C1 VIN problems
Team Owner
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 37,663
Likes: 1,112
From: CA
HAPPY ENDING to a long story
Yesterday just after noon I left the Florida DMV with a fresh Florida title with my car's VIN. Common sense prevailed with some very dedicated and reasoning DMV personnel. I went to the DMV with intent of locating the highest level management who would listen. My plan was to subject my car to the highest level of scrutiny and inspection available. I could not get Arizona to even discuss the case with me.
Before I was sent to a distant inspection station I was sent to another DMV operator who I told my situation to. She pulled up the NMVTIS and noted the 1950 description of the car with my VIN. She made the determination that could not be my 1959 Corvette as I had full documentation for over the past 52 years. She left for a few minutes and came back with a big smile. I rushed home and picked up my original Texas title, a Florida VIN verification inspection report I had done previously for Arizona, and my proof of insurance. Within minutes I had a Florida title. I asked if the NMVTIS would show two cars with the same VIN. She did not know what would happen, but she said that they were not the same cars by description. I will check in a few days to see what the report shows. Common sense prevailed. I must say that Texas DMV had some very helpful staff trying to help also, and pushing Arizona. The fact I was not there in Texas to get them in the inspection circuit made it a little difficult. My case was very obvious once I found someone to listen and reason. I have an old 1956 Triumph motorcycle that had a similar history as the car. It was titled in New Mexico and had not been tagged since 1973. New Mexico had no record of it in their files, but lucky for me I still had a paper title. It now has a Florida title. Keep your old classics current!
Thanks to everyone for the help and information. Been a rough journey but ended well! And a special thanks to Rich, who has been working with me on this car for the past year.
Yesterday just after noon I left the Florida DMV with a fresh Florida title with my car's VIN. Common sense prevailed with some very dedicated and reasoning DMV personnel. I went to the DMV with intent of locating the highest level management who would listen. My plan was to subject my car to the highest level of scrutiny and inspection available. I could not get Arizona to even discuss the case with me.
Before I was sent to a distant inspection station I was sent to another DMV operator who I told my situation to. She pulled up the NMVTIS and noted the 1950 description of the car with my VIN. She made the determination that could not be my 1959 Corvette as I had full documentation for over the past 52 years. She left for a few minutes and came back with a big smile. I rushed home and picked up my original Texas title, a Florida VIN verification inspection report I had done previously for Arizona, and my proof of insurance. Within minutes I had a Florida title. I asked if the NMVTIS would show two cars with the same VIN. She did not know what would happen, but she said that they were not the same cars by description. I will check in a few days to see what the report shows. Common sense prevailed. I must say that Texas DMV had some very helpful staff trying to help also, and pushing Arizona. The fact I was not there in Texas to get them in the inspection circuit made it a little difficult. My case was very obvious once I found someone to listen and reason. I have an old 1956 Triumph motorcycle that had a similar history as the car. It was titled in New Mexico and had not been tagged since 1973. New Mexico had no record of it in their files, but lucky for me I still had a paper title. It now has a Florida title. Keep your old classics current!
Thanks to everyone for the help and information. Been a rough journey but ended well! And a special thanks to Rich, who has been working with me on this car for the past year.
WOOT WOOT...
Bet your grinning from ear to ear...
NOW TAKE YOUR WIFE OUT FOR A DRIVE....
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 880
Likes: 161
From: Seville, OH
It seems a possibility to me that the AZ car IS a 1959 Corvette with a typo in the year. That almost seems more plausible than a random 1959 Corvette VIN finding it's way to a 1950 Chevrolet sedan. The previous title on my Corvette did not say Corvette anywhere on the title, just year, make and for model: "2-door."
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 17,571
Likes: 3,460
From: Fresno California
I have a '67 GTO that has been titled as a '68 for the past 33 years I've owned it. I've tried several times to get it corrected, with no luck. The VIN even has '67' in it, and it bears no resemblance to a '68 model. I gave up. Glad you found some dedicated DMV staff.....that sometimes happens. I lucked out and had a great DMV guy help me out with my 'barn find' '61 C1....turns out he was a 'car guy'. Still had to pay almost a grand in back fees, though! Enjoy your 'Vette!
Advanced
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 83
Likes: 17
From: Missouri
I have cars that I have owned for 25+ years with titles and historic (lifetime) plates issued by the state of Missouri. The plates NEVER need to be renewed and only cost about $25. The plates are tied to the title and if you were to get a new title you have to get new plates. I'll be damned if I'm going to get a new title every few years and have to buy plates AGAIN! Just to satisfy some agency I have never heard of! If Missouri is fine with my registration so am I!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 957
Likes: 38
From: Morristown MN
It seems a possibility to me that the AZ car IS a 1959 Corvette with a typo in the year. That almost seems more plausible than a random 1959 Corvette VIN finding it's way to a 1950 Chevrolet sedan. The previous title on my Corvette did not say Corvette anywhere on the title, just year, make and for model: "2-door."
And that's how the title for my '62 appears. When I bought it from the previous owner, the title listed it as a "2-door". New title followed suit.
Mike
Team Owner
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 37,663
Likes: 1,112
From: CA
A little 'off topic'...
I've had my car since 1974 and had the 'PINK' from back then and never noticed that in body type it listed it as CPE, 'coupe' my car is a convertible....car was parked from 1980 until i got back on the road in 2010..
When i went to put it back on the road i took the bill of sale and the 1974 pink to prove it was mine...had them check and cross check VIN..i mentioned to them its NOT a coupe but a convertible...they said it would be best to match the one i had as it would cause problems....I asked and they said it would not MATCH the old one for which i had to turn in...
So as it sets i have "CPE/CONV" in the garage...
I've had my car since 1974 and had the 'PINK' from back then and never noticed that in body type it listed it as CPE, 'coupe' my car is a convertible....car was parked from 1980 until i got back on the road in 2010..
When i went to put it back on the road i took the bill of sale and the 1974 pink to prove it was mine...had them check and cross check VIN..i mentioned to them its NOT a coupe but a convertible...they said it would be best to match the one i had as it would cause problems....I asked and they said it would not MATCH the old one for which i had to turn in...
So as it sets i have "CPE/CONV" in the garage...
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 880
Likes: 161
From: Seville, OH
It seems a possibility to me that the AZ car IS a 1959 Corvette with a typo in the year. That almost seems more plausible than a random 1959 Corvette VIN finding it's way to a 1950 Chevrolet sedan. The previous title on my Corvette did not say Corvette anywhere on the title, just year, make and for model: "2-door."
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Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,490
Likes: 808
From: East Central Florida
Also, as a follow up to the "latest title precedence" issue.....
Yesterday I visited my local FL DMV office to register a trailer. I then sat with the Supervisor to review Florida Statute Chapter 319. This is the statute regarding Florida Law and Rule regarding Titles.
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/...0319/0319.html
I went through this document online the other night. Nowhere is it specific about the DMV using the NMVTIS database to check title activity when a Title is requested.
The supervisor told me, as he did a year earlier as I explained in a previous post, that it is DMV Policy to check that database always. I asked the question again......Which Title takes precedence?
The answer was the "Latest Title takes precedence". He did say that if they see that issue and a problem is encountered, then they have a procedure in place to try to help the owner resolve it. I mentioned the OP's situation, about the Year vs Vin# discrepancy.
He said in special cases they will over ride policy if other states show a problem, as in the case of the OP's situation. He also said old typographical errors are a problem and they typically try to resolve those in-house as well.
He said they would have helped the OP get it straightened out, just as the other DMV office did for him.
Florida DMV has shown me over time that they're willing to help. This situation is proof.
Rich
Yesterday I visited my local FL DMV office to register a trailer. I then sat with the Supervisor to review Florida Statute Chapter 319. This is the statute regarding Florida Law and Rule regarding Titles.
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/...0319/0319.html
I went through this document online the other night. Nowhere is it specific about the DMV using the NMVTIS database to check title activity when a Title is requested.
The supervisor told me, as he did a year earlier as I explained in a previous post, that it is DMV Policy to check that database always. I asked the question again......Which Title takes precedence?
The answer was the "Latest Title takes precedence". He did say that if they see that issue and a problem is encountered, then they have a procedure in place to try to help the owner resolve it. I mentioned the OP's situation, about the Year vs Vin# discrepancy.
He said in special cases they will over ride policy if other states show a problem, as in the case of the OP's situation. He also said old typographical errors are a problem and they typically try to resolve those in-house as well.
He said they would have helped the OP get it straightened out, just as the other DMV office did for him.
Florida DMV has shown me over time that they're willing to help. This situation is proof.
Rich
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,159
Likes: 64
From: Nichols Florida
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,159
Likes: 64
From: Nichols Florida
I have a '67 GTO that has been titled as a '68 for the past 33 years I've owned it. I've tried several times to get it corrected, with no luck. The VIN even has '67' in it, and it bears no resemblance to a '68 model. I gave up. Glad you found some dedicated DMV staff.....that sometimes happens. I lucked out and had a great DMV guy help me out with my 'barn find' '61 C1....turns out he was a 'car guy'. Still had to pay almost a grand in back fees, though! Enjoy your 'Vette!
Tyler
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 880
Likes: 161
From: Seville, OH
In the above "Example," it is very unlikely that a crook would steal information from an known existing car. Much more likely that he looks for an unaccounted VIN through registries and title searches, then create a fake hoping the original never turns up. But in some cases, they do.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,294
Likes: 295
From: Galveston & Belton Texas
Thanks for posting your situation as it has caused me to start the process for my sitting 16 year old restoration which has a vin tag, matching frame stamp, a bill of sale, but no title. All agencies (here in Texas) are doing what they are by law required to do to help me too. Hopefully others with title issues will start the process also.
Oh, if I were you, I still wouldn't sleep very soundly until I knew that only your title and vin are the only ones in "the database(s)". I have positive vibs in your case and mine!
Oh, if I were you, I still wouldn't sleep very soundly until I knew that only your title and vin are the only ones in "the database(s)". I have positive vibs in your case and mine!