I hope you guys can help me (the seller) and the buyer of my '38 Chevy Coupe. I sold a 38 chevy coupe after my son owned it for about 1 1/2 years. It was a project and never checked the title against the cowl tag. Apparently the guy in Oregon who bought it noticed the difference in numbers and is freaking. The OR. DMV can't find anything info on either number. He wants to bring the car back for his money back. I think he seriously wants to keep the car but is afraid to try to get it titled. The title is from Washington and in the name of the owner that my son bought it from. The title was from 1992 so he'd had it for about 17 years. I've been told that the number on the cowl tag is not a VIN number but a serial/motor number? The likelyhood of the motor being changed and having to get a new number is highly likely. Anyone in Oregon have a problem with titleing an older car with mismatched title #'s and tag #'s ? What is the next step this guy can take? He wants to keep it and I was planning on picking up another car this weekend with his money. DMV's can really suck some times!
Well, it should be simple enough to compare the number on the title to the motor numbers for 1938 Chevrolet, and answer that part of the question. You might try a search for Oregon + title, I think this was posted about not too long ago and wasn't that hard to get Oregon to issue a VIN and retitle the car. But I could be wrong.
I was in the same situation as you, bought a car from a friend, never looked at the numbers........... guess what lol BUT....... I was able to get it worked out with the DMV. Now here is the BIG thing... if you cant get the title.... give the guy his money back. ITS THE ONLY THING TO DO...... life wont end, he will be happy and you will be a stand up guy.
HELLBILLY, I completely agree. If he brings it back, I'll give him his money back. A few people I've talked to tonight said it's typical for a car this age to have a different number on the title, since it has likely had the motor replaced and a chaenge of ownership since. I don't see this as a problem, but it can depend on what DMV you are working with. Hopefully it will work out, because I was supposed to be picking up a '56 2dr. 210 Sedan. Very good shape. 327 and Super T-10 4 spd comes with it.
I had a new plate made to match the numbers on the title of a 32 Ford pickup I had years ago. I mounted it on the firewall. I don't think the 32's came with one but there were NO numbers any where else on this rod. None on the frame, body or doors and the drive train was not original. The title was clear for me to insure, register and when I sold it the buyer had no problems. DMV never saw the car only the paper work. Could this be a solution or was that wrong?
Like most states Oregon has good DMV offices and bad, or maybe I should say intelligent and not so. sometimes the dummies will run it thru and not notice anything amiss. Sometimes the better guys will know their stuff & breeze it thru. Years ago a buddy bought a nice '39 Chev from the second owner in Washington & the DMV wouldn't accept the title even though all the numbers matched. They assigned a Blue sticker with new numbers. Today some buddies swear it is easier to get a new street rod registered with receipts for all the major componets. If the new owner doesn't want to try & convince the DMV that it was originally registered with engine # ( DMV or State Police should have a manuel telling them where the #'s are and which states used engine # instead of serial #) he could do as shock 733 suggests and pop the cowel tag off & make one that matches the title #. Bill of sale from your son & the previous owner will help because the car is still in his name & DMV likes a paper trail.
1938 Chevy did use the engine number as the VIN. Cowl tag is NOT the VIN. It *should have been* changed on the title if a different engine was swapped in the car, but back then who knows what happened. Or with no engine, there is not an easy to find and see number. Become creative and find the number on the frame.
IIRC, the '38 Chevy VIN location should be on the PASSENGER side "A" post, below the upper door hinge, like the '41-'48 Chevy cars. Might be wrong here, but CHECK and see if it is there. Can't hurt!
I got into this same situation w/a 41 chevy coupe. An old restorer told me the cowl/firewall tag was a body # not a vin #.
A 1940 special deluxe vin plate is located under the front passenger side pan, below the door. It is riveted in. Just carefully pull back the mat, and check about halfway in the middle of the door. Check there.
Well, the 38 is coming back tomorrow and I will refund the money. Hopefully the owner of the 56 will let me put money down or all the money and let me pick it up after the 38 sells again. I will also be looking for another location on the car for a number that matches the Title or find out what I can do through the Washington DMV to get this resolved. Thanks for the suggestions and help.
On chivvys, the number on the cowl tag is body serial number. That is not normally the number on the title. On chivvys of your vintaqge, as patric66 states, the number on the title will be the original motor serial number, also on a tag inside the passenger side of the car under the floor mat, or on the seat frame. It will also be somewhere on the frame of the car, hidden when the body is in place, of course.
Thanks 29nash, I will check those places when the car comes back tomorrow. This is a project car and the only interior I have is the original bench seat (in very good shape) so the floor is bare.
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