Heres the problem we are have with a buddy's 1949 Chevy fastback and I wanted to see if any hamber can help us out. Here we go the car was bought out of Washington and he got a title with it when he received it at home ( Nevada ) . Its a project that he was going to built with his grandson over the winter. Items that were removed and replaced was engine 216 to 350 , transmission 3spd to 700r and rear end from close to open. Now this is where the problem starts ( some of you probably had the same problem ) all items that were removed were scraped by the grandson, well he or my buddy didn't know that the car used the number off the engine on the Title and not the vin tag. We were told to look on the transmission or rear end but all the stock parts are gone. And now we were told that the vin # is on the frame. Can any one point us to the Wright direction on the frame? A big thank you from the grandson in advance. .
there's the one on the Driver's side A-pillar, there was also another thread on here about this too..
I don't know out Nevada DMV laws on this problem. I brought a '49 Cadillac Sedan out of Washington too. I took it to our California DMV and they issued two new VIN's on the car with the VIN number from the Washington registration. They put one on the driver door pillar and one on the frame in the engine compartment. Hope this helps. CRUISER
On a 1949 Chevrolet the only numbers are the engine number and the A-post body serial number. There is no frame number, that didn't start on cars until 1953-54 (convertibles first, then by '55 all had it). I've learned a car originally sold in Canada may have a serial on the body tag on the cowl instead. But that is it - Now does Nevada inspect for the number when you title it there, or not? (and this would be a reason to at least title any car before you start working on it). If not, you're going to have to check with them, or someone here who has been through this in Nevada will have to chime in as no two states are alike. An anonymous question to the DMV asking what they do with antique cars titled via engine number which no longer have the original engine, might do it. I'm sure there's a way, but it would sure help to still have that engine.
If you have a legit title, just stamp that number on a tag resembling an original vin # tag, put it on the pillar post where it belongs and go about your business. If anyone questions it, just show the title or reg and say that it's legit from whatever state it came from. I don't see the problem.
Except that in most states manipulating or altering a vin tag is illegal. So it's probably not a problem as long as you enjoy making license plates? OP: I've got a 51 sedan, there is NO frame-stamped number- so check the door pillar and passenger side cowl (if it's Canadian, it's the passenger side cowl)
i've been told by multiple sources that there should be a number on top of the frame rail under the drivers feet. never had to worry about it, but i have had lots of 49-54 cars, some with vin's off the engine, some with vin's off the a-pillar. not certain on the frame number, since i've never had to look that far before.
Like rusty says, don't expect it to have a number on the frame. And if it did (like if it were 55 or later) it would kind of match the vin on the tag on the pillar, not the engine number. "kind of" because the frame number was not a complete VIN. You could talk to the motor vehicle place and tell them the situation and see if they'll help you...each state is different, so only someone from nevada would be likely to know what happens there.
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