Frame vin
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 455
Likes: 0
From: MD
Frame vin
Is there a sure place to find the frame VIN on a 61? I know it is stamped on the top rail but after 40 plus years of weather, etc. I was hoping there was a prime location to find it.
Title was reissued by state since original was lost almost 25 years ago. I would like to have reissued according to the actual VIN.
Thank you for your considerations
Title was reissued by state since original was lost almost 25 years ago. I would like to have reissued according to the actual VIN.
Thank you for your considerations
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,576
Likes: 118
From: Conroe Texas
My memory is that yes you'll need a mirror.
On my 62, the stamp was closer to the outside of the frame rail, versus the inside.
I can't offer an opinion on what your DMV requires. We've heard of some DMVs wanting to take a hack-saw to the floor board in order to access the VIN stamp on the frame.
On my 62, the stamp was closer to the outside of the frame rail, versus the inside.
I can't offer an opinion on what your DMV requires. We've heard of some DMVs wanting to take a hack-saw to the floor board in order to access the VIN stamp on the frame.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,973
Likes: 5
From: Valrico Florida
my memory is that yes you'll need a mirror.
On my 62, the stamp was closer to the outside of the frame rail, versus the inside.
I can't offer an opinion on what your dmv requires. We've heard of some dmvs wanting to take a hack-saw to the floor board in order to access the vin stamp on the frame.
On my 62, the stamp was closer to the outside of the frame rail, versus the inside.
I can't offer an opinion on what your dmv requires. We've heard of some dmvs wanting to take a hack-saw to the floor board in order to access the vin stamp on the frame.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 3,349
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From: Mint Hill North Carolina
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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Picture of drivers side rail frame VIN stamp
Drivers side rail from my 56.
Panama
Panama
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Drifting
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 1,276
Likes: 25
From: whitney pt. N.Y., USA ny
Hello when i went to find mine with a mirror - no luck . I wound up loosening the rear body mounts very slowing and carefully jacking the body up until i could get my fingers readily between the frame and body. My frame was very clean i thought. I started sanding with 400 grit - nothing figuring it had to be there i went to 200 then 100 then 80 grit. I could barley make out a number or maybe two with my mirror. I the used the mirror and my digital camera and here's a picture of what i got.
Don't be afraid to sand you're not going to remove those stamped in numbers but stick with it be aggressive and you'll find them.
Don't be afraid to sand you're not going to remove those stamped in numbers but stick with it be aggressive and you'll find them.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,076
Likes: 204
From: Ontario
Hello when i went to find mine with a mirror - no luck . I wound up loosening the rear body mounts very slowing and carefully jacking the body up until i could get my fingers readily between the frame and body. My frame was very clean i thought. I started sanding with 400 grit - nothing figuring it had to be there i went to 200 then 100 then 80 grit. I could barley make out a number or maybe two with my mirror. I the used the mirror and my digital camera and here's a picture of what i got.
Don't be afraid to sand you're not going to remove those stamped in numbers but stick with it be aggressive and you'll find them.
Don't be afraid to sand you're not going to remove those stamped in numbers but stick with it be aggressive and you'll find them.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 14,634
Likes: 4,684
From: Mustang OK
2026 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
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This is EXACTLY the way the frame was stamped on my 56.
We did the frame off back in 74-5, and back in those days NO ONE gave a second thought to taking pictures of the stamped VIN on the frame (does anyone want to guess if I'm going to pull the body today to take a picture?).
Tom Parsons
We did the frame off back in 74-5, and back in those days NO ONE gave a second thought to taking pictures of the stamped VIN on the frame (does anyone want to guess if I'm going to pull the body today to take a picture?).
Tom Parsons
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,679
Likes: 1
From: Pendleton IN
One thing to consider before trying to get the car re-titled to the correct vin.
"You might want to consider checking to see if the original vin has ever been reported stolen." You may end up saving yourself some headache.
JMO
"You might want to consider checking to see if the original vin has ever been reported stolen." You may end up saving yourself some headache.
JMO
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 455
Likes: 0
From: MD
Does it make a major difference to the value of the car if it has been retitled due to lost title, etc? The purpose is to drive and enjoy but at some time you will part with the car and then do you make excuses or concessions?
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 4,148
Likes: 642
From: Bandera Texas
Hello when i went to find mine with a mirror - no luck . I wound up loosening the rear body mounts very slowing and carefully jacking the body up until i could get my fingers readily between the frame and body. My frame was very clean i thought. I started sanding with 400 grit - nothing figuring it had to be there i went to 200 then 100 then 80 grit. I could barley make out a number or maybe two with my mirror. I the used the mirror and my digital camera and here's a picture of what i got.
Don't be afraid to sand you're not going to remove those stamped in numbers but stick with it be aggressive and you'll find them.
Don't be afraid to sand you're not going to remove those stamped in numbers but stick with it be aggressive and you'll find them.
. We westerners are spoiled rotten. I have looked at least 30 frames over the years, and just used a clean rag and brake spray or WD-40 to clean the area and bingo, the numbers appear.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 4,148
Likes: 642
From: Bandera Texas
Hopefully they are the same number
Is there a sure place to find the frame VIN on a 61? I know it is stamped on the top rail but after 40 plus years of weather, etc. I was hoping there was a prime location to find it.
Title was reissued by state since original was lost almost 25 years ago. I would like to have reissued according to the actual VIN.
Thank you for your considerations
Title was reissued by state since original was lost almost 25 years ago. I would like to have reissued according to the actual VIN.
Thank you for your considerations
Remember in 2007 when an ebay sale of a nice 68 Corvette to Europe got caught at customs ? Car was impounded,
seller lost the car and the money 
had to be returned to the buyer. The car was reunited with the original owner who had the car stolen when it was 6 months old. There were six owners over the years, and no one knew the problems. Only recourse for the last owner who suffered the loss, was to go back and sue each former owner all the way back to 1968.
The state may be responsible for not discovering the correct vin when they assigned their tag. Here in California we generally see the original vin number on a state assigned tag.
Now if you want to replace that state assigned vin tag with a repoduction vin tag, that is another story. Remember 61's had the vin tag tack welded to the steering column. That was stupid, as they offten fell off, or if the steering column was pulled and replaced, the tags never got re-attached.
Last edited by jimgessner; Jan 31, 2009 at 11:00 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 1,276
Likes: 25
From: whitney pt. N.Y., USA ny
For me I had to do it because my box of titles for old cars i owned for many years was lost in the flood we had here. ( I'm disabled and the people that were cleaning up threw a lot of stuff they shouldn't have away) I had sold my big building and had everything moved in to my cellar, Boxes of paper work) This car had a NOM and the tag had fallen off before I bought the car. My other cars all had vin tags that were not original motors so i was just able to take pictures and send to the DMV for a new registration title. now in NYS if you have ANY car that has Not been registered for over two years you must take pictures of the vin tag and send in to register even if you have the title in hand.
I'm going to have to do it for my wife's 2001 mustang GT premium that has bee stored for 4 years and we bought new.
I'm going to have to do it for my wife's 2001 mustang GT premium that has bee stored for 4 years and we bought new.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 4,148
Likes: 642
From: Bandera Texas
These Golden years sometimes are not
For me I had to do it because my box of titles for old cars i owned for many years was lost in the flood we had here. ( I'm disabled and the people that were cleaning up threw a lot of stuff they shouldn't have away) I had sold my big building and had everything moved in to my cellar, Boxes of paper work) This car had a NOM and the tag had fallen off before I bought the car. My other cars all had vin tags that were not original motors so i was just able to take pictures and send to the DMV for a new registration title. now in NYS if you have ANY car that has Not been registered for over two years you must take pictures of the vin tag and send in to register even if you have the title in hand.
I'm going to have to do it for my wife's 2001 mustang GT premium that has bee stored for 4 years and we bought new.
I'm going to have to do it for my wife's 2001 mustang GT premium that has bee stored for 4 years and we bought new.
