Help with a barn find

tbonezart

tbonezart

Junior Member
I pulled a '29 Tudor body out of my wifes grandfathers barn up in Willows CA after he passed away and have started moving forward with a build. Problum is the frame has rotted in the dirt to the extent that the vin numbers are gone and the plate on the firewall is shot too, AND no title paperwork. Ive found a few places that talk about the numbering so my question is the vin number body specific ( sedan, coupe ) and where can I get a list of these numbers. Story has it that he bought the car in Oklahoma when he and his new wife backed up the few belongings they had and headed to California for a better life. It was used on the farm for years till it finally died and was towed to the equipment barn and left to rot. I know how to file for a lost title but stumped when it comes to the vin. Any help would be appreciated. Thanx
 

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tbonezart said:
I pulled a '29 Tudor body out of my wifes grandfathers barn up in Willows CA after he passed away and have started moving forward with a build. Problum is the frame has rotted in the dirt to the extent that the vin numbers are gone and the plate on the firewall is shot too, AND no title paperwork. Ive found a few places that talk about the numbering so my question is the vin number body specific ( sedan, coupe ) and where can I get a list of these numbers. Story has it that he bought the car in Oklahoma when he and his new wife backed up the few belongings they had and headed to California for a better life. It was used on the farm for years till it finally died and was towed to the equipment barn and left to rot. I know how to file for a lost title but stumped when it comes to the vin. Any help would be appreciated. Thanx
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Hi,
If you take a look on Mr. Steve Pluckers side. : www.plucks329s.org i think you will find some help..

Per,
 
I know nothing of relicensing an old car in the US but the ''Vin'' is the original serial number of the car which was the engine number / chassis number when the car was new. The only other number which may still exist on your Tudor body is the body number which has nothing to do with modern Vin information. That number [ body] was stamped when the body was welded/built up at the factory & can be found on the floor metal cross member where the front jump seats attach to the floor & will contain letter & numbers.
Hope this gets you started.
 
Calif DMV does not care about the body numbers, only the frame number. When you get a frame, use that number. I had no problem with using a substitute frame. Went to DMV, told them I had no papers at all, told them it was a mix and match build, they ran the frame number (after taking my money) then the CHP guy came over to verify the frame number. Don't even get into lost title and such. It was Much easier than I expected.
 
Great story on the car. It would be awesome to have it on the road with such a backstory. Find a frame, they are around, and start there. That body looks pretty good. How are the front fenders? Is the frame rotted through or just rusted over? Maybe you can get a VIN issued.
 
When I bought my 29 Tudor without a title, I bought an engine at a swap meet that had the original (not restamped) number that matched the month of my car. My gas tank date is 2-23-29, so I picked an engine number from January or February.
 
tbonezart said:
I pulled a '29 Tudor body out of my wifes grandfathers barn up in Willows CA after he passed away and have started moving forward with a build. Problum is the frame has rotted in the dirt to the extent that the vin numbers are gone and the plate on the firewall is shot too, AND no title paperwork. Ive found a few places that talk about the numbering so my question is the vin number body specific ( sedan, coupe ) and where can I get a list of these numbers. Story has it that he bought the car in Oklahoma when he and his new wife backed up the few belongings they had and headed to California for a better life. It was used on the farm for years till it finally died and was towed to the equipment barn and left to rot. I know how to file for a lost title but stumped when it comes to the vin. Any help would be appreciated. Thanx
Click to expand...

Without the engine or the frame you have no original VIN.

The Serial number (VIN) was stamped on the engine and on the frame. It's going to be tough to get it titled as an original A through legal means. If you are willing to break a few rules there are ways to do it.
 
These are very state specific. Becasue PC/Sr lives in the same state and has done it, I would follow his advice.
 
Years ago when I bought an "A" that had no papers..... I told DMV that I built it from parts...CHP stamped it with a seal and was licensed as a 1970 Special Construction.
The fee was a 1970 value...much higher than a regularly licensed model A.

Find a clear title and go from there...you will be glad you did !!!
Bruce Davis a400usa@nccn.net
 
Almost every state does it different so listen to people from Ca. when it comes to registration and licensing of your car.
 
Hi Tbonezart,

Welcome to the wonderfull world of Model A's. Have you thought about joining a local club? I know of two in your area: Henry's A's and the Acorn A's (shameless plug as I am the VP of the latter). When I registered my car DMV used the number that Oregon had created from the old engine.

Mike
 
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