highschool67

I bought a 72 vert with from a forum member from Alabama and having trouble getting a title here in Iowa.

The VIN on the Alabama Registration is 1Z1234567s9 the VIN on the car is Z1234567s9. It is missing the 1 at the beginning. It looks to have the original rosette rivets and the VIN is all correct but the fact it's missing the 1 at the lead digit.

Any suggestions?
I am having a state trooper come and match the vin on the frame if we can find it? Any ideas where it is on the frame and how difficult it will be to see?
Thanks
Dave

pbcanney

http://www.idavette.net/facts/72.htm


Serial Numbers: 1Z37K2S500001 through 1Z37K2S527004

BenUK

Either on the top surface of the frame near the rear driver's side wheel or on the top surface of the frame side rail in front of the driver's side rear wheel. Position seems to vary - I don't know whether it varies by year or randomly by production line worker

If it's not next to the rear wheel then you'll have a helluva job trying to see it under the rocker channel.

Do the engine or transmission stamps match the VIN? In any case, only the last six digits of the VIN will be on the frame and engine to match the VIN tag under the windshield.

bop

your state dmv office will know the secret locations of the vin numbers. I had a car looked at years ago by the nc dmv and the vin number was on the drivers side on top of the frame above the half shaft my vin had been ground off.

IrishJoker

Come on people - hasn't anyone noticed how "ODD" his serial number is? Doesn't even come close to matching pbcanney's information. Perfect setup of numbers reading "1234567s9"? Looks very very fishy to me.

vettebuyer6369

Im hoping he was just demonstrating the format without actually giving out his VIN.

IrishJoker

I suppose it could be interpreted that way - but then again I'm not sure, at any rate his format is incorrect.

joewill

Ultimately take the car back, the seller sold you a car with a VIN that does not match the title...

highschool67

Yes it is an example. First digit should be a 1 followed by a Z.
All of the other numbers match so I didn't put them in the absolutely correct format. 1st digit is the only in question.

69Vett

Rule#1 buy a car and verify the title matches !

most likely his DMV made a typo, when it was registered,
the Texas DMV made 3 typo's in a row on mine, I had to go there 4 times to get them to do it right.
He may have to go to the DMV and get it fixed first, then sign it back over to you. 69VETT

avalonjohn

I highly doubt you are going to see that frame VIN unless you pull the body off......I agree, check the VIN on the engine and trans.

I also agree that DMV may have made a mistake. My 68 has a 13 digit ( i think) VIN as do they all. I think all current VIN's are 17 digits, so these guys added the 4 digit month year expiration to my VIN (ie. 0709 for July 2009) to make it fit in their computer on the title itself.....the car sat for years and when I finally restored it, I had a hell of a time explaining what they did and why my VIN was an extra 4 digits.

69Vett

you can barely see the vin# Stamp with the body on, located on the drivers side,
on top of the frame rail, between the rear tire and the body mount.
you will need a mirror and a flashlight. 69VETT

Mike Ward

You're saying that the original factory issued VIN plate is intact, but it's missing a digit?

Hmmmmmmmm.

wer2xu

the 7th position should be a letter not a number...when I bought my car the NY registration had the S as a 5, got that fixed pretty easily.

markdtn

I guess I don't understand the getting new registration problem. I do understand that you don't want a car that the VIN and registration don't match. Alabama does not have titles before '75. If I understand correctly, it sounds like the registration (tag receipt) is correct for what it should be, but the VIN plate is not. Why are you having trouble registering it? Do they have to do a visual match before registering it? I would be curious on the VIN on the frame, hope it matches-for several peoples sake.

halfmoontrail

Probably doesn't help you, but I've never heard of an incorrect-format VIN plate mounted on the pillar from the factory.

Also, Alabama is well-known throughout the SE US as the easiest state to "wash" a title...

Steve

IrishJoker

The VIN format you quoted above is incorrect for a 1972 Corvette. The VIN should be 13 characters long as is in the following format:

Position Description Code
1 GM division 1=Chevrolet
2 Car line or series Z=Corvette
3 & 4 Body style 3 & 7 = two door coupe
6 & 7=two door convertible

5 Engine type K=base, L=LT1, W=LS5

6 Model year 2=1972

7 Assembly Plant S=St. Louis

8 thru 13 Production Sequence Number 400001 thru ?

So you have to match this sequence to have a correct VIN and your examble doesn't come close. An example of a correct VIN for a base coupe would be: 1Z37K2S400002.

Easy Mike

The frame and engine stamps mentioned are only VIN derivitives and not complete VINs. May or may not be acceptable by the DMV.



Top of frame rail, driver's side, by #4 body mount. The picture is deceptive since it is the clearest frame stamp I've ever seen. This one has chalk/paint in the characters.

The 1 on the VIN plate can be difficult to see and could be a partial stamp of the character. Are you sure it isn't there or evidence of a partial stamp?

vettebuyer6369

Again, everyone who is posting information breaking down the VIN sequence, I think, is missing the point. He just plugged in a bunch of numbers 1-9.

The point, as I understand it, is that the VIN plate on the car is missing the "1" it should start with. To be honest, I don't really see the checking the frame exercise as I'd be floored if the frame # was also missing the 1.

This comes down to: is the 1 really missing or is it light? Or is the VIN plate damaged? Or fake? Or something else?

noonie

The cops that come to check it out don't need any suggestions.
they are familiar with Alabama too.

They will probably be the ones from the special unit, and that's all they do 5 days a week. they know their stuff.

Their findings will be interesting. Please post the results.