Where is my VIN

[Missie]

6 minutes ago, Conserv said:

If you receive any correspondence or notification from the Mass. State Police, hang onto it. If you don’t, hang onto a copy of this complete thread, plus the dates you contacted the state and the when the State Police inspected the car. 
 

Next, perhaps you should stop worrying about this. The diminishment of value for a salvage title — if that’s what Mass. wants to give you — probably equals the diminishment of value due to a title that doesn’t mention the chassis’s original VIN. And that reduction in value is likely very small unless you have a true show car!

 

Congrats on confirming your car can be titled as is!

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

 

 

Thank you for your positivity and all your help.😊

[NYNick]

20 hours ago, Missie said:

You’re not going to believe this.  I had to have the State Police out to my house to look at this car.  They couldn’t trace the original VIN that was stamped into the car and the registry told them I have a clean title for the VIN that were moved. 
Im going to get the police reports or a letter from them either one saying I can title it.  The officer said the RMV told him I’m in the clear.  He said I did the right thing.
THEY TOLD ME I CAN KEEP IT AND TITLE IT AND DO WHAT I WANT WITH IT

Did you bat your eyelashes? Joke around? See? I told you to go and just ask! It never hurts to be nice and ask for help with these officials.

 

You've got it covered now. Leave that shady sticker covering the stamped VIN in place, keep all the documentation from the cops and the DMV, get it titled, registered and insured in your name with the existing VIN that's on the Title and DRIVE it. It's good to go.

 

When you go to sell you can disclose everything. As far as the state and everyone else is concerned, you've got legal ownership of a car with a good VIN. The rest is just noise.

 

Maybe the ex wasn't so dumb.

 

Congratulations. FAQ'ers to the rescue once again.

[HobieDog]

Glad you have a happy ending.

If it were me, I’d remove the incorrect vin with a few taps of a welder and some grinding, and then rivet a custom made tag over the area with the vin that matches the title.
 

It’s just going to cause confusion down the line to have it on there.  Sure the new tag won’t be factory correct, but maybe better than a sticker covering a non-matching vin.

[Missie]

18 minutes ago, HobieDog said:

Glad you have a happy ending.

If it were me, I’d remove the incorrect vin with a few taps of a welder and some grinding, and then rivet a custom made tag over the area with the vin that matches the title.
 

It’s just going to cause confusion down the line to have it on there.  Sure the new tag won’t be factory correct, but maybe better than a sticker covering a non-matching vin.

It is illegal to even tamper with a VIN, it would be obvious I did that.  That other thing I can do is apply for a title with the VIN that’s stamped into the car and prob get permission to remove the plates.   Then when I sell it down the road it goes smoothly. 
I’m  just so glad I can keep it.  My 17yo son is too, he had big plans to help me fix it up he’s working at an auto shop.  Good ending for sure. 

[Missie]

3 hours ago, NYNick said:

Did you bat your eyelashes? Joke around? See? I told you to go and just ask! It never hurts to be nice and ask for help with these officials.

 

You've got it covered now. Leave that shady sticker covering the stamped VIN in place, keep all the documentation from the cops and the DMV, get it titled, registered and insured in your name with the existing VIN that's on the Title and DRIVE it. It's good to go.

 

When you go to sell you can disclose everything. As far as the state and everyone else is concerned, you've got legal ownership of a car with a good VIN. The rest is just noise.

 

Maybe the ex wasn't so dumb.

 

Congratulations. FAQ'ers to the rescue once again.

Haha.

     I did take your advise.  I have a tshirt I got from work that shows I’m a nurse, because people love nurses of course, and threw that on for good measure.  The officer that came out was super nice and politely gave my 17 yo son a lesson on what can happen to you if you if you mess with VIN numbers.
     I’m sure the ex chose the $3k motorcycle and gave me the $14k car because he was looking trouble in the face if he were to try to sell it because of what he’s done.  He left that problem on my shoulders with spite.     That was the tail end of our equity we were originally going to sell both and split the money, but he approached me with this agreement.
     He didn’t do the right thing with it and he’s stolen significant items before like solar panels off a job.  What goes around comes around and I’ve come out on top in big ways.  I know my kids are grateful I’m their mom.  Stuff like this is a part of it.  It does pay to do the right thing.  
     I appreciate your help.

     

[NYNick]

3 hours ago, Missie said:

Haha.

     I did take your advise.  I have a tshirt I got from work that shows I’m a nurse, because people love nurses of course, and threw that on for good measure.  The officer that came out was super nice and politely gave my 17 yo son a lesson on what can happen to you if you if you mess with VIN numbers.
     I’m sure the ex chose the $3k motorcycle and gave me the $14k car because he was looking trouble in the face if he were to try to sell it because of what he’s done.  He left that problem on my shoulders with spite.     That was the tail end of our equity we were originally going to sell both and split the money, but he approached me with this agreement.
     He didn’t do the right thing with it and he’s stolen significant items before like solar panels off a job.  What goes around comes around and I’ve come out on top in big ways.  I know my kids are grateful I’m their mom.  Stuff like this is a part of it.  It does pay to do the right thing.  
     I appreciate your help.

     

Um, your signature pic is now starting to scare me....lol.

Good luck with the car!

[Son of Marty]

4 minutes ago, NYNick said:

Um, your signature pic is now starting to scare me....lol.

Don't worry Nick, they only attack when you're sleeping😈😁.

[AceAndrew]

5 hours ago, Missie said:

  My 17yo son is too, he had big plans to help me fix it up he’s working at an auto shop.  Good ending for sure. 

Arguably, this is my favorite part of the story.  If you let him join the FAQ, we’re here to help.  Plenty of us on here are dads who have helped our kids and others learn to wrench on an 02 (it’s a gateway drug to a STEM degree).

[Birdie]

On 6/25/2023 at 10:22 AM, John76 said:

Here is where to find the VIN on the engine.

 

@John76 I do not have a VIN on the engine in this location, where the starter is bolted. It is completely smooth. I think I read that BMW removed VIN's from this location if engine was remanufactured.

A) any idea if this is true?

B ) are there other locations on the motor with the VIN stamped?

 

I'd like to see if it matches my fender VIN... Which, btw, turned up something fishy when I looked it up online here:

Services :: BMW Club Clásicos Colombia - EN

WWW.BMWCLASICOS.COM

---

Grab some Official Merchandise from BMW Club Clásicos Colombia.

 

[Conserv]

15 hours ago, Birdie said:

@John76 I do not have a VIN on the engine in this location, where the starter is bolted. It is completely smooth. I think I read that BMW removed VIN's from this location if engine was remanufactured.

A) any idea if this is true?

B ) are there other locations on the motor with the VIN stamped?

 

I'd like to see if it matches my fender VIN... Which, btw, turned up something fishy when I looked it up online here:

Services :: BMW Club Clásicos Colombia - EN

WWW.BMWCLASICOS.COM

---

Grab some Official Merchandise from BMW Club Clásicos Colombia.

 

I’d recommend you review this first.

Regards,

 

Steve

 

[Conserv]

15 hours ago, Birdie said:

@John76 I do not have a VIN on the engine in this location, where the starter is bolted. It is completely smooth. I think I read that BMW removed VIN's from this location if engine was remanufactured.

A) any idea if this is true?

B ) are there other locations on the motor with the VIN stamped?

 

I'd like to see if it matches my fender VIN... 

 

To be clear, if the original engine number/VIN boss is blank, you will not find your car’s VIN on the engine. A factory-manufactured engine will acquire a new serial number, unrelated to the original engine number. When you bought a factory-remanufactured engine, they did not remanufacture your car’s original engine and give it back. Instead, they gave you a remanufactured engine from inventory and you, generally, gave them your original engine as a core.

 

If you provide your car’s VIN, perhaps we can figure out the “fishy” result you got on the Colombian VIN decoder.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

[Birdie]

😪 I have always been under the impression that I had matching numbers. But alas, the mysteries never end with my car so.. I'll get over it. As per the fender VIN, I do know the car had its share of parking lot fender benders along the way.  I have the records for any number of new panels and paint jobs.

Unofficially, I have a 1976 / 49 State (non-tii), originally sold in Montana. Still have the receipts, etc.

 

The VIN on the passenger fender is 

2711025

The bmw decoder (great name) returns the following:

I guess my little angel is a fighter with grit, just doing what she has to do, in order to survive.

 

I understand there is a VIN under the driver's seat. Can you confirm that and be specific where I will find it.

 

If I have to pull the seat out it will be a bit before I get to that. Not too long though - parts go on and off my car pretty consistently so it's only a matter of time before the seats are out... again.

 

[visionaut]

10 minutes ago, Birdie said:

I understand there is a VIN under the driver's seat.

Nope. 
 

[visionaut]

What’s the ViN on your steering wheel pad say?

 

Does your 76 have round taillights? Is your replacement fender originally white?

[Conserv]

1 hour ago, visionaut said:

Nope. 
 

 

Are you absolutely positive the VIN on the inner fender is not 2741025? VIN 2741025 was a 1976 2002, manufactured March 1976.
 

Five potential VIN appearances on a 1976 2002:

 

1. Stamped into the right inner fender next to the fresh air plenum.

 

2. Stamped onto a metal VIN plate applied to the top of the right inner fender, fore of the firewall but aft of the right front strut mount.

 

3. Stamped onto a small metal VIN plate attached to a crash pad on the top of the steering column.

 

4. Punched into a paper stick-on label applied to the rear-facing panel of the driver’s door.

 

5. The engine number-VIN boss on the original engine block.

 

NOTE: Many 1976 2002’s manufactured between sometime in February 1976 and sometime in May 1976 never received the number 2 VIN plate, as referred to above. VIN 2741025, for instance, was probably produced without the applied metal VIN tag. If a car is missing both the applied metal VIN tag and two holes to secure said tag, it may well be a ‘76!

 

Below are examples of each from my ‘76 (1st, 4th, and 5th photos) and ‘73 (2nd and 3rd photos).

In the 1st photo below, you can also see what a ‘76 from the “no-VIN-tag era” looks like. Mine is VIN 2742541, manufactured April 23, 1976.

 

Regards,

 

Steve