Getting a replacement VIN tag
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,512
Likes: 49
From: Franklin IN
Getting a replacement VIN tag
Long story short it's a flood car and the windshield VIN tag is very hard to read. Is it possible to get a replacement tag? what is the procedure?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,419
Likes: 2,746
If the 'Certification Label' is still in tact on driver door and you snapshot or trace the VIN derivative on the left frame rail you should never have registration issues. Take a snapshot of the 'Certification Label' and maybe considewr getting a duplicate of that. $80 should accomplish that.
Last edited by WVZR-1; Mar 15, 2019 at 06:46 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 6,345
Likes: 1,150
From: Vermilion OH
The vin tag on the dash of my 86 is in poor shape as well. I had often thought about removing it and using naval jelly on it and reinstalling it after clearing it once the jelly strips the thing back to bare metal and eats the rust away. Its worth a shot..
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 3,214
Likes: 101
From: Decatur, Alabama
You CANNOT LEGALLY DO IT on a car that requires a title. The only way (and they will likely tell you it's no longer available) is to take it to dealer (cringe) and have them pull the dash pad and install the new VIN plate they can order.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 6,944
Likes: 1,490
From: New Jersey
I know it is possible, the vin on the 55 is a freaking label from those metal punch label makers. But that was also done 25 years ago now. So who knows.
I would say just slide a piece of paper under there and try and rub a transfer of the numbers if the door tag is un readable. You can also pull most of the vin from the frame under the battery iirc.
I would say just slide a piece of paper under there and try and rub a transfer of the numbers if the door tag is un readable. You can also pull most of the vin from the frame under the battery iirc.
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Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,503
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From: Saratoga Springs NY
2024 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
My 88 during hurricane 'whatever' in FL somehow got water into the VIN tag area. The whole area HELD the water, looked like a fishtank. Even after 2 months in the sun, water droplets were still present, and the tag rusted BAD.
I pulled windshield, fixed A pillar with POR 15, and removed VIN tag (be careful, they are very thin). Acid dipped it, and one coat of flat black made it look brand new. I riveted it back on and it looks factory.
That being said, as long as the tag is ORIGINAL to the car and matches the other many stampings on the frame (assuming someone would even bother to look), you are ok. It only becomes illegal if you change the VIN from another vehicle, and try to SELL the car - now you can get in trouble. Ive lived in multiple states, and never once had someone even verify the VIN tag condition, let alone if its even there...No big deal..Good luck
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2013
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From: norway
