Hi Folks, I'm currently playing the tag office lottery without much luck on my 36 3 window. You know, this is where you go there and take a number. After waiting for an hour, they call your number and you get to see if you drew the lucky number. I'm trying to get this car titled. This car has not been registered in a very long time. It is my understanding Ford matched the bell housing/engine number to the chassis and stamped the chassis in 3 places along the top of the left frame rail. It is also my understanding that the only one that can be seen with the body on is the front stamping. I cannot see this either. It looks like the front fender is covering this up. The original engine is long gone. So my question.. Can you see this front stamping and if so, can someone please tell me exactly where to look or show me a pic? For what it is worth, I cannot see it on my unrestored 35 pickup either. Thanks, Heard
Did you get any paperwork at all from the guy you bought it from,old registration slip or did you buy it with just a bill of sale?
Try this for information, http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/flathead_serialnumbers.htm. The location is at the bottom of the page. I have always found the numbers on the top of the left frame rail near the steering box without removing anything. Has anyone been cutting or grinding in that area? Charlie Stephens
Thanks, Charlie. I'll look again. Brad. I actually did get an open title from 1949 so I know what the VIN is. No way am I letting the State of Florida get that document just so it can be sent to Tallahassee and shredded. They would not be able to transfer it to me anyway since it has some owner on it from 1949. I also have a BOS and a notarized statement from the PO defending any and all claims to the car. Just trying to get all my ducks in a row before I go play the tag office lottery again. I cannot believe what I went through on Monday trying to transfer an existing tag to another trailer I bought. First visit - 'Sir you will need a copy of the trust papers to transfer this tag.' So I go home and then I'm thinking I'll just transfer it into my name and take off the trust name. Second visit - 'I just want to transfer the tag and not place it in the trust, just transfer it and put it in my name.' 'No sir, you will need to bring copies of the trust paperwork, blah, blah, blah.' I relent and make copies of all the trust paperwork and go back. Third visit - 'How can I help you? OK, I can transfer that tag.' No questions, no trust paperwork, nothing!!! ARGHHH!!!! Heard
Heard,go back to the office and get the form from them. You fill out the form and have a cop,deputy hp or any state or county officer come out and verify that the car matcges your paperwork. The officer signs the form,you take it to DMV and they will issue the new title to you. Have done this on at least 10 vehicles without any problem. Another thing that helps with the process is to go to a small town dmv office instead of the bigger city offices that have to many people working in them that don"t have a clue as to what they are doing. The form number HSMV 82042. If you can"t get one let me know and I will send you one.
Brad, Good call on that form. I have a copy of it and I think this will work except that they are going to need to see the VIN number on the vehicle. I'm thinking of creating one of those plates for the firewall if I cannot spot the number on the chassis.
Heard according to the old Ford book,the numbers are located on the left frame rail 1st on rail where front cross member is rivited to frame,2nd underneath the door rail and on left rear frame rail.
Granted I am in a different state, but here in Nebraska I have been told that the created VIN plate is not acceptable at all. I have to to show a legit # on the frame. It might be better to try to stamp the vin from the title on the frame rail. then rub some dirt & grime on it so it doesnt look fresh.
Some states will let you keep the original title as a "historical" document after they run it and mark it as such. I'd just ask even if I had to drive to the state capitol to do so. I've never got excited over keeping an old title myself so it wouldn't be an issue with me. That and a long time ago I learned that it isn't prudent to try to circumnavigate the system and cut corners trying to get something done. Can you slip under the car with a mirror and see any of the stampings from below with a mirror? If you can find it you might be able to slip a piece of paper up over it and take a rubbing of it to show. Or hold the mirror in such a way that you can take a photo of the stamped number in the mirror. Then you would be able to let who ever is doing the checking verify the vin the same way you did .
If I worked for the DMV (and it is probably a good thing I don't) and someone showed up with a VIN plate they had created I would impound the car and have it taken apart to find the serial numbers on the frame under the body. It sounds harsh, but would probably get a few cars returned to their rightful owners. Charlie Stephens
Getting a title was so simple 20 years ago,today it's a friggin nightmare,,I have passed on a couple of cars in the last few years because of this problem. HRP
Man, I thought New York sucked for just about everything. But hearing all this, we at least have it easy here for this sorta stuff. I can pretty much get a title/tag for a tree stump if I really wanted to. A bill of sale, proof of insurance, their registration/title form and a rubbing of the chassis or engine number is all it takes here. Oh yeah, and a roll of bills too.
I have never been able to find the serial number on a 35 to 40 anywhere except near the steering box mount. Most of the time the frames have too much surface rust to even find a trace of the numbers. Does that make it automatically illegal to transfer in CA?
Actually, I'm looking at my '36 frame right now. The front vin number is on the top of the left rail directly above the steering box mounting plate, or about 12 inches behind the centerline of the front crossmember. It should be visible with the body and fenders in place by looking down on the rail from the left side. Bill
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