VIN Discussion

[aggie2012]

I just dealt with it at the time, but I never did really ask any questions about it. I found, and fell in love with, my 73 Eldorado at the beginning of September last year. The price was right, and it wasn't a project I knew would break the bank. Anyway, instead of the car having a stamped VIN plate in the lower driver's side of the windshield, there was an aluminum plate stuck in that place with the words "State of Nebraska" written above the new VIN. The State of Texas recognized the VIN, and I was able to title it with a bonded title.

My question is, why would it be necessary to change the VIN on a vehicle? And is there another place on the car with the original VIN stamped just for future reference?

[David Greenburg]

It is likely that Nebraska couldn't find the original VIN.  But the inspector may not have looked very hard. I had a similar problem a number of years ago when I moved from Maryland to California with my '59  60S. I had the car repainted in Maryland, and the painter had removed and lost the lube tag on the drivers door post. When I tried to register in CA, the CHP assigned me a state-issued VIN and installed metal plate  on the drivers door post with that number stamped on it. I was young and stupid and had a lot of other stuff going on in my life, so I didn't object or think much about it. Fast forward 20 years later and I know a lot more about VINs and the CA Vehicle Code, which I have occasion to work with professionally. When preparing to sell the car, I went to the CHP and asked if II could get the car retitled under its original VIN if I could document its existence.  Fortunately, the inspection officer was an old car fan and sympathetic. He put the car up on their lift and I showed him the shop manual material on  VIN location and the fact that the frame and engine numbers matched and corresponded with my old Maryland registrations, and I was able to get it retitled under its old VIN.

[35-709]

It may also have been an insurance total and the car was purchased as a total and rebuilt by a body shop using another car for parts.  I bought a Chevelle for my mother-in-law ( ) that had a salvage/rebuilt title of some sort and a Florida issued VIN number.  It was a good car (honest) and well done, but stuff like that can happen.

[Glen]

I went to get a safety check the old guy that was doing the check could not read the VIN plate so he told me to get a state issued VIN.  I went to another safety check station instead and had no problem.  But if I had followed the old guy’s advice I would have had a different VIN now. 

[aggie2012]

In this case, the total would make sense. I decoded the body tag on the cowl and it said the car was originally black, BUT there's paint peeling on the inside of the front fenders revealing green paint.

Does anyone know where there would be another VIN on this vehicle?

[Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373]

I kind of ran into that to with our 70.  I used to work in car financing so I know to verify the VIN.  They used soft aluminum or something to put the VIN on the dash back then.  It was hard to read but I was able to make it out.  Took it to a shop to get it inspected.  They thought the VIN tag was just dirty and tried to 'clean' it.  Now it's even harder to read.  I called the Hwy Patrol and was told I could get it re-vin'd but I didn't wan to change the numbers.  The vin on the 70's is also stamped on the transmission and the engine.  According to the manual, those are still 'official' VIN locations.  I don't understand it, because and engine can be removed, but I guess it's official.  I understand it is stamped on the frame somewhere but I was never able to find it on the 70------IF ANYONE KNOWS WHERE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. 
Just as an aside, I decided to just go Historic so I don't need to have it inspected.
Jeff