watch what you buy

[Kenneth B.]

Re: watch what you buy

Go back to your Post #9. You had it right. Apparently in Ohio if the VIN stampings are not there or don't match, the vehicle is suspect. This implies that if you replace or recreate them you won't be hassled. So much for the moral and friendly disclosure of replacement blocks and frames (at least in Ohio).

This is why I think that there is something about this that we don't know.

Indiana only checks the title to the VIN. If they checked motors most would not pass in the day because they had NOM. I think someone at Mershons got sloppy about what they bought & sold. I don't think that they would knowingly buy/sell stolen cars.
KEN

[Steven B.]

Re: watch what you buy

In the 80's we moved to Carmel, IN on the north side of Indianapolis. I took my '57 to the DMV and police station for title change. At the police station an Indiana State Policeman checked title and VIN and then quesitoned about the VIN tag screwed to the door jamb and asked if it shouldn't be riveted. Since we had already talked about the car and its history we were on pretty good terms. I told him back then the VIN's were just screwed on. He had no problem with it and we talked a little more. A couple of years later we moved a few miles north and our next door neighbor was a Carmel Police Captain. He saw the car one day and asked if he could see then VIN tag. I showed him and he said a few years earlier a State Policeman checked a '57 and later told some of the local police that he had looked at a screwed on VIN tag and if they ever saw one it was legal.

Ken, did you miss Auburn this winter???

Steve

[Joe L.]

Re: watch what you buy

It can get even more complicated for some older cars that were registered by the "MOTOR NUMBER" rather than the VIN NUMBER. In this case, the only number that appears on the ownership document is the motor number. So, if the engine has been replaced one has a car with no documentation applicable to the car. This actually happened to a friend of mine who purchased an old, early 50's Mercedes Cabriolet. The nightmare that ensued for him was absolutely unbelievable.

Another example of why you need to check ALL NUMBERS against documentation. If any discrepancies exist, no matter how innocent they may be, forget it. Yes, you may be passing up a good car or a great deal. But, you may seriously regret it later. And, if that happens, don't blame anyone but yourself.

[Clem Z.]

Re: watch what you buy

back in the day corvettes were stolen just for the engines and 4 speeds. no one stole one to resell. the people wanted the engines and trans for their race cars and they just junked the rest. i bet that is where a lot of the made up corvettes come from.

[Joe L.]

Re: watch what you buy

back in the day corvettes were stolen just for the engines and 4 speeds. no one stole one to resell. the people wanted the engines and trans for their race cars and they just junked the rest. i bet that is where a lot of the made up corvettes come from.

clem------


That was definitely the primary reason that Corvettes were stolen. However, there was always a market for the complete cars. Let's say you had a Corvette and you wrecked it without having insurance. Steal another Corvette (or buy a stolen one), transfer the VIN tag from the wrecked car you own to the stolen car and you're "whole" again. Even if the stolen car had the engine and trans already removed, you'd likely be able to use the ones from the wrecked car and you'd thus even have "matching numbers" (except the frame number which hardly anyone looks at).

In this area, there were quite a few cars stolen and never recovered. You can bet that the majority of these cars "assumed new identities". They may have even passed through multiple owners by now with no one the wiser----until someone checks the frame VIN derivative. If that VIN derivative comes up as from a stolen car, whoever owns the car at that time has just lost it.

[Kenneth B.]

Re: watch what you buy

clem------


That was definitely the primary reason that Corvettes were stolen. However, there was always a market for the complete cars. Let's say you had a Corvette and you wrecked it without having insurance. Steal another Corvette (or buy a stolen one), transfer the VIN tag from the wrecked car you own to the stolen car and you're "whole" again. Even if the stolen car had the engine and trans already removed, you'd likely be able to use the ones from the wrecked car and you'd thus even have "matching numbers" (except the frame number which hardly anyone looks at).

In this area, there were quite a few cars stolen and never recovered. You can bet that the majority of these cars "assumed new identities". They may have even passed through multiple owners by now with no one the wiser----until someone checks the frame VIN derivative. If that VIN derivative comes up as from a stolen car, whoever owns the car at that time has just lost it.

BINGO That is what i have been saying. In the 60's they stole lots of Corvettes. There was a ring in Indy that could strip a corvette in less than 10 minutes as with today they were not after the car only parts. A lot of old time parts dealers had a lot of parts that came from shady places when no repo parts were available. WE all knew that. They were 2000.00 cars & who cared. People today don't have a clue what went on in the day.
KEN