Incorrect VIN number???

[18operator]

Hi All,
A few years back, I bought my Deuce from a private owner. He said he won 2 trucks in an auction and needed to get rid of one (mine). When I went to process the title, I used the I.D. number off the dash plaque in the cab. In trying to uncover a little history on the truck, I came across the I.D. number on the frame rail. The numbers from the dash and frame rail were different. I just chalked it up to the motor pool piecing a good truck together.
Fast forward to now. I was looking on a local for sale website and I found an M35A2 that looked pretty close to mine. In some of the photos there was the dash plaque. That I.D. number on the plaque looked familiar. It matched the number on my frame rail!
In my opinion, the person I bought my Deuce from swapped dash data I.D. plates from my truck to his (at the time) truck because one looked better than the other, not knowing there are I.D. numbers on other areas of the truck.

Now. My question to everyone here would be, do I contact the new owner/seller and see if we can get these I.D. numbers straightened out, or just let it be with the current I.D.'s.

I would seem to think that this should all be straightened out.

Let me know what you guys think.

Thanks

 

[NDT]

The question is, does your vin plate match his frame? Might not, as there appears to be a tangled web woven. If it does, you would have to convince him to assign his title to you, and you to him, and swap vin plates. As you know there are costs associated with title transfers, not to mention time spent. I would try to fix it, but be prepared to foot the bill.

 

[18operator]

Yes, I need to make an appointment to see the truck seeing it's now at an equipment dealership.

 

[18operator]

And seeing it is at a dealership, it may be a bit easier to get all the numbers and titles corrected. If all numbers match up. Maybe ha!

 

[m16ty]

Always go by the frame number.

I bought a deuce directly from the military that had the wrong data plate. A bunch of paperwork came with the truck and it all matched the wrong data plate.

 

[my blood flows OD]

Wow! What are the odds that you would find the other truck that had your correct data plate. And from a for sale photo? That is amazing. Best of luck to you. Let us all know how this turns out.

 

[DavidWymore]

Wow. Subscribing

 

[Two Stroke Madness]

Don't bother giving Uncle Sam any more of your hard earned money than you already do. Go buy a number and letter stamping set from Harbor Freight and change the vin on the frame. The feeling you get in the end will probably be the same and your wallet will be heavier. Besides I doubt that doing what you're talking about will make the truck run any better.

 

[EO2NMCB]

Don't bother giving Uncle Sam any more of your hard earned money than you already do. Go buy a number and letter stamping set from Harbor Freight and change the vin on the frame. The feeling you get in the end will probably be the same and your wallet will be heavier. Besides I doubt that doing what you're talking about will make the truck run any better.

I sure wouldn't recommend that course of action.

 

[porkysplace]

Don't bother giving Uncle Sam any more of your hard earned money than you already do. Go buy a number and letter stamping set from Harbor Freight and change the vin on the frame. The feeling you get in the end will probably be the same and your wallet will be heavier. Besides I doubt that doing what you're talking about will make the truck run any better.

You realize altering V.I.N. numbers is illegal .

 

[swbradley1]

You realize altering V.I.N. numbers is illegal .

Correct and we DO NOT recommend it on Steel Soldiers.

 

[drivebymashing]

I also would try to straighten it out even If I had to pay both title transfers. In NC thats 52 bucks each plus tax

 

[Two Stroke Madness]

You realize altering V.I.N. numbers is illegal .

These trucks don't have vin numbers they have serial numbers. They only become a vin number when we assign them one when we fill out the sf97 form. In the eyes the law the number on the frame is arbitrary. At this point this person would be doing something more illegal by changing the tags in the cab than the numbers on the frame. The DMV always go's by the numbers associated with the body not the chassis.

 

[porkysplace]

These trucks don't have vin numbers they have serial numbers. They only become a vin number when we assign them one when we fill out the sf97 form. In the eyes the law the number on the frame is arbitrary. At this point this person would be doing something more illegal by changing the tags in the cab than the numbers on the frame. The DMV always go's by the numbers associated with the body not the chassis.

Your just full of bad information .
The V.I.N. is stamped in the frame ( this is the number assigned at the factory ), the serial number is assigned by the military to track it in inventory as the military dosen't use titles.

 

[Two Stroke Madness]

Your just full of bad information .
The V.I.N. is stamped in the frame ( this is the number assigned at the factory ), the serial number is assigned by the military to track it in inventory as the military dosen't use titles.

Not all frames were stamped. I've seen a few that didn't have numbers on the frame at all.

 

[swbradley1]

Every time I see a frame that has no stamp I look a little harder.

Some of them are so faint it almost takes a forensic metallurgist to find them.

 

[porkysplace]

Every time I see a frame that has no stamp I look a little harder.

Some of them are so faint it almost takes a forensic metallurgist to find them.

That and some people rub them out by using something to abrasive when looking and not all manufactures put the numbers on the same frame rail . A good article on deuce V.I.N. numbers has been posted many times on SS .
Deciphering the codes: Kaiser-Jeep and AM ... - Military Trader

 

[Two Stroke Madness]

Every time I see a frame that has no stamp I look a little harder.

Some of them are so faint it almost takes a forensic metallurgist to find them.

OK. But whether or not they are visible is not the issue here. See I have built a couple custom "frankintrucks" in the past. You know, turning two trucks into one. I never hide the fact that I have done this from the DMV. I've told them that I made something using the body from one truck and the chassis from another and asked them which vin number to use. They've always told me to use the number from the truck body. That's what it resembles so that's what it is. And if the DMV ever assigns a new vin number for a vehicle that does not have one they will give you a stamped steel tag and tell you to mount it somewhere on the body.

 

[porkysplace]

OK. But whether or not they are visible is not the issue here. See I have built a couple custom "frankintrucks" in the past. You know, turning two trucks into one. I never hide the fact that I have done this from the DMV. I've told them that I made something using the body from one truck and the chassis from another and asked them which vin number to use. They've always told me to use the number from the truck body. That's what it resembles so that's what it is. And if the DMV ever assigns a new vin number for a vehicle that does not have one they will give you a stamped steel tag and tell you to mount it somewhere on the body.

That may be the case with your local DMV and how they do it in New York , but it is also why most other states require V.I.N checks by a LEO to transfer a out of state title. Considering the data plate is held on with 4 screws and can be bought blank for $20 most states won't accept it as the V.I.N.

 

[Two Stroke Madness]

18operator wants to trade titles and dash data plates with someone elses truck. Not only does that sound bad, but they would essentially be buying each others trucks. Which would also mean paying taxes on the assessed value of these trucks. That could get pricy quick. All of that just to have a different data tag. I'm sure there are some charities out there that would appreciate that money more than his local state government would.