As some of my prior posts have shown, I have been casually shopping for a C3 for some time. I have looked at a bunch and met some great vette people, but haven't found just the right one yet.

I just came across one in PA. An 81 that is surprisingly clean and solid. Frame doesn't even have surface rust. It belonged to this guy's father who is now in his 80s and in a home, so it has been in storage a long time in a heated garage. Overall it is a nice car. It is far from perfect, but a great platform to work with. And I have a sentimental attachment to 81s.

He is asking 10 for it, which he and I both know if high. I think I could get it for 6500 or 7 with the work it needs. My problem is this. He showed me the title and it has an "R" designation which means the VIN was re-assigned in Pennsylvania. It is missing the VIN plate in the windshield, but has one riveted to the door which indicates the reassigned VIN. According to the owner, back in the 80s it was involved in some divorce issue by the prior owner, problems occurred, and the reassigned VIN was the result. From what my research shows, normally reassigned VINs occur when a car is stolen then found again. I tried contacting PA DMV, but since it was over 20 years ago it was reassigned, they had little information.

This is a numbers matching car, all original, solid, but the VIN has me worried. I ran the VIN through Carfax and it is perfectly clean. I also checked the VIN and all of it's numbers match up perfectly with what this car is. I just can't figure this out.

My 2 questions are this.
Does anyone know any more about reassigned VINs? And secondly, I am going to go back and see if I can find the original VIN somewhere else on the car. Where is the easiest place to find the original one without having to tear the car all apart? I am sure the tank sticker will have it, but I am not about to drop the tank on a car I might not even buy.

Thanks for the help.

 

how can you call it a numbers matching when you don't have all the numbers to match? I would pass on this car. there are too many for sale with clean tittles

 

unless you want to keep the car for yourself until you cant drive anymore, or, you're not concerned with resale value.
as an option, i may be interested.

 

I wonder if you could get the partial vin off the frame or engine and rebuild the first half from just knowing the year and such. Maybe you could find more information about it that way.

 

State-issued VINs are present in cases of rebuilt wrecks, flood cars, thefts etc etc not simple disagreements in a divorce. They usually sell with quite a penalty in price

The car is NOT 'numbers matching' unless we want to add yet another deceitful meaning to the ever growing list of definitions.

 

it's 'all original', except the VIN plate of course. I love it when folks describe cars as all original.

discount the car accordingly due to the vin # issue, remember when it comes time for you to sell, you are going to have the same issues. you are going to have to drop the price to get it sold. or hope for a unknowing rookie to buy it for an inflated amount.

 

That is my issue, in the event of resale I know it won't even come close to what it might someday be worth. And you guys are right, until I go over it with a fine tooth comb, I can't confirm the rest of the numbers match. I am just taking the old guys word for it. But as joewill point out, it will never be a numbers matching car (at least how I consider one to be) since the VIN will always be off.
I might make an offer, taking into consideration the VIN issue. I imagine he will scoff at it and wait to see if it sells elsewhere to some other "unknowing rookie".
My plans were to make it into a track car, but still keep it streetable and for shows like my 05. Regardless, that VIN will always be there to haunt me.
Thanks for your advice.

 

$10,000 asking price is way out of line for a re-titled 81. Even the $6,500-7,000 your considering offering for it, is probably high. There are plenty on decent "legitimate" 81's on the market for $7,000.

If your building a track car, then a salvage title isn't really going to hurt the ultimate resale value that much. The problem is that the purchase price should reflect the the fact that it is a salvage title.

 

I'm with the rest. With all of the nice cars out there for cheap, I wouldn't even bother with this one unless it comes with a DEEP discount. Even then, I'd say you're better off to keep looking.

 

Maybe check the number on the frame, top surface around the #4 mount, drivers side. Not sure it will buy you much other than confirming the drive train appears to be original.

From what I understand states assign a new VIN if the car has been written off for insurance, totaled, stolen, flood, etc. A salvage car. $10K may be a bit high but it has to have some value if only for an ordinary driving car with a bit of style, not collectible...

 

All you need the consecutive unit number. All 1981 VINs are the same format with the exception of the plant code (St. Louis or Bowling Green) and the consecutive unit number.

Trim tag on the driver's door hinge post will tell you which assembly factory. Bowling Green tags have a VIN derivitive on them; St. Louis tags do not.

Vehicle certification label on the driver's door has the VIN typed on it.

VIN derivitive stamped on the pad on the block at the front of the right head will have the consecutive unit number.

Good luck.

FWIW: take the divorce story with a grain of salt. Ownership of the car could have changed as the result of a divorce, but I've never heard of a divorce requiring a VIN change.