Re-issued serial number
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,663
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From: Smyrna/Vinings, Georgia
It means that is the current serial number of the car. At some point in cars life an event caused the original serial number to be cancelled. Corvette people don't like to see this and deduct value. To see it on a '69 is not great. .
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
That car was either a theft recover or the vin tag was lost so the state Ohio gave the car a new vin number
Racer
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 297
Likes: 43
commonly happens when a vehicle is seized, can be either local law enforcement or federal, also used when a car Is imported from countries after being forfeited under dea rules. also is used whenever the original vin tag was destroyed such as a wreck or fire etc.
http://codes.ohio.gov/oac/4501%3A1-11
http://codes.ohio.gov/oac/4501%3A1-11
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
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Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
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From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
Keep in mind you get a discount on it now buying but at sales time you have to apply that discount to the buyer,
I did it with a fiero gt this past year and made a few $$$ not much,
State issued vin, could be there for many reasons but i learned states dont like to do it and inspect the cars very well.
Its aalso red flag for buyers to also inspect it well.
Its pretty much a discount ticket, how much it knocks off the price i learned depends who and where you ask,
It wont knock a 40k car to 10k.
If the buyer wants a driver, a resto mod or custom woohoo, but if numbers and correct and and purist respect is at all a desire just keep looking.
It all depends what you want.
I did it with a fiero gt this past year and made a few $$$ not much,
State issued vin, could be there for many reasons but i learned states dont like to do it and inspect the cars very well.
Its aalso red flag for buyers to also inspect it well.
Its pretty much a discount ticket, how much it knocks off the price i learned depends who and where you ask,
It wont knock a 40k car to 10k.
If the buyer wants a driver, a resto mod or custom woohoo, but if numbers and correct and and purist respect is at all a desire just keep looking.
It all depends what you want.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,117
From: Crossville TN
There could be many reasons WHY the owner requested a replacement VIN tag. Some of those reasons are legitimate; some of them are NOT. Most likely, that car was scrapped for some reason (wreck, stolen, stripped with VIN removed, etc) or the original VIN tag was damaged or removed by someone for other purposes.
I would suggest that you look to the transmission for finding the VIN code on it (and on the frame) in hopes that you could identify the original VIN for the car...then contact your local BMV to research the history of that VIN. You will need to talk with the BMV supervisor to check this out; the first-line workers can't even discuss this with you.
Bottom line: If this car is a Frankenstein (vehicle made up of parts from many cars requiring a replacement VIN), it could be a sound car and you should be able to get it for about 20-25% less than an equivalent vehicle with its original VIN instact. If this vehicle was scrapped due to a MAJOR accident or for salt-water flood damage, you do not want to even consider buying it!
I would suggest that you look to the transmission for finding the VIN code on it (and on the frame) in hopes that you could identify the original VIN for the car...then contact your local BMV to research the history of that VIN. You will need to talk with the BMV supervisor to check this out; the first-line workers can't even discuss this with you.
Bottom line: If this car is a Frankenstein (vehicle made up of parts from many cars requiring a replacement VIN), it could be a sound car and you should be able to get it for about 20-25% less than an equivalent vehicle with its original VIN instact. If this vehicle was scrapped due to a MAJOR accident or for salt-water flood damage, you do not want to even consider buying it!
Last edited by 7T1vette; Nov 21, 2018 at 01:30 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
Likes: 780
From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
But what if it was in a major accident and repaired correctly? 
Just imagine the colorful history some c3s have and no one knows because they have a factory vin tag and "look" good.
Edit: When i first heard that reissued vins/blem titles make these cars almost worthless i was thinking hum, my 69 has a clean title i get it running driving swap it and a little cash for a midyear convertible Frankenstein custom with blem title, ( all the things that kill value right? )
Hah, fat chance, out in the real world off the forum buyers do not seem all that turned off to a blem title they grab those cars and drive them.
Day late and dollar short on one a few months back, sold in less than a week.
Just imagine the colorful history some c3s have and no one knows because they have a factory vin tag and "look" good.
Edit: When i first heard that reissued vins/blem titles make these cars almost worthless i was thinking hum, my 69 has a clean title i get it running driving swap it and a little cash for a midyear convertible Frankenstein custom with blem title, ( all the things that kill value right? )
Hah, fat chance, out in the real world off the forum buyers do not seem all that turned off to a blem title they grab those cars and drive them.
Day late and dollar short on one a few months back, sold in less than a week.
Last edited by The13Bats; Nov 21, 2018 at 02:04 PM.
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 53,981
Likes: 6,207
From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
There’s always someone shopping by price, meaning everything will sell eventually.
It doesn’t change the fact that a car with a replacement state issued VIN tag, there for any reason will reduce the value of the car significantly if it did not have it. And yes, agreed, the purchase price also comes with a significant discount.
My problem is some people won’t buy those cars for any price. I checked a car for a buddy who wanted a driver and it had a state tag on it and the price was pretty low. The seller told me the car was totaled and fixed properly. Buddy asked what I thought and I said I don’t know how well the car has been fixed and I wouldn’t buy the car, period. He was shopping by price and liked the big discount and he drove it for awhile, had a number of problems with it and couldn’t give the car away at the end. He was surprised at how many people walked away from the tag.
My personal opinion is there’s so many decent Corvettes for sale, why buy crap for cheap money, and not know if you can sell it when you are over it? I fully understand those who don’t agree, but I wouldn’t buy one.
If a replacement tag has been issued only because of significant modifications made and the buyer is a custom car guy, that’s probably a different scenario.
It doesn’t change the fact that a car with a replacement state issued VIN tag, there for any reason will reduce the value of the car significantly if it did not have it. And yes, agreed, the purchase price also comes with a significant discount.
My problem is some people won’t buy those cars for any price. I checked a car for a buddy who wanted a driver and it had a state tag on it and the price was pretty low. The seller told me the car was totaled and fixed properly. Buddy asked what I thought and I said I don’t know how well the car has been fixed and I wouldn’t buy the car, period. He was shopping by price and liked the big discount and he drove it for awhile, had a number of problems with it and couldn’t give the car away at the end. He was surprised at how many people walked away from the tag.
My personal opinion is there’s so many decent Corvettes for sale, why buy crap for cheap money, and not know if you can sell it when you are over it? I fully understand those who don’t agree, but I wouldn’t buy one.
If a replacement tag has been issued only because of significant modifications made and the buyer is a custom car guy, that’s probably a different scenario.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
Likes: 780
From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
Vb,
Im not arguing it just have a different view point,
In the case of my blem fiero gt, it was 98% restored and top shelf,
I never could find why the blem vin and didnt see or experence anything to indicate it,
It took about 2k off buying it and 2k off selling it, but buyers were hitting me right and left, no i never had a blem vin corvette,
You might recall and my wife was pushing me to buy that blem vin custom it wasnt so much the blem vin that turned me off i thought price was a hair high for a custom blem title car but condition and some hacking scared me away,
For a guy like me who drives his car as a dd doesnt care about resale and is savvy enough to inspect the car a blem vin is a great way to save money for other things,
I respect guys who wont go near them in fact i hope more guys turn away from them because the ones i hit up about get sold fast
Im not arguing it just have a different view point,
In the case of my blem fiero gt, it was 98% restored and top shelf,
I never could find why the blem vin and didnt see or experence anything to indicate it,
It took about 2k off buying it and 2k off selling it, but buyers were hitting me right and left, no i never had a blem vin corvette,
You might recall and my wife was pushing me to buy that blem vin custom it wasnt so much the blem vin that turned me off i thought price was a hair high for a custom blem title car but condition and some hacking scared me away,
For a guy like me who drives his car as a dd doesnt care about resale and is savvy enough to inspect the car a blem vin is a great way to save money for other things,
I respect guys who wont go near them in fact i hope more guys turn away from them because the ones i hit up about get sold fast
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,117
From: Crossville TN
And, to your point, no one knows what is in the mind of an OP when an open-ended [and unbiased] question is asked. I think a poster deserves to hear ALL options, so that he/she can make up their own mind, once the all perspectives are provided.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 2,380
Likes: 838
From: New York
2017 C3 of the Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '20- '21
I have a 17979 10th anniversary Trans Am. I owned it since 1980 give or take. In 1984 NYC police called me to look at, confiscate the car. It turns out that unknown to us, the car had been stolen and the VIN tag changed out to a legit but junked car. It had been VINNED in NY speak. My Dad had to buy it again, because he knew how much I loved the car. NYS assigned it a new VIN,something like NYS17524. by way of a sticker on the drivers side door.
So I have a real 10th anniversary TA, never been in a major accident, but wo its original Vin number. There are quite a few ways a car can loose it original VIN. As a side note I tried contacting NYS to discuss the fact that I can prove what was the original VIN number on the car and change it back. They refused, advising me that that number is considered stolen in their database. I asked him what happens to a stolen vehicles number in the system when its recovered? Nothing????
Happy Thanksgiving all!!!!! Ike
So I have a real 10th anniversary TA, never been in a major accident, but wo its original Vin number. There are quite a few ways a car can loose it original VIN. As a side note I tried contacting NYS to discuss the fact that I can prove what was the original VIN number on the car and change it back. They refused, advising me that that number is considered stolen in their database. I asked him what happens to a stolen vehicles number in the system when its recovered? Nothing????
Happy Thanksgiving all!!!!! Ike
Last edited by general ike; Nov 22, 2018 at 10:02 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,381
Likes: 416
From: N J
Hi Frank, That 69 looks like a nice car, it has a lot going for it, but for that price it would still need its factory vin,
Convertible, hardtop, PS, PB, 350-350, AC that needs work, original motor, 4 speed, t and t column, nice paint and interior. Is that chambered exhaust?
It does say "or best offer" but even at that it would have to be much less in my opinion. I would pass also. Good luck, Happy Thanksgiving.
Convertible, hardtop, PS, PB, 350-350, AC that needs work, original motor, 4 speed, t and t column, nice paint and interior. Is that chambered exhaust?
It does say "or best offer" but even at that it would have to be much less in my opinion. I would pass also. Good luck, Happy Thanksgiving.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
Likes: 780
From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
I have a 17979 10th anniversary Trans Am. I owned it since 1980 give or take. In 1984 NYC police called me to look at, confiscate the car. It turns out that unknown to us, the car had been stolen and the VIN tag changed out to a legit but junked car. It had been VINNED in NY speak. My Dad had to buy it again, because he knew how much I loved the car. NYS assigned it a new VIN,something like NYS17524. by way of a sticker on the drivers side door.
So I have a real 10th anniversary TA, never been in a major accident, but wo its original Vin number. There are quite a few ways a car can loose it original VIN. As a side note I tried contacting NYS to discuss the fact that I can prove what was the original VIN number on the car and change it back. They refused, advising me that that number is considered stolen in their database. I asked him what happens to a stolen vehicles number in the system when its recovered? Nothing????
Happy Thanksgiving all!!!!! Ike
So I have a real 10th anniversary TA, never been in a major accident, but wo its original Vin number. There are quite a few ways a car can loose it original VIN. As a side note I tried contacting NYS to discuss the fact that I can prove what was the original VIN number on the car and change it back. They refused, advising me that that number is considered stolen in their database. I asked him what happens to a stolen vehicles number in the system when its recovered? Nothing????
Happy Thanksgiving all!!!!! Ike
So you see why i find a lot of flaws in a short sighted blanket idea all cars with blem vins are worthless junk wouldnt own it,
I have not confirmed it but im under the impression rogers ZL1 was a theft recovery with blem vin if so if it came up for sale i can hear the laughter fill the buyme jackson room if someone suggested a lower price due to blem vin.
Ike i can imagine the feeling it gives you when some say your ta is now a lesser car and worth nothing to them,
Like i said last blem vin midyear i emailed about sold in less than a week, before that the Frankenstein midyear took like 4 days,
So someone does want these cars and the price cuts are not huge, i wish they were,
Pro
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 721
Likes: 105
From: hernando fl
a buddy of mine bought a new ford van in the 80s , a year or so later the miami ( fl ) police called him and said they found his van at the bottom of the miami river , it was in his driveway at the time. the selling dealer screwed up the vins on the paperwork. end result was a nightmare for him , he wound up with a blem title , and a pristine conversion van with a "checkered" past. odd things happen all the time and to rule anything out with a blem title can be shortsighted at times.