Technical Body Shop removed VIN. How concerned should I be?

Yep, as many have said. GET YOUR CAR OUT OF THERE.
Grinding a tag enough to remove the numbers is basically the whole tag. Id look at it again to make sure its ground. If so, get it out of that shop. If they're planning to steal it, or forge your paperwork thats bad. If they have someone working for them dumb enough to grind it, thats bad too.

Either way, it doesnt look good for the quality of that shop in my eyes

 

Can you post a picture of the serial number tag? That would help answer the question instead of guessing.

 

Yeah dude, we all know that. The info I put up was cut and pasted directly from a law advice site, verbatim.
No points to score by having a dig at me.................

 

On my '55 and '57 Pontiacs the serial number plates are spot-welded in place between the driver's door hinges, not on the windshield post. My point is are you absolutely certain you looked in the right place for your car's serial number?

Also, my serial number plates are stamped from the back side, not from the front so if someone tried to grind those numbers off the stamp marks would still be visible if you removed the serial number plate and looked on the back.

Best of luck and keep us informed.

 

Pictures? Would help greatly!








Bones

 

Just came across this thread posted by the same person.................... Have highlighted the interesting part in red.

Link: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/best-engine-prep-and-paint.1139749/

Sumter DeGaris said:

"Thanks for taking the time to read my post.
About to paint the engine for my 57 Chevy project car. Trying to do it once by doing it right the first time.
Would like to get any input and advice on engine and tranny prep and painting. Been doing some reading online and there are so many products like POR-15 that promise the perfect engine prep and paint results.
But was wondering what engine prep chemicals really work well and what paint (type, brand) really works and holds up? Hearing from the voices of experience would mean a lot.
I have a friend who owns a body shop who will be painting the engine. Not using rattle cans.
On a budget so saving money means I am in charge of having the engine cleaned before it get to him. Engine is more greasy than rusty. New oil pan and having seals around value covers, timing cover and tranny being replaced. Does anything else need to be replaced?"

 

Also... all over the body panels that have numbers stamped in them. Those small numbers match up with the VIN or serial number. The cops have ways to read that code.

 

Very sad this shit is happening a lot, and its not just VINs. After getting my HEMI back from the trans shop that had it and the trans for 17 weeks (motor was there so they could mate the two together for me, which they never did,) I found a brass rivet lying on #1 intake valve in the head. I had the intake off and taped the ports to prevent any thing like this happening. To say my relationship with the shop was adversarial would be stretching it, (because this was warranty work), but it was very uncomfortable. It was a good thing I checked everything out as I always do.

 

On a 57 hard top the VIN tag is located below the top door hinge pocket about 2 inches on the flat of the cowl face when you open the door. 55-57 post cars had the VIN tag on the wind shield post.You see it when the door is open. IF you had a tag in that location could it be a state issued tag issued to solve a earlier identification problem. Pictures would help to see what is ruined.

 

I'm VERY aware of 2 door conversions, as I have done many of them and posted about them here, going back 16 years ago, I might even go so far as to say I helped popularize the conversion. But there are no kits to make a car into a 2 door hardtop, and the cowl tag from a 2 door hardtop doesn't help someone converting a car into a 2 door sedan. Even if there was a kit to convert to a 2 door hardtop, what would be the point of destroying the number tag? If the cowl tag was valuable to someone, why wouldn't they just take it? It's not like the cowl tag matches the number tag, and if it did, you'd need to steal both, along with the title.

I'm not saying that certain cowl tags don't have some value to certain people. I just don't think that has anything to do with what's going on here.

 

Those door tags that are riveted to the door post are not meant for registration purposes. On some of my later 60's Fords it has that printed on the plate "Not For Title Or Registration" in bold letters.
I ran into this problem when a door was replaced. Title didn't match the door plate. DMV used the fender apron vin and frame vin to register the vehicle.
I would be pissed if it were my car and was the original data plate. Get them to order you a new one at least.

 

nobody bothered to ask if the car was already titled in your name. if it is don't worry about it and get a new repop tag and call it a day. as I was getting my car out of there I'd have to ask why the F someone would do that.

 

Really need some pictures to show what the story is, so we can provide the best guidance.

 

The tag in the door jamb on a GM vehicle is the vin tag! Rmk57 the shit you are spouting out is wrong at least in the US it is.

 

Canadian built 567 cars had the tag welded or riveted onto the firewall. Maybe that's what he was thinking....

 

@mr57 In US, we have a firewall tag that is the build codes, paint and such. and in the door jamb is the VIN tag

 

Gearhead Graphics , You are spot on. I have a 57 2 door sedan and have owned it since 1977. The vin tag is welded to the drivers side A pillar.
Vic

 

It's in the A post and it's welded. I always tape them up when I'm doing work. And if primer was sprayed in the jamb, over the tape, it would look smooth. Without a picture of what he's describing, this is all senseless.

 

Exactly Lloyd! And the plate is not exactly flat so to take the numbers off you would almost have to grind it to the point of coming apart.

Pat

 

OP hasn't been back since the first post ???

 

Totally off topic but my 56 F100 has all the build info on the door tag including the VIN....Attached with Phillips head screws to the drivers jamb between the hinges....

 

Since those tags are stamped with raised letters vs. stamped into the SS tag, I doubt anyone could totally obliterate that tag. They could grind the letter flat, but the indented backside would still exist to prove what the VIN number is.
I'd still get the police involved before removing the car from the shop, as you might need them to document if the tag has to be replaced with a new tag and restored VIN number.

 

The one point no one has touched on is that I wouldn't say a word to the body shop till I showed up with the LEO and lawyer in tow.

 

Something no one has said also is, I haven't seen the OP lately. Lippy

 

All is I'm saying is I would never rely on a door plate for registering a vehicle.
I would want to see the stampings on the frame

 

RmK57, If I remember correctly, on Fords up to the '70's the serial number tag is not mounted to the door post but to the door itself, which is easily replaced which is why the tag says "Not for title or registration". The car we're talking about is from GM, so the serial number plate is permanently attached to the door jam, where it actually does some good.

 

Can confirm - I bought a 57 Chevy wagon with a good CA title. The serial number plate was attached to the door jam. The young lady at the AZ DMV was quite skeptical. Fortunately, an older supervisor walked by and said all the old Chevy's had the number there.

 

See post #50.

 

1971BB they are stamped in on 57 Chevys.

Pat

 

If you click on the OP's profile, it comes up
THE H.A.M.B. - ERROR