Serial Numbers

Serial Numbers Assigned to Milburn Light Electric Automobiles 1915-1924

For model years 1915-1916, the Car ID or chassis number is stamped into front chassis cross-member under one of the hood latches. For model years 1917 and up, the number is stamped into the chassis on the topside of the right front spring knuckle and on an oval brass plate affixed to the center of the rear wooden body cross-member under the rear hood.

Milburn also stamped its bodies with ID#s.  These #s did not match or track the car chassis S/N.

Model Yr.	Model No.	Body Style	Seating Capacity	Serial # Range
1915	15	Coupé, 100" chassis	4	Veh ID: 15-101 to 15-702 Body ID: 101 thru 702 (presumably)
1915 - 1916	151	Roadster	3	151-101 to 151-139
1915-1916	22	4-pass Brougham, 105" chassis	4	2-101-2 to 2-590-2 Body ID: 101 thru 590 (presumably)
1917	30	Touring, 118" chassis	6	3-101-0 to 3-139-0
1917-1918	27	4-pass Brougham, 105" chassis	4	2-101-7 to 2-899-7 BodyID: XXX or 5XXX
1919	27L	5-pass Brougham, 105" chassis	5	2-900-7 to 2-1899-7 BodyID: 9XXX
1920
1921				2-1900-7 to 2-2900-7 BodyID: 16XXX
1922				2-2901-7 to 2-3199-7 BodyID: 17XXX
1922 thru May 1923	27L	Brougham	5	2-3200-7 and up ? BodyID: 18XXX ?
	27F		4
1923, May thru 1924	27L	Brougham	5	27D01 and up (numbers shared with Milburn's Model 27D 1/4-ton truck chassis). Only one (#27D12) known to exist

Based on and expanded from Serial Number Book for U.S. Cars 1900-1975.

Analysis:

All Milburn car models started with base S/N of 101 (except the post-GM Model 27L's of 1923+)

Beginning with Model 22, the S/N system went to a split numbering system, with

Model 22: 2 - veh# - 2 with veh# running from 101 thru 590 Model 30: 2 - veh# - 0 with veh# running from 101 thru 139 Model 27: 2 - veh# - 7 with veh# running from 101 thru 899 Model 27L: 2 - veh# - 7 with veh# running from 900 thru 3099 (beginning 1919)

Mod 27L/F: 2 - veh# - 7 with veh# running from 3100 and up (beginning 1923)

This scheme seems consistent with the S/Ns we see on the remaining cars, specifically that the S/N's for all the post-1915 Milburns all end in #7 digit (except for the 1923/24 Model 27L with 27D chassis: 27D12).

This S/N interpretation also makes the later model S/N's consistent with the earlier Model 15 and 151 S/Ns which supposedly also started with a veh#101, but with a number scheme of 15-veh# and 151-veh#.

*Note: There were probably no 1924 models per-se, but considering that the Milburn body plant was bought by General Motors in February of 1923, Milburn was unable to easily produce its enclosed bodies.  Ads for its trucks focused on selling "chassis" and that bodies could be made to fit.  By 1923, Milburn did not actively advertise its Model 27L's.  It is surmised that after GM purchased the body plant, all of the 105" chassis made by Milburn were tagged "27DXX" as they expected to focus on its Model 27D pickups.  Evidently, they used the "27DXX" ID for its Model 27L's after that point also.

Note: NOT included in the above table are the Milburn trucks or deliveries (Models 16 (1915-16) or Models 40/43/27D (1922+)), Taxi (33?) or Limousine (36?).  Not a single one of these models are known to exist today.