Need some serious advice

chavist93 · #1 10-22-2006, 11:40 PM

Hi guys. I need some serious advice here for my dad. He bought a 67 chevelle SS396 about 6 years ago. He had one in 1970 and had always wanted to get another to restore. This car was unrestored with most of its original paint and all original interior. The cars has zero rust and is in great shape. He bought it as a non numbers matching car because the door vin did not match the engine stamp. Well in the past year he got into the frame off resto on the car. Come to find out the hidden vins under the heater core and cowl panel match the engine and muncie trans, but not the door vin tag. So the door vin tag had been changed at some point. A little researche revealed that in around 71-72 the car was involved in a fender bender and was fixed by the insurance co. but they would not realease the title to the owner for reasons I do not know. The owner at the time owned a salvage yard and switched the vin from a wrecked car that he had the title to. My dad really does not know what to do and is almost to the point where he wants to part it and crush the body even though he will lose a lot of money. I am in hopes that someone here will have some useful advice for us. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Tim

Kim_Howie · #2 10-22-2006, 11:43 PM

Contact the insurance co. If you know what company it was.

chavist93 · #3 10-22-2006, 11:49 PM

I dont know it, but could probably find out. Even if I could obtain a title to the real original vin I would not have a vin tag.

nuch_ss396 · #4 10-23-2006, 03:34 AM

Tim,

Are you sure this car was not involved in any monkey business in the past? i.e stolen, etc..

chavist93 · #5 10-23-2006, 05:56 AM

Well not as far as I know, bou of course I cant be 100% sure. I have it traced back to the 2nd owner which I spoke to and he admits to changing the vin number. The car was purchased new in NC and the original vin may stil be in their name or the insurance company's name. The 2nd owner who change the vin was in SC where the car has been ever since. I have a family member who works for the DMV here and he searched for the original vin in SC records and it was never registered in SC. So I'm guessing the 2nd owner which owned the salvage yard bought it from the insurance Co. and wasnt able to obtain the title or it was just cheaper and easier for him to switch vins. It has had the same (incorrect) vin since around 71, but there is no way to know if the 2nd owner is telling the 100% truth. Is there anyway or anyone who can search the NC records for the original vin?

**firstgenaddict** · #6 10-23-2006, 05:59 AM

Most likley the vin will be out of their system by now.

nuch_ss396 · #7 10-23-2006, 07:28 AM

Tim,

Either way you slice it, changing VIN's is illegal. SO -
I would tread lightly and ask lots of questions before you
tell too many people ( or agencies ) that the VIN was changed.

Steve

BBIGG BLOCK 396 · #8 10-23-2006, 08:59 AM

I would contact the Department of Motor Vehicles of your State and see what can be done.I doubt that you will ever recover the original vin#.I would not spend any more $$$ on a vehicle like that until everything was100% legal.

Bobby

chavist93 · #9 10-23-2006, 03:47 PM

Yes, I understand that. We have completely stopped the restoration. Its just ashamed that someone did that to this car. The enging, trans, and rear are all the original ones to the car. The only reason I am afraid to contact the DMV is I'm scared of what might happen to the car. If we dont tell anything at least we could part it and recoup some money. Would there be any way to get a state issued vin?

**Charley Lillard** · #10 10-23-2006, 05:30 PM

Check with DMV. If the car wasn't stolen you might be able have them assign a new vin to the car.