'67 VIN Locations

[Floyd B.]

Re: '67 VIN Locations

When he first drug this car around it was a shell that looked like it came from a lake bed. Then every time I saw it again more parts were added. So run

Okay, Okay!!! You guys have talked me out of it. I just called him back and backed out of the deal.

[Tony S.]

Re: '67 VIN Locations

Don't buy a car without the VIN tag. The negatives far outweigh the benefits.

[Henry S.]

Re: '67 VIN Locations

Okay, Okay!!! You guys have talked me out of it. I just called him back and backed out of the deal.

Just curious Floyd, did he give you a reason the tag was missing? Something like the dog ate or something. You have my vote for doing the right thing in passing on it.

[Floyd B.]

Re: '67 VIN Locations

Just curious Floyd, did he give you a reason the tag was missing? Something like the dog ate or something. You have my vote for doing the right thing in passing on it.

The cab was in really, really rough shape - probably beyond saving. The entire dash area was gone and there was no interior left. I was more interested in the frame, all four pieces of glass, good front clip cut off another car, solid 350/365 and 4-spd from a '65, the suspension and drive train was all their and in decent shape, most of the exterior trim pieces (including bumpers and grill), etc. I estimated that all of this was worth quite a bit more than the price - even if I had to find another donor car with a good cab (including trim tag). The interior was completely gutted, including the trim tag.

[Norris W.]

Re: '67 VIN Locations

The cab was in really, really rough shape - probably beyond saving. The entire dash area was gone and there was no interior left. I was more interested in the frame, all four pieces of glass, good front clip cut off another car, solid 350/365 and 4-spd from a '65, the suspension and drive train was all their and in decent shape, most of the exterior trim pieces (including bumpers and grill), etc. I estimated that all of this was worth quite a bit more than the price - even if I had to find another donor car with a good cab (including trim tag). The interior was completely gutted, including the trim tag.

My accumulation of Corvettes which has spanned over 35 years has included buying a number of projects that previous owners had abandonded. Even cars that are mostly intact and complete can be unbelievably expen$ive to buy simple parts for. When you start buying missing components like headlight & wiper motors, radio, complete interior, glass, nuts/bolts, brackets, mouldings, emblems, etc., the budget goes out the window. You would find you could have bought a nice car for less than you'd have in trying to build a hull. Unfortunately finding an economical "donor car" for a mid year with all minor components intact is virtually a thing of the past thanks to the internet and ease of parting one out.
The only way projects are worthwhile is if they're mostly complete or ultra rare.

[Floyd B.]

Re: '67 VIN Locations

You would find you could have bought a nice car for less than you'd have in trying to build a hull...
The only way projects are worthwhile is if they're mostly complete or ultra rare.

I agree with everything you have said and if I were using pure logic and a spreadsheet to make my decision selecting a car to enjoy, I would buy the best car I could afford. However, this is a hobby and passion often trumps logic. Having a top flight car at the end of the journey is only the icing on the cake; the real enjoyment comes from the journey getting there. I'm looking for a "project" to be the subject of my passion for the next 5 to 10 years. I get a kick out the 1000 little victories over the course of the project; like finding that correct little piece of trim in a pile of "junk" parts at a swap meet. IMO, every Corvette is a piece of automotive history and every one is worth saving. Spending 2x to 3x times the final value of the care to save it from the doom that would be dictated by cold-blooded accounting is a fool's task and I guess I'm just the fool for the job. I get a lot of satisfaction returning a Corvette destined to die back to it's original gleam and glory. It just seems that every "unworthy" Corvette beyond all hope that is restored makes the world a little brighter.

So our hobby is dedicated to making our little corner of the world a little better - one "worthless" Corvette at a time.

[Cecil L.]

Re: '67 VIN Locations

I agree with everything you have said and if I were using pure logic and a spreadsheet to make my decision selecting a car to enjoy, I would buy the best car I could afford. However, this is a hobby and passion often trumps logic. Having a top flight car at the end of the journey is only the icing on the cake; the real enjoyment comes from the journey getting there. I'm looking for a "project" to be the subject of my passion for the next 5 to 10 years. I get a kick out the 1000 little victories over the course of the project; like finding that correct little piece of trim in a pile of "junk" parts at a swap meet. IMO, every Corvette is a piece of automotive history and every one is worth saving. Spending 2x to 3x times the final value of the care to save it from the doom that would be dictated by cold-blooded accounting is a fool's task and I guess I'm just the fool for the job. I get a lot of satisfaction returning a Corvette destined to die back to it's original gleam and glory. It just seems that every "unworthy" Corvette beyond all hope that is restored makes the world a little brighter.

So our hobby is dedicated to making our little corner of the world a little better - one "worthless" Corvette at a time.

Well said.

[Domenic T.]

Re: '67 VIN Locations

Floyd,
I stopped reading the negative responces and can say that it would NOT be a kit car and the reasons that vin & trim tags are removed are.

1- the car was a total wreck and the insurance wrote it off.
2- the car was stolen and recovered after the owner was paid.
3- The state removes the tags so one won't steal another vette and
put the tags on it.

For some reason guys here are driving vin & trim tags and some of their cars look like kit cars.

I tried to find records of theft and can only say they are not available after so many years.

Some just can't stand it when some one gets a good deal.

Get in touch with law inforcement or DMV and get the real scoop.

I have done this with vintage bikes and cars that had the tags removed and it's not a big deal.

A vette is a vette and the tags don't change that one bit. the tags do not make the vette, the vette makes the tags.

When I first joined I thought a surviver was a vette that someone like you kept alive and gave it the respect that it deserves.

I'll bet that more than one here has changed their name, what does that make them?

The vette is just lost and an orphan, give it a chance.

A good deal is when you run it thru the system.

I live in California and as bad as they are it was NO problem to get title.

In most cases the title date is the year you bring it to them with a date of manufacture.

Get the vin #s and get the paper work.

No one would have a problem buying parts off of it but they treat the whole car as stolen. Yes maybe it was but it can become legal again as long as you are not the one that did the stealing!

DOM

[Norris W.]

Re: '67 VIN Locations

........and the reasons that vin & trim tags are removed are.

1- the car was a total wreck and the insurance wrote it off.
2- the car was stolen and recovered after the owner was paid.
3- The state removes the tags so one won't steal another vette and
put the tags on it.

I tried to find records of theft and can only say they are not available after so many years.

I have done this with vintage bikes and cars that had the tags removed and it's not a big deal.

A vette is a vette and the tags don't change that one bit. the tags do not make the vette, the vette makes the tags.

I live in California and as bad as they are it was NO problem to get title.

In most cases the title date is the year you bring it to them with a date of manufacture.

Get the vin #s and get the paper work.

No one would have a problem buying parts off of it but they treat the whole car as stolen. Yes maybe it was but it can become legal again as long as you are not the one that did the stealing!

DOM

With all due respect, some of your comments here are hard to comprehend. In your list of 3 you forgot to ad a 4th reason, that VIN tags are removed, and that is if the car is in fact stolen. You may have missed the article in the Corvette Restorer within the last several years where a stolen Corvette was reunited with it's owner after 30 or 40 years. The contention that "it can become legal again as long as you are not the one that did the stealing" is incorrect. If it is stolen it is stolen and it will NEVER be legal again unless it's run through the system and previous owners and/or insurers interests are cleared. I'm not aware of any state that has a statute of limitations on a stolen vehicle.

[Domenic T.]

Re: '67 VIN Locations

Norris,
I understand what you are saying but the salvage yard is usually the one that turns the tags in to the state once the car is recovered.

I don't know why a thief would do that with the #s on the frame.

I HAVE been thru the process more than once.

The state puts a plate or new # on the vihical and you are done.

That # or plate is on your title.

I would bet that the car that was re-united with is's owner NEVER had the tags removed!

Did the original owner get a payoff from the insurance co?

If you go to law enforcement and they inspect the vin on the frame and BLESS it, and DMV issues a new title, then it is now your car.

DOM

[Gary C.]

Re: '67 VIN Locations

Dom,

To me it was a problem in that most States have laws for body's without VIN tags is a violation of their State's statutes. And if you get caught with a car body without a VIN tag there's all heck to pay. I have knowledge of such a case going on right now. It's been expensive and not very pretty.

If someone can get an OK and paperwork in advance from their State that allows the purchase and transport of a car body without a VIN tag, then I'd say go for it if the price is right.

JMTCW,

Gary
....

[Domenic T.]

Re: '67 VIN Locations

Dom,

To me it was a problem in that most States have laws for body's without VIN tags is a violation of their State's statutes. And if you get caught with a car body without a VIN tag there's all heck to pay. I have knowledge of such a case going on right now. It's been expensive and not very pretty.

If someone can get an OK and paperwork in advance from their State that allows the purchase and transport of a car body without a VIN tag, then I'd say go for it if the price is right.

JMTCW,

Gary
....

Gary,

Thank you, that is exactly what I was trying to get across.

DOM