Clark serial number lookup
Clark serial numbers encode the year the truck was built. FridayParts documents three historical formats.
How Clark serial numbers work
FridayParts documents three historical formats. Format 1 (1931-1948): model letters + 2-digit year + build number, e.g. CL 40 6251 = Carloader, 1940. Format 2 (1949-1957): model + build number + year letter + month letter + lot number, e.g. CL 621 R Q 12 = Carloader, build 621, 1954, July, lot 12. Format 3 (1958 to present): model + build number + lot number (+ optional dealer month/year stamp), e.g. C40B 136 850 867; the year comes from the lot number via a lot-number table, so format 3 is not self-decoding. [src]
Where is the Clark serial number?
The data tag / nameplate is often near the dashboard or the seat (FridayParts: operator's compartment, on the hood or instrument panel). The serial is also printed on the front cover of the truck's Clark parts catalog. If the plate is gone, the serial is stamped on the frame, often the left-hand frame member of the chassis (FridayParts also lists the frame exterior, cowl exterior or a fender).
Help build the database
Know your truck's year from the data plate or paperwork? Send the serial and year. Confirmed pairs build per-brand serial ranges, shown as "confirmed by N owners".
Sources
- How Old Is My Old Forklift? Clark Serial Number Lookup (FridayParts blog, Jul 1, 2026; aftermarket parts seller) (retrieved November 3, 2026)
These rules come from the sources listed, which are aftermarket parts sellers, not the manufacturer. When the data plate shows a manufacture date, the plate wins.