I bought a 69 has a rusty frame (I know how rare a rusty frame on a C3 is) but If I replace the whole frame if the numbers don't match the rest of the car can that cause a problem. This car has # matching eng trans I would never try NCRS type car just a safe super nice driver. Windsheild frame is solid so vin s easy to read. Just seems every day there is more out there about bogus or missing numbers just don't want and trouble down the road. We all know how many cars are out there with different frames and some are big dollar number matching ones.

 

first of all, grind the numbers off, before putting it under your car.. of course in most states, that is probably illegal too. Then you can make the frame impossible to ID.

you would have to look deep in the code of your state to see.

of course the same is true for putting an engine in your car that is not its original and has a blank pad or another car's numbers stamped on it. same concept.

just make sure that the frame you buy is a 'retired' frame from another car and get receipts and seller info in case there is a problem.

most states make 'tampering' illegal, but look up what tampering means. as long as there is no willful fraud I bet there is no problem.

 

funny, two days ago I was at a friend's Corvette shop; and I asked him where the numbers are on the frame.... he said he'd never seen them on a frame; and we looked at 3 different frames and couldn't find them....

so maybe someone with more knowledge can answer this one?


that said, as long as you get the frame that matches what was made in 69; you should be good. Also, numbers can be stamped - the trick is to not stamp stolen parts

 

This will fix it... http://www.colliertechnologies.com/products.html

 

I don't. How many are there?

Here:


And here:


Same worker with the same machine made both stamps.

 

Only if it is stolen.


I do not see this being a problem ever so many cars have been parted out to keep others alive and that is all you will be doing.

The numbers can not even be seen unless you pull the body off of the frame. Who is going to do that to check for the vin.

Plus the vin was for theft tracking there are so many old C3s chopped up the law can not keep track of that and they wont. They have better things to deal with.

 

Just seems as the price of these cars go up more people get sue happy if they buy a car that had a major change that was not told to them they sue. It may have been done 3 owners before. I sold a 70 coupe on e bay with a frame repair told the buyer and sent photos. Then 6 months later same car at a dealer in St Louis that sold a lot of Corvettes had it on e bay as a rust free car from out west. I still had old insurance papers with the vin so I know it was the same car. I sold it for 9500 it was a Ohio car it whole life the dealer had it listed for 24.995. I feel sorry for who ever bought that car. I can fix my frame but it would be easy to just swap it out.

 

Just get a receipt for the new frame with its number on it. Put that receipt in your build folder. Enjoy your car. I have done this on a few A bodies I've built. Good luck, Hope get it going soon.

 

There's another way too - when you strip the donor car, send the title to the state and tell them the car has been parted out.

 

Sure, why not? Aftermarket frames that are made from the original tooling are being produced and sold today, as well as tube and conversion chassis, etc. There was even a stack of C3 GM NOS frames on ebay recently as well.

 

You can sue anyone, but if you've no claim, you'll get to pay their attorney's fees and potentially face criminal prosecution for filing a false claim.

I see these on a regular basis, and the rule is pretty simple. Concealed flaw = liability. Failure to investigate = you're paying their attorney's fees. And no, no one cares that you have to remove the body to check the numbers.... caveat emptor

 

where's "here"?

thank you for that first picture - now I know where to look

 

I'd think long and hard before destroying any serial numbers. I'm no lawyer but I'd tend to think it's illegal everywhere. There are only two reasons to grind off a number -- the thing is stolen or you're trying to pass it off as original when it's not, neither of which is looked upon favorably by the law.

 

Top of the frame rail in front of #4 body mount, driver's side. You may have to clean off accumulated road gook in order to see it.

 

Well, it all depends on the source of the new frame. Did you steal it? Did you buy it from someone who stole it? Did the seller of the frame act suspicious and dubious? Did the seller refuse to explain the origin of the frame to your satisfaction and deviously avoid providing proof of the source? If so, be prepared to spend some time behind bars.

On the other hand, if you bought it from a reputable company, a seller with a salvage title, etc., then keep your purchase documentation and sleep soundly at night, because you have done nothing wrong nor illegal. If dropping a body on a "legally purchased", non-original frame is illegal, then a large percentage of the hotrod/mod enthusiasts would be in the slammer right now.

Regarding grinding the numbers off that sucker … what better way to prove you are covering up a stolen frame? That might land you in the Clink even with a legal purchase.

 

Thanks!

 

I say this with tongue firmly planted in cheek; but it does make a good point.

I've yet to hear a person say "well, I knew that guy was a thief but I bought it from him anyway"

What I do hear a lot is: "I never thought he was a thief"

seriously, the ones that get you the worst are the ones you trust with the most.


---------

And if the numbers are ground off the frame, by itself, doesn't make it illegal. There are lots of people who clean and paint their frames where the process itself removes the numbers - much like decking a block removes the numbers - nothing nefarious there, simply part of the process.

I considered telling this story before, but now that you mention "legal source" I will.... admittedly it's an extreme example, but happened to my dad...
My dad bought an XL 250 that needed the top cover replaced (they leak ~1975). So he bought a salvage one from a reputable yard in Portland. The yard sold the frame to someone else who used it to fix his bike. He registered the frame number. That bike was stolen.
As is usual with my dad, it took him years to get the bike registered, and when he did; it needed an inspection. Which turned up the stolen number (the top cover has the serial number on it as well). Fortunately, he convinced the cops not to seize his bike instantly - and eventually straightened it out to their satisfaction - but could never register the bike.

 

this one

 

Well if you feel it is illegal to change a frame then it must be to do the engine that is numbers matching.

If you are so worried about the numbers matching, when you get the new frame cut out the area where the numbers are and then take the one from your frame and weld it into place. A little grinding and no one will know the difference.

 

Why didn't he get a cover that was legal.