Buying a car with no Dash VIN?!

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cascius

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I've seen a lot of these ads lately, so I'm curious how people are doing this. They've always been complete shells with clean titles, but they don't include the dash or the factory VIN number that was on the dash. Do some states recognize just the body stamping numbers if you have the title in hand? From my experiences with Kansas, they want to see a full VIN in at least 1 spot (dash or door sticker), plus at least 1 partial that matches. I would think this would hurt the resale value, plus the clientele who could purchase it because every state is different on what it accepts. Here's a link for an example. This is the 2nd E-body I've seen this way. Body and paint done, clean title, but don't have a dash for it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Plymouth-Ba...67012663f&item=371247441471&pt=US_Cars_Trucks
 
Here in Michigan, you walk in the Secretary of State and give them the title and the correct change and you come out with a temporary title and receive the new title in the mail in about a week! No questions, no inspection...nothing!! Of course, you could get pulled over and be in real trouble trying to prove the car is yours with no VIN on the dash, but that's for another episode!! Geof
 
In FL all you need to register if the car has a FL title is the signed over title. If car was titled out of state they look at the VIN on the car. I would not buy a car without the VIN plate on it.
 
What ever you do, make sure it is done legal....that way if you decide to sell or get stopped by the police it legit.
 
I have cut up many cars without titles but all the vin intact. If you retag 1 assume you will be keeping it for life because it is a felony to do it and sell it
 
Just to clarify, I'm not looking at purchasing anything without a VIN. I would never personally do that. I was merely curious if it was legal, and if said vehicle could ever be anything more than a parts car.
 
I'm guessing this is along the same lines as a title sellers. Go to any swap meet, and get ya title for the "real nice restoration" you did without having a title. I was at a swap meet last weekend and they were selling titles for hundreds of dollars a piece. Of course the sign say "titles are for collecting and display purposes only". Right! So buy a title, restore a stolen cuda, get a vin stamped and you just made 5 grand.
 
cascius said:
i've seen a lot of these ads lately, so i'm curious how people are doing this. They've always been complete shells with clean titles, but they don't include the dash or the factory vin number that was on the dash. Do some states recognize just the body stamping numbers if you have the title in hand? From my experiences with kansas, they want to see a full vin in at least 1 spot (dash or door sticker), plus at least 1 partial that matches. I would think this would hurt the resale value, plus the clientele who could purchase it because every state is different on what it accepts. Here's a link for an example. This is the 2nd e-body i've seen this way. Body and paint done, clean title, but don't have a dash for it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/plymouth-ba...67012663f&item=371247441471&pt=us_cars_trucks
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its called a rebody,you put your vin in the car with the title to it
 
**** 10,000 that cheap for the quality of that car,it would have been worth it to buy that one and put my vin in it,its an h code 340 car!
 
my5thmopar said:
Looks like a good recipe for a trip across the state to Brushy Mountain. Room, board, wardrobe, and a whole bunch of new faces to meet and greet. You may be lucky to do automotive work, i.e. painting license plates. LOL

Actually I heard that a prisoner painted something extra on the back of a plate to the effect of telling "Lulu" just what she could do with herself. The jobs are now out-sourced. Don't know if there's any truth to the rumor, but it makes a good story.
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here are some thoughts:

1. vehicle title law is all state law, and the different states have different laws. some states title cars no matter the age and some do not issue titles for cars prior to certain years. whatever state you live in call the dept. of mt. vehicles and get their advice. then you don't have to worry about violating your state law whatever you do with the car.

2. because of the value of muscle cars these days, lots of people are doing things on the edge of the law. you can get "replacement" fender tags for mopars; "replacement" titles and of course, buy cars that have had the dash taken from one car and put into another (rebody cars). these practices may not be illegal unless you do some of this stuff in order to get more money for the car and then not disclose what you did to the buyer. that action would be a criminal act and a felony in all of the 50 states.

3. finally, if you do not have enough background or knowledge about old mopars - or are not "an old fogy" who grew up with these cars and knows what looks right and what doesn't, if you're going to buy a car, take someone with you who knows mopars. if you buy a car unknowingly that has a legal problem with the VIN and then try to sell it, YOU will still be committing a crime. you could be stuck with a car that can't be sold again and is only good as a parts car - no matter how nice it is!

4. one last thing - as the collector car hobby has grown so has the number of identification of formerly stolen cars. there have been a number of stories lately about cars being confiscated from their present owners because the car was stolen years ago. when the police seize such a car, the present owner receives NOTHING! the owner can try to sue the person who he bought the car from but those suits rarely produce any money. a person who buys a stolen vehicle NEVER acquires a good title to that car no matter how long ago the car was stolen or what the buyer may have invested in the car.

when i bought my two cudas off of ebay, i had the pennsylvania state police do a stolen car VIN check before i paid for the cars. in this day and age, you just can never be too paranoid....
 
I had a rusted out duster shell with all of the vins. I bought a driving duster without a title and put my vins on it so I could register it to drive. But I made sure no old vins could be recognized though. I do feel super bad about it Especially since it's a 340 H code car. But I plan on never selling it to make a profit. If anything it will end up wrecked eventually and used as a parts car to rebuild another duster.
 
mderoy340 said:
In FL all you need to register if the car has a FL title is the signed over title. If car was titled out of state they look at the VIN on the car. I would not buy a car without the VIN plate on it.
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Just a note that "they" can be one of several designated parties which include law enforcement officers, any registered new or used car dealer, and even a notary public.
 
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