How to spot a changed VIN

[JerryC]

USS Constitution contains 10 - 15% original timber, all the other wooden pieces have been replaced at least once over the last 220-odd years. It's still the USS Constitution.

Jerry

[NickVyse]

 

 

I bought an 02 many moons ago and subsequently realised it had already had a VIN swap, for reasons unknown. Due to UK tax laws at the time anything made pre-1973 was road tax exempt - my 02 was 74, so I bought a 73 vin (like thousands of other classic cars at the time). Years later the shell was sold to fix a totally rotten car that the owners used as their wedding car. Sentimentality wanted them to keep the same plate, so on went the 4th VIN and 5th colour. Oviously I just made that all up to illustrate a point, officer ?

 

VIN swaps are not always done for bad reasons and no 02 owners were harmed in the making of this example. But the new car should defintely be named Triggers Broom.

[conkitchen]

11 hours ago, JerryC said:

USS Constitution contains 10 - 15% original timber, all the other wooden pieces have been replaced at least once over the last 220-odd years. It's still the USS Constitution.

Jerry

I always thought the Constitution was made of parchment.  How many Bibles and Torahs have been rewritten over the millenium and they are all treated like it's the original. A bit of a sideways reference, but C'mon we should all stop taking ourselves so serious. Life is too short to be so upiddy about man-made objects.  

 

But what do I know, The ruling class has been lying to us since day one. 

[TobyB]

Has anyone tried to take the head off an ax handle?

 

Yeah, no, that's not happening.  Nice story.  Load of BS.

The handle never survives the process.

 

There's a fantastic exhibit at one of the 'plane museums up in Everett,

showing how much of a plane the FAA doesn't let you use when you're 'restoring'

one from a non- currently- airworthy airframe.

 

It looks like an airplane with a few bits missing and some access holes

cut so that construction can be replicated.

 

It's brilliant.

 

I need to get out more.

 

t

f@@@ing covids.

[S00S odrut]

I had a second look at the car. The inner fenders and the filler hose were correct for a '68 which was a very good sign. What is very concerning is the area around the chassic number on the top of the right fender. To me it looks like it has been cut. Here is the underside where the sheet metal doesn't look leveled.

[Conserv]

Looking at the photo, I really have no idea what I’m looking at. Has the right fender been removed?

 

My suspicion, however, is that this car — with the many things that have happened to it over the last 50 years — will not make you happy. I sense that you don’t trust the car and/or the seller and are focused largely on finding more reasons not to purchase it. When you feel that way about a car, you should look for another car!

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

[S00S odrut]

The photo shows the sheet metal right under the chassis number where the arrow points.

 

The price is great, the body condition is very good, the seller is a great guy that offered to help me with interior and engine removal to send the car to a paint shop, lend me some tools etc. There is no reason not to get this car other than my concern about the chassis number.

[Lorin]

Can you put an arrow on your picture in the same place as the picture viewed from the top with arrows? 
 

I can’t tell what I’m looking at either. 

[02Les]

45 minutes ago, S00S odrut said:

The photo shows the sheet metal right under the chassis number where the arrow points.

 

The price is great, the body condition is very good, the seller is a great guy that offered to help me with interior and engine removal to send the car to a paint shop, lend me some tools etc. There is no reason not to get this car other than my concern about the chassis number.

 

Post the VIN &/or licence tag. There's a slim chance we may know the car.

[Conserv]

Here’s an example of a chassis VIN “snatch”. Are you saying that your photo is taken from underneath the inner fender, from near the right front strut, looking rearward and upward to where this hole is located? What’s the green thing in your photo? A tarpaulin?

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

[S00S odrut]

The picture is taken like you are this guy and look right under the chassis number. The green piece on the top of the picture is just a rag in case it is confusing.

I don't want to post more information of the car since it's not mine.

[NYNick]

Look....the car is already non-matching numbers. The engine is gone. The rest is academic.  At this point who cares if the VIN has been changed? What does it get you anyway? 

 

If you're restoring for Pebble Beach and to that level, I can see your concern. A 100 point car except for the engine. Got it.

But it's a non-matching numbers franken02 at this point, with God knows what attached to a possible 68 1600 to forward date it.

 

I don't understand why you care unless you think maybe it was stolen. Water under that bridge too, most likely.

A VIN posting and Les will probably be able to look it up.

[Gordon]

Living in California in the late 90's, all 02's had to pass smog and the 25 year exemption rule was just coming into effect.  Suddenly your 02 became a year or two earlier and you became smog exempt. The VIN swap wasn't done for a bad reason.   You did what you had to do to pass smog.    Just ask anyone in CA with a 76 2002, it's a bitch to pass the CA smog test if your 02 has a carb. 

Edited February 22, 2021 by Gordon

[TobyB]

Stop looking and start feeling.  

 

Run your finger over it.

If the metal's not continuous

for any reason, you'll feel it.

Anyone who has done successful body work

does it with their hands, not their eyes.

 

But at this point, I think you should decide that

you do or don't want this car.  The nose and tail have

been changed- what does a 2" chunk more or less matter?

If you don't trust it, keep looking.  If you can decide

you do, get it.  If you DO get it, get rid of that 68 filler-

THOSE are NOT trustworthy.

 

See?  Feeling!

 

t

it's a trust exercise- trust me!

 

[Lorin]

Here is a photo of my ‘68 from the same angle yours is taken from. It’s still hard for me to see what’s going on in your picture. Is there a lot of rust on the car ?