Vin Number vs Title vs Out of state

Real pain in the ass for a Model A. I'm going through this now here in Oregon with a Washington state title. The DMV says one thing and the State Police say another I am the 3rd owner(second on the tile) and am having to lift the body for the frame No. even though the original motor is in my possession, but because I pulled it and put in a rebuilt one the title is being questioned.

I am going to put it on a trailer and start hitting DMV s in hope I find some one who will OK it without lifting. The State Police want the body lifted high enough to look down on the number and didn't like the idea I had which was using a mirror and lifting 3 or 4 inches.

No more out of state cars and definitely no cars without titles

 

If it was my car I'd want to find that factory VIN for my own peace of mind too. You only have to strip the paint off where the VIN is. Then cover it with a light coat of clear. Best you look first. You don't want the police stripping it and finding a different VIN!
If it's been ground down you know you've got a problem. I've heard it's still possible to read ground off numbers by x-raying the metal.
Ed


Twitter @edsrodshop

 

Kansas,
I cannot attest to florida but Missouri is a nightmare for out of state cars. There is never any one way to get the vin verified. Sometimes the vehicle saftey inspection guy can do it, sometimes you have to take it to the state police and sometimes a local LEO does it, then sometimes it has to be a detective and others it can be a beat cop. I have seen it change here as many as 3 times in the run of a year. No ryme nor reason ot it.

 

Sounds like a few guys in FL have given you advise and it also sounds like FL is a laid back state when it comes to this type of thing. However I hope if you are going to just take this risk, That you did not pay too much for the car, there are a couple of problems with what you are wanting to do, Bottomline is NO one and I repeat NO ONE!! other than State Law enforcement Can restamp a Vin Or serial number on a car. Restamping a Vin number is a Felony it is called "tampering" and carrys a sentence of up to five years in prison. All these little repo vin tags that are being sold at shows and online do not hold any legal water. And when you stamp a original Vin number on one of them, Then guess what? you just commited a crime!...Now lots of people have gotten away with it many of times, But some have not! And some have had their cars taken away and never returned. what I would do is get you Vin verified By the proper people in your state, that way if you get in a wreck or if it gets towed or if you just get stopped by the wrong officer, You will have no trouble proving the car belongs to you. Anyhow, I have no Dog in this fight, But I do know that what you ask about doing is againist the Law and you may get away with it, But You may end up wishing you had scuffed up your frame a bit. Also if you bought this car without verifying the numbers yourself, You sir are a fool! not trying to sound rude, But I do not care if you bought the car from your preachers mother. You always check to make sure the serial number matches the title when buying a car. Goodluck!

Oh yeah and what porknbeaner said about Missouri DMV being a nightmare....Amen too that!! No laid back officers around here, They treat us like we are criminals...LOL

 

Try contacting the Walter P Chrysler Club and ask them. Ford in the thirties had a body number assigned to track bodies that were built by outside subcontractors. If the particular body style was built by Ford there was no number. The Fords with body numbers were not intended to be registered by body number.

Charlie Stephens

 

If you spend a couple of years on the HAMB reading the "title" threads you will learn all the experts opinions and stories of "How I did it". I've got a few of my own, but was always lucky to have good visible numbers to deal with, but still had many moments of aggravation dealing with DMV. My favorite was a buddy that bought a
formula 5000 race car car that was converted to two passenger street use. It was legal and registered in Florida. In Oregon he added turn signals & fenders, took it to DMV and they could not find the Vin. Dave's shop was across the street, he got his number stamps and procceded to stamp the numbers on the frame in the DMV parking lot, went inside & declared "I found the numbers!".

There have also been several stories lately of stolen cars being recovered & returned to the rightful owner after 30 years. All the previous owners thought they had legit paperwork, yet they were out thousands of dollars of investments.

It will never happen to you...............until....... IT HAPPENS TO YOU! Do you trust the guy who wrote a letter stating the numbers were good before I covered them up??

 

What happen in the case of all the guys who throw a 32 chassis under a Model A, If the numbers were on the Model A frame How would they get them back on the duce rails. Cut it out if they can find it and weld it in? There are a lot of modified legit cars with different chassis. What do they do for the numbers?

 

To answer your question, if you put a original 32 ford frame under a model A. As far as the title is concerned It is still a 32 ford, As the title always follows the frame and transmission case on a 32 ford. A lot of guys who sell their original frame Don't realize that legally they just sold their car. (Even though they keep their title. Doesn't mean anything, A title can be replaced). In most cases they just restamp the serial number on the new rails. (but that it not legal) doing that is "Tampering" and it is a crime. There are several 32's out there who share the same serial number. This did not never used to be a problem, But now that computers have come along and states are starting to share systems (to help crack down on auto theft) problems are poping up. Cars are getting impounded. It is a big mess, bottomline is every model A and every 32 ford that has had a engine swap is the potential to have atleast 2 titles floating around out there somewhere. Also any hot rod that has a aftermarket frame and late model motor (unless it has been taken to the highway patrol and had the numbers stamped by the proper people who are able to do it legally) that car is not legit! And I know that alot of guys who are in this boat are going to try and argue with me about this. But I am not the one for you to try and argue with, You need to go try and argue it with the state trooper inspector in your state. Some of them who do not know any better will say it is fine, But the ones who really Know that it is not a original motor or frame, Can impound your car on the spot.

 

Gonna add a story from good old N.C. A friend of mine bought a "63 Chevy II from S.C. , clear S.C. title that matched the V.I.N. on the door jam. Took said title to the local DMV to get a N.C. title issued in his name. Lady says no go, you have to get a DMV officer to verify V.I.N. Gave him the info on what to do, and sent him on his way. Call the DMV, made an appointment to when the officer could come look. Officer came, looked at V.I.N. tag on the door jam, and said I need to see number in a different location also. Friend said I have the S.C. title that I got with the car that has the right number. Officer didn't even want to see the title, WTF. He wanted to see the number in a different location on the car. We asked where to look, he said he didn't know, but when we find it to give him a call, and to have a nice day. Looked for days and couldn't find it. So the car sat for about 2 months with no progress. Then another mutual friend was building a drag car out of a 64 Chevy II. And by accident saw another V.I.N. location. Looked on the "63 and there it was. Officer came back, did the paper work and all is good. Bottom line is if he hadn't found the other V.I.N. he would have a very nice garage ornament. P.S. it was hidden very well, but easy to see when we found out how and where to look.

 

I thought all DMV's had books with locations on where to look for VINs on cars? I can't believe the officer demanded to see another VIN, but had no idea where to look. I mean, I don't doubt the story, but it seems like the officials should have their act together.

FWIW, I had an OT 1967 Impala SS VIN verified several years ago and they looked at my title, went outside to look at my VIN in the doorjamb, signed the document and said "Have a nice day!" There was no search for any other number. This was in California at an AAA office.

 

This may be useful:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_identification_number

Many states used Motor Serial #'s to register vehicles prior to VIN numbers.

 

My 35 Chrysler has the VIN on the frame near the back right side tire. It matches the motor VIN.