helpful as I’m looking at buying one and I’m a novice, but mainly, how do I determine the vehicles manufacture date and stuff like that.

The serial number should be stamped on the frame. If I remember correctly in two places. One above the rear axle and The other up front. I want to say passenger side top of frame rail above the axle. I am afraid that another member with a better memory than mine will have to be the one to tell you exactly where. Get that number and using the VIN registry find other trucks that have VIN's close to yours. There is a good chance you will be able to find the month even.
I would get a replacement data plate and stamp it and attach it to the truck. It may help with licensing later. Or even selling it if you ever do. Not a great help but thats what I would do.

Here you go. Shows the exact spots.

http://www.m715.com/vb/showthread.php?t=12404

Yep, production didn't start until 1967 so there is no way it is an 1965 truck. Pictures usually help in telling some of the things about the truck. If it still has the original 230 motor, then look for things like the air filter style and weather or not it has the governor under the carb. As those were production changes in 1968.

I have always wondered if the first couple trucks they built for testing purposes and getting the contract are numbered like all the rest....dont know...so since they started testing in roughly 1966, it is possible, but VERY unlikely, that a truck built in 1965 or 1966 is out there...and there wouldnt even be a handful of those...very unlikely this is one of those but I suppose it is a possibility...

That being said/speculated on...the rest of the info above is fully correct...find the number on the frame at the front or rear and lets see what ya got!

My truck is registered as a 1967 gladiator VIN 13333. Never could find the Vin on the back frame. And only a partial on the front. Definitely got mine from the plate. Which I find interesting because could have made up a new plate and put any number there. In fact when I restored it I did make a new plate ... I did use the same number however.

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I never found the front number, but the rear one was no big deal to find. Interesting the variability.

I think it is correct to say that they either stamped the front or the rear but not both. All the ones over the years that I have looked at and also helped others over the net to find the numbers on had one or the other but not both.
Is it possible there was a rhyme or reason as to which, dont know...and maybe a few were stamped both ways...just never saw one and havent figured out a pattern yet...

My truck was a bit of a mystery when I got it. There was no data plate on the dash, however the other numbers were there. The front location had no number stamped on it. But my truck was no doubt, not an M-715, rather an M-724. It had the governor, Mico brake etc. which was all of the equipment for an M-724. But it has an M-715 bed.

I have not been able to check the rear frame because there is a goose neck ball mounted on a huge metal plate that is welded to the frame right over where the number would be. I just bought a blank reproduction data plate and stamped it myself. DMV was OK with what they saw; I offered no further information!