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

He probably blocked it after figuring out that it just had tape over the tag.

 

Kind of like watching a NCIS episode where no crime has been committed.

 

But everybody want to blame the bodyshop.

 

I think something smells fishy with the whole story, but he did allude to the body shop being responsible for the damage to the tag.

 

They prob lost your tag and don't want you to know so they slap on a metal tag and sand it and play stupid I guess. Ya you may have to get the state police involved this is what police are for to protect and serve

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Damn, posting to a thread that the has gone mia is as bad as replying to a 8 year old thread

 

spam ??

 

prolly the FBI since they dont do anything else

 

He probably provided the last bit of evidence the FBI, State police, county sheriff, city PD and Interpol needed to bust a world-wide car theft/smuggling ring, and after doing some undercover proof-gathering work, is now in the witness protection program, and layin' low. I'm just sayin'...

 

^^^

 

We always say pics or it didn't happen, there has been no pics so.....

 

Maybe he contacted a lawyer who advised "get the f-off the internet" with this shit.

 

Since no one else has said it, "I call Bullshit!"

 

Too many here suggest immediately involving the authorities....Well, in the OP’s state could this involve the vehicle being impounded while the situation is investigated.? could this a long time ? Exhaust all options with the shop before any other actions..

 

Related story. I’m helping my neighbor install a 350-700r into his 55 GMC . I sold him the engine and had him bring it to my to avoid back and forth to his place. I ask him how his registration was going,being this is California, not good he said. He had a lady come to is place for a vin verification. No tag. Oh Shit I think to myself,now it’s in my yard! I opened the driver door, yup four holes no tag. We proceeded to install and I offered advice like get that gas tank out from behind the seat. I discovered this guy was a tight wad as he cried about this and that. By the time you clean the inside of that rusty tank and sealer you could have a new one installed between the frame rails. Besides you have to take the tank out to get to the cab bolts. I know what’s this got to do with any of this. Will after pissing and moaning he got off his ass and removed the tank in a “COME ON MAN” fit!— LOW AND BEHOLD....THE VIN TAG laying in the dirt !!!! Some times it pays to listen to us OLD FUCKERS ..


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An actual 8 year old thread might still be relevant or interesting. This thread is neither.

 

is he related to the guy who asked where you find project cars?

 

Tag,
Your it!!!

 

First time I saw the tag after the numbers had been sanded down, this part of the car had not been primed. When I went back to take a picture, they had primed around it. Yes, it does appear to have been welded and not riveted.
Before, I could read the numbers clearly even thru the red paint and now, I can only make out traces of a few of them. When I insured the car with Hagertys, they asked me for a VIN or ID number, so I gave them this one and sent them a picture of it.
I hope seeing this helps to better explain my concern.
I greatly appreciate all the advice and comments everyone has contributed to this post.

 

I would very carefully mask tape around the tag, and use paint stripper or lacquer thinner on a rag, to remove the paint from the numbers...take a lot of time to do it, carefully and slowly. Then you'll be able to see the numbers again.

They are still there, it's just been painted over too many times.

 

The profile isn't available for us to look at. I never knew that this was an option a member could enable.
It seems a little unsporting to ask members for help but hide yer profile.

 

The original poster never told us if the car was built in the US or Canada.

 

Try this guy, www.datatags.com, he might be able to provide you with a new tag.

 

Maybe 'Q'tips instead of a rag.

 

I agree with Squirrel. I think what happened here is the body shop (or possibly several of them, over time) painted over the tag and the numbers became washed out or filled in. If you carefully strip this off without the use of abrasives I think the numbers will be visible again. Looks like someone tried to sand the paint off with some fine paper to get the tag to show and just wasn't successful or didn't go far enough. Originally there was no paint over the tag, it was exposed stainless, and it appears there's 6 coats of something over the top of it, so I doubt it was all done at once.

I'm fairly confident, now seeing this picture, that this was not done intentionally and also that it can be salvaged. It does not appear to be sabotage, it just looks like multiple sloppy taping jobs and an attempt to clean off the paint but done the wrong way.

 

I second the idea of using Q tips and paint stripper (I doubt lacquer thinner would touch it, although I could be wrong) and a lot of very careful masking. It'll clean off, no need to freak out or call cops or pull your car out, certainly not until efforts have been made to carefully strip it. I bet once it's done it'll be a non-issue for the most part, and a relatively easy fix.

 

might even start at a corner of the tag, and see if you can chip the paint all off at once...or a bit at a time.

 

I cut those itchy tags off my T-shirts. Am I in trouble?

 

I know those numbers are stamped into the face of the tag. They are not embossed or protruding from the back side. I would think they are still there and just under a lot of paint. Just follow the advise that has been given and clean the tag with some thinner. You may be pleasantly surprised and relieved if you find them. The Chevrolet letters are embossed from the rear. If you can see those after a sanding of the tag, you will definitely find the stamped numbers still are there.

 

If they're sloppy about something this obvious, I'd recommend looking carefully at the rest of the job.