72' Vin problems.

[Josh V.]

So I have acquired 2 72's the past few months but have a couple questions about the Vins.

 

On one of them the Vin's match on the Dash Panel, Door Plate, and Engine Bay Inner Fender Plate.

The only different one is the Firewall Vin.

 

The Other Z has only the Door Plate Vin and Firewall Plate.

I bought this car as a shell, the Inner Fender Plate was missing and had no Dashboard.

 

What's the Ideal way to sort out this situation?

 

thanks.

[Dat Lurka]

 

What's the Ideal way to sort out this situation?

 

thanks.

 

 

Leave it alone

And drive it

[cdub42]

i got an extra dash! put it in there and drive it

[datsunaholic]

What VINs do your titles have?

 

The issue is that the engraved serial number (chassis number) is the MASTER number. That's the one engraved into the firewall, since the car is unibody. It functions as the "Frame Number". The dataplates should all match this.

 

The dash plate, doorframe plate, and engine bay plate are all there for convenience, although in some States they get really anal about all of them being there. When my Z was stolen, it was recovered minus the dashboard, so the replacement dash had the wrong VIN. The State Patrol here in WA would not allow that, so they removed the dash plate and put a "VIN Relocated" tag in its place, and put a WA State VIN reassignment tag next to the door ID plate (though they still used the original VIN). But everything existant matched.

 

Now, you have a bigger issue. The car with the missing plates, that's easy. As long as the existing plates match the firewall VIN, either have reproductions made or see what the State requires. Maybe California will do like Washington did. I'm assuming they are requiring an inspection, which is why you're worried?

 

The car with the firewall VIN that doesn't match the 3 ID plates? Bigger problem. There's no LEGITIMATE reason for that to be, certainly no legal one. There are 2 likely reasons for it:

 

1) The car is stolen, and the ID tags and title from a wrecked car were used to sell it since folks seldom check the firewall VIN

2) Someone lost the title and had a wrecked one with a title, and went the "easy" albiet illegal way of "swapping VINs".

 

Really, the RIGHT thing to do is have the CHP inspect it, but you may lose the car. You hear every few years of someone's long-lost, stolen 30+ years ago car turning up in a random State inspection. This may be the case.

[Josh V.]

Exactly what I wanted to know.

Thank you very much.

 

Yeah. The DMV's title is registered under the 3 ID plates number. So I'm assuming that's a big problem.

 

If us vehicle isn't stolen what's the outcome of this whole situation?

[datsunaholic]

Don't know what California would do. Typically require you to have the title for the chassis VIN. Since you don't have the proper dataplates I suppose you could have some made, but that's kind of "gray" in the legal sense. CHP or whatever entity does VIN inspections in California would have to inspect it. But lacking paperwork on the Chassis number makes it difficult.

 

I forgot a 3rd reason- the car was totalled, but rebuilt, but to avoid a branded title used VIN plates from an unbranded car (which likely was also wrecked). In any case, it's wasn't done legally.

 

If you don't care, you can drive it as-is, but in the chance that it ever gets inspected, or hell if it gets stolen FROM you (and subsequently recovered) , there's going to be questions. You really want to know the answer to those questions, because if you go and title it in yous name the paper trail goes through you. Or if the car that those dataplates belong to turns up, or gets reported crushed, you could find your registration being cancelled. They REALLY frown on 2 cars existing with the same VIN.

[Josh V.]

I do want to drive it as-is in a sense but I need to register the vehicle under my name and I know they do a proper inspection.

that's all I'm afraid of.

[Dirty Evo]

in the past 3 months, i have registered 3 datsuns and 1 Porsche at CA DMV that needed vin inspection.

 

DMV can do it, you don't need CHP. if car is currently in the system and registration up to date (from previous owner) you can just take your title in and register it.. CA doesn't inspect a car unless its not in the system or is from out of state. If the cars are NOT in the DMV system (or from out of state, thus no in the system) they will need to check them. The check for 3 things

1) need 2 vin#s... they will use the riveted plate or dash tab... they don't care, as long as 2 VIN#s match on the car. if you doro plate and dash plate match, show them those.. if its the door and the firewall, show them those. They don't know where the others are, they know wha tyuo show them.

2) they will check to make sure the FED SAFETY plate is there.. that is the one on the door jam (same as the vin plate there).. on any car 1970 or newer (prior to that they don't check)

3) they will check for SMOG stickers, but that won't apply to you.. they may need to be reminded.. twice they asked me "what about the smog sticker" and i reminded them its a 1970, doesn't have it and they laughed and said oh yeah

 

I did all these cars through same DMV office, but with 4 different employees and with each one it was the same process, so my guess is, its pretty standard. One car was from out of state. one car was out of system because in dealer inventory for 20 years. the other two just no in the system at all (don't know why, i assume just no registered in past 20 years?? not sure).

 

good luck

[Josh V.]

DMV can do it, you don't need CHP. if car is currently in the system and registration up to date (from previous owner) you can just take your title in and register it.. CA doesn't inspect a car unless its not in the system or is from out of state.

 

That's exactly what I wanted to hear! Thank you very much.

I didn't know so.

 

I appreciate all the comments/help everyone.