Body Lift for VIN Inspection

50thstatenova

50thstatenova

Junior Member
Can anyone tell me the best or easiest way to lift the body off a 1930 Ford Model A pickup to inspect the VIN. I am in the process of registering the truck with the Honolulu DMV and the recon inspector wants to see that the motor and vin on the body are the same. Any help is appreciated. The pickup is restored to original condition. I was told that I only had to lift up the body high enough to view the vin.

Wes
 
The best way, --and the easiest way are one in the same. Remove hood. Remove choke rod and fuel line (wiper vacuum line if so equipped). Remove floor boards, starter rod, & clutch pedal, remove all body bolts, remove steering column clamp, and then rock the body over far enough that you can see the body apron. Next you get to remove the body apron from the fenders and then remove the running board & apron as a unit. Then cut the frame welt to see the top of the frame. You should be looking in the vicinity between the left motor mount block back to the battery support carrier. THEN........

Then "The 64 Thousand Dollar" question is, ...will the number be visible? --OR what happens if the number is visible but it is a different number than on your engine and/or title?? You may be in for a real "experience".
 
I think I would go to a different DMV office and not mentioned the serial number under the body. Maybe the person at this office may not know about that number under the body and would not want to see it.
 
Fred K-OR said:
I think I would go to a different DMV office and not mentioned the serial number under the body. Maybe the person at this office may not know about that number under the body and would not want to see it.
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'
Stupid they are NOT., they know exactly where it the number is, Any car now in the state of Ill that asks for a title that is purchased out of state must lift the body to have the frame number inspected, NO CHOICE, NO DISCUSSION PERIOD. they dont care about the engine number, they must see a frame number
 
Yep, I'm in this situation right now in Illinois. Bought a nicely restored "A" and submitted a good and current title from the previous owner and was shortly informed that all previous Paperwork, etc is invalid. Must lift body and their officer will inspect no. on frame rail to see it matches no. on title.If it don't or is missing, eligible, mutilated or otherwise thought suspicous, you them must apply for a 3yr. bond at one and one half times the appraised value of the vehicle. Once accepted they will issue you a new VIN and data plate which they will personally rivet to your inside door post or the firewall ( so the police can see it, I was told) and then issue you a new title.
So, Headsup in Illinois. You bring an early Ford into the state, you will dismantle it for inspection. No and's, if's or butt's.
So much for your MARC trophy winner and its value, with a new VIN # and data plate possibly riveted on it!!
 
Oregon does not require seeing the frame number. They check the motor number and put their sticker on the door post which shows the motor number along with the number assigned by the state. Title is then issued. Can use restored plates for year of vehicle which is added to title. Been there done that.
 
I had the same situation here in Arizona when I bought an A in Washington. The clerk at ADOT had to see the frame number, because the engine number didn't match, and the former Washington title went by the frame number.

I thought I might try this: I had a local trophy shop make a brass plate with the frame number engraved on it, and JB Welded it to a visible part of the frame underneath the floorboard. Then I rubbed some oil and dirt all over it to age it a little, and tried again.

I got the same clerk, and told her I had found the number. I pulled the floorboard out, handed her a flashlight, and pointed to the spot.

It worked! I walked out with a new title. This probably wouldn't work in too many places, but it did this time.
 
The Arizona VIN police are on the way as I type.
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Paul in CT
 
I have to say that going by the frame number which requires the body to be removed is the dumbest piece of government I have heard from in a long time.

Take some number stamps and stamp the engine number on the frame side rail and tell them that is it.

Or go over their heads to someone who has some common sense.

Dennis L Oberer
Green Bay WI
 
Dennis L Oberer said:
I have to say that going by the frame number which requires the body to be removed is the dumbest piece of government I have heard from in a long time.





Take some number stamps and stamp the engine number on the frame side rail and tell them that is it.

Or go over their heads to someone who has some common sense.

Dennis L Oberer
Green Bay WI
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Dennis it does not work they are very very intelligent and know exactly what is going on,
Bottom line is DONT buy a CAR outside of Illinois!! and the engine number does not matter at all, MUST MUST MUST see and witness the frame number..oh yeah no hurry to do it and they will come to you
 
Michael in Sedona said:
I had the same situation here in Arizona when I bought an A in Washington. The clerk at ADOT had to see the frame number, because the engine number didn't match, and the former Washington title went by the frame number.

I thought I might try this: I had a local trophy shop make a brass plate with the frame number engraved on it, and JB Welded it to a visible part of the frame underneath the floorboard. Then I rubbed some oil and dirt all over it to age it a little, and tried again.

I got the same clerk, and told her I had found the number. I pulled the floorboard out, handed her a flashlight, and pointed to the spot.

It worked! I walked out with a new title. This probably wouldn't work in too many places, but it did this time.
Click to expand...

Somewhat the opposite happened to me when I went to register my '40 from MN. Here in Flagstaff (probably where you went) the first clerk said she was not 'certified to do frame numbers' which is all a '40 has. So I e-mailed some MVD office in Phoenix and suggested they provide old car data for their clerks. I soon got a call from an inspector telling me to come so she could check the 'secret VIN". She would not accept the frame number which is plainly visible from under the hood. So I went back, she had me pull into their garage and she told me to go outside and she closed the door so I couldn't see where the 'secret VIN' was at! I told her it's not a secret; there's one under the driver's door and a third above the rear axle, left side and "you have to lift the body to see it". She kept up the charade and came out in about 15 min. and said it's OK, the secret VIN matches the title!
 
Massachusetts, for once, comes out on the "reasonable" side of the ledger. We bought our A in New Hampshire where it was registered. The registration listed a very not-Model A number as the VIN - combination of 4 letters and 5 numbers. We listed the VIN as the engine number. RMV asked for the old registration, then asked us to have the local police inspect the engine number and certify that it was as we stated on the title/registration application. No hassle aside from another trip to the RMV office.
Some of the 50 states must be on another planet! Might be pertinent to ask the authorities to explain WHY they want to see the frame number. Must be a crime wave in stolen Model A's!!
 
Hi all

I love this thread.

I thought German "Beamte" are the best public officials in the world :cool:

It seems my car (which i bought in Netherlands back in time) was
formerly owned by Henry himself and he stamped original nr
to the right frame side rail.

That was agreed by public officials in no time.

BUT
As import out of european community to germany i had to attest:

- Max allowable weight of the car :eek:
(i might have bought it for transportation of construction-materials)

- A documentation that this very original Model A is a
"Old-Timer in the meaning of german law" :eek:

First try didnt work out:
They didnt accept a hand-written certification of my wife....

Have fun and play their game. :rolleyes:
Christoph

btw
A friend of mine frequently proves the functionality of the
gas-installation in his mobile-home with a test-documentation
of a particle accelerator (out of a nuclear power plant). :p
 
Pilotdave said:
Massachusetts, for once, comes out on the "reasonable" side of the ledger. We bought our A in New Hampshire where it was registered. The registration listed a very not-Model A number as the VIN - combination of 4 letters and 5 numbers. We listed the VIN as the engine number. RMV asked for the old registration, then asked us to have the local police inspect the engine number and certify that it was as we stated on the title/registration application. No hassle aside from another trip to the RMV office.
Some of the 50 states must be on another planet! Might be pertinent to ask the authorities to explain WHY they want to see the frame number. Must be a crime wave in stolen Model A's!!
Click to expand...

I also live in Mass. and the RMV is suprisingly reasonable when it comes to old car registrations. The "combination of 4 letters and 5 numbers" might have been the Assembly Plant Body Number that is stamped on the top of the crossmember and sometimes visible by lifting the floormat. Info here: http://www.mafca.com/data_assembly.html
My 1930 coupe is titled using this number. Changing engines? No problem. I fear that eventually though hot rod builders (sorry) will screw things up and the RMV will be more careful about how they issue titles to "old" cars.
 
Bought my a in mass this past spring WITH a valid title, went to CT dmv for VIN verification. Worried because some CT DMV people are a__holes. Had hood open and engine # visible when he came out with his official clipboard. He asked: "Where is it?", all my worry for naught.
Paul in CT
 
Is all this hassle normal or is it a result of classic car thefts? In WA they use the engine # but I bought mine in state.
 
Fred K-OR said:
I think I would go to a different DMV office and not mentioned the serial number under the body. Maybe the person at this office may not know about that number under the body and would not want to see it.
Click to expand...

A different DMV office will require a boat.
 
In Illinois it's all about taxes. We are getting taxed on our labor. If you are building a car you need to save all your recipts and document what it looked like when you started on the project as you are going to get a tax bill based on Barrett Jackson auction prices & not what you paid for the car. You have to fight them but they will back down eventually. I am sure other states are going to discover this little cash cow and begin implementing it shortly.
 
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