Kustom coupe+tampered VIN=trouble?... what can I do?

Yikes!!! Spokane used to be kind of like that, I remember taking several cars out to the inspection station... they would check pretty good, really good if the car was pieced together looking... back here I hear thats its not as bad... but may or may not require a bond for a lost title kind of thing

 

Amen, brother. I have never seen a DMV worker that would go to the trouble to check a frame number. I have, however had a CHP check the frame numbers on my 56 Vette. And they didn't match the vin tag or the pink slip. But for some reason they didn't pursue. It was a long time ago and I really don't remember much else about the incident, except that I was originally pulled over for speeding.

 

wow, now thats a crazy story... go to the trouble of checking but actually do anything... I wonder what the point was? maybe he just wanted to see the motor

 

You need to go to Bellevue. They have bigger fish to fry.

 

do they even let non-lexus make cars into Belvue?...
I think I have it figured out what to do... its getting some frame mods anyway ;-)

 

I wouldn't worry about it, register it with what you have and be done with it. You have a cool project there, it isn't a muscle car where numbers really matter that much. I just want to see more pictures of the car, looks cool!! The only time I could foresee this maybe being a real issue, is if the car ever gets stolen. Therefore stamping your own numbers into the frame that match the title might help? post more pics!

 

This is the naggin thought in the back of my mind exactly.. what if?? and then what???... because at first I just figured the guy I bought the car from had bought a title and tags because the car was a basket case and had no title or something like that... but he insists that he personally took the tags off this car.. so if the tags dont belong to this car but have been changed in the past.. why exactly were they changed and by who???
everyone Ive talked to says records dont go back far enough ect... dont worry about it.. but the title I have was transfered into the guy I bought it froms name in 2008.. which tells me that there should at least be some record for who the VIN on the title was registered too in 2007.. Perhaps that owner changed the VIN tag?? but again, why?... I can think of only two real reasons anyone would try to change a cars VIN...

#1, because its literally impossible to get a title for the real VIN
#2, or because you are trying to conceal the cars real VIN

 

I wouldn't grind the frame numbers off. Frames rust out on 60+ year old cars and get replaced. Grinding the numbers suggests you have something to hide.

 

My '50 Ford is on my '51 Ford frame.....but I have both titles and proof of my '51 being totaled.

 

Look for the biggest, fattest person at the tag office, and get in line... No way in hell they are going to crawl under the car to look for a number on the frame, when a tag is on the firewall.

I replaced the frame on my 46 with one of unknown heritage, I walked in with a title signed off in 1996... They couldn't have cared less.

I think we walked around the car... Opened the hood... and they handed me my plates.

I never volunteered the information is was on a different frame, they never asked.

They get hundreds of cars a day where it's impossible to have a separate frame. They aren't looking for another number.

 

I agree... Im thinking the car needs to be clipped tho, so the problem numbers would be gone anyway if I do that... not real keen on the idea that the numbers would have ever been there, but if they are gone, they are gone I guess...

 

This what happens with a lot of newcomers to the hobby......just keep your mouth shut and dont tell on yourselves......you have all you need there a decent car a title you can use and a tag to match.....
bury the frame number and enjoy the hobby as we oldtimers have done for decades......

 

I wouldn't really consider 25 years screwing around with junk cars a newcomer exactly, I guess to an oldtimer tho... Im probably just going to end up having the frame numbers run, tracking down that previuos registrant on the title, and doing all I can to make the car legit so when its done it can be sold anywhere in the world with out worries... but it is good to know that a good amount of people here wouldn't care if it even had a title....

.....buy it, its for sale

 

Thanks Ryan... I feel much more confident after all the feedback that its very unlikely there will ever be any problem, regardless of what numbers end up where... and if you ever think you'd like to try your hand at chopping a sectioned one just let me know... I'll have Marcy haul this thing down there

 

jeff , file for lost title with AAA with the 51 numbers.... put the vin plate and title in a drawer and look at it in 5 years ... its way easier to file for lost title then have a highway patrol inspect the car and find grinding marks on the frame vin and or discover the frame vin is different. they should just go off the frame when you ask them then they will have to verify it . its easy....

 

4T64RD said" I never volunteered the information is was on a different frame, they never asked." This is the first rule of dealing with any bureaucracy. Act like you know what you are doing and how the deal is supposed to go, and stick to your story. It sounds like you have a couple of truly legitimate ways to go, so pick the best one and follow through. I hope all goes well for you, I REALLY like what has been done to the car. Those sectioned 'boxes are just awesome.

 

The fisrt step to recover is admitting you have a problem......Sounds like the car recovered, eventually.

 

When papering a 52' Buick that had been dead in a barn here in California for years, had Oregon plates/title was worried about the process having heard hours of horror stories about said process. I asked the CHP as the number we found was on the block "?" I wondered what happens when the block is destroyed ?" The CHP replied that there is not only two places where the car is numbered, but three. The third being hidden. He would not devulge the hidden place to me. The Buick now lives in Holland. I have gotten over my fears of registering old non papered vechicles having done many. In my view your easiest solution to your project /problem is to clip it.

 

Now I really want to see pictures!
We were just talking the other day about how difficult a chop is to get right on those cars and how many you see that aren't quite right.


Marcy

 

The final solution I talked about with Marcy was just getting rid of the ford top all together (I think), and replacing it with a 67 corvair hardtop...

 

Dude, I'll trade my Ambulance (with clear matching title) for it and I'll take this headache off your hands.
Done.
See how easy that was?

 

damn, wowcars beat me to it. i live in al. no titles for anything before 74.i would gladly take that one of your hands, and have plates on it before lunch!!!!

 

Allison, I know who you are, This was just a bump for you in the right direction friend....take the sage advice of us guys who have done everything wrong there is to do, at least once....I do not think anything will ever come from this at least if you do not turn yourself in/Ha
drive that MF'r till it gets old man!!/
[guy considered old by younger guys]Kenny

 

Over the years sold hundreds of cars and have heard of this many times. If the car is a 1950 with a 1951 frame most guys would use the 1950 title and clean up the frame without a frame number. If the car is a 1951 body and frame the bond and new title is probably best. I had the movie Batmobile for sale and it had 2 sets of paperwork and it neither one matched the ID # on the car! The sale fell through because of it.

 

Grind off/cover the frame number and go with your body tag. Stop worrying about it. Weld a bracket or something over the number. You're fine.
Tom

 

ya, 51 body and frame, 50 title... pretty sure I've come up with a solution that will work tho.. when its done it will be so heavily Kustomized the body wont matter... and clipped the frame wont matter... did some reading and discussion with Marcy about clips and I think I've figured out what donor car I get that will solve more problems than just this

 

I know.. I was just "rubbin" ya.... let me take this moment to pimp my services to you... you know what I do, so why I havent I dont it for you