Help... Vin #'s dont match

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First I want to say thanx for all the replies...
To clear everything up, I did purchase the car with the impression it was a numbers matching car..(Its not)
I checked all of those numbers basically right after I bought it, I figured it was my own fault for not checking before I bought it, but it has a healthy (higher factory hp) 340, 727, and 8 3/4 posi, fine, my bad..

Yesterday when I found an issue with vin stampings not matching up, I freaked out, kinda panicked.
Today
I spoke with the previous owner and got the shop info they bought it from.
I also spoke with the owner of the shop they bought it from, (he's retired now and super nice guy)
He actually remembers the car after all these years, he also assured me nothing is stolen on the car.
He said he probably has the all the paperwork to put me at ease about it. He also said he may have some parts from the car from years ago.

Im suppose to drive out to his building this weekend, (I wont be going in the basement not falling for that again).

I bought the car because it was supposed to be a numbers matching 340 Duster that was solid and complete.....
Its solid and complete but not numbers matching.... :(

I have a 70 Camaro that I finished last year so I know how much it costs to restore a car, I freaked because I figured I have a car that when finished and I get tired of it and go to sell it I either cant or have to give some sort of explanation as to why it has vin stamping issues, or even worse its a stolen car and Im out of my money I purchased the car with...

Anyways, I feel a little relieved for now, not better but relieved...
Again thanks for the replies and advice......
 
DSC04460.JPG
 
So what did the guy say that put your mind at ease?
What, exactly, do those core support numbers look like?
Is there a sticker on the door jamb? What numbers does it have?

Nice looking Camaro...
C
 
Holy crap brother. This ain t a big deal unless u wanna make it one. Grind them damn numbers off that speaker tray and move on with your life. I found myself in a similar situation once with one of my cars. All the important numbers were where they were supposed to be. Except the speaker shelf. When i gutted the interior to restore the car i found the inner structures of the rear armrests on both quarters replaced half assed too. Come to find out some dumbass long before i was around butchered all that **** up for speakers and someone else came along later and "tried" to fix it.
Even if that car is rebodied......there s probably a reason. The rusty or mangled pile it might have been is long gone. I wouldn t waste a bunch of good 340 parts on a rusty pile of crap that wasn t worth saving. Just like rebuilding a car with new A.M.d. Metal but better.
If it comes out u paid for something u don't think was represented right, than thats your decision to take action, and i wouldn t blame u. If you just paid too much for a car with secrets.........Don t sweat it. Most people do.
Thats your car. Doesn t matter what you paid for it. Doesn t matter if the speaker shelf numbers don t match. All that matters is that u like it and can love it and make it your own. Hell, i didn t like my wife when i first met her...lol
Hope you like this site. There s a lot of helpful people on here with a lot of knowledge. Enjoy your new ride
 
Holy cow i should have read all the posts .. Beware of setting yourself up on here for ridicule. Along with the great folks that know a ton on this site and are positive, THERE ARE ALSO EVIL CHEARLEADERS who will throw a monkey wrench at u just because they love drama. Beware. Good luck
 
It goes against my better judgement to say it but... - nice Camaro.
 
I dont really want to go into details but it was assembled from 2 factory 340 cars, both of which he owned and 1 of which rolled in an accident at a local drag strip in the 80's.

So i guess it would be considered a rebody. While i guess not illegal per se. Some would question the ethical factor in the whole deal.


Anyways. I guess ill see what he has for it this weekend. And its always cool to meet new people that are into the whole muscle car hobby. ( more of an addiction if you ask my wife)

I guess all these old cars have a story, some just more interesting than others.

Anyways. Im going for a ride in my Camaro before the sun goes down.

And thanks again guys for the replies and advice. :)
 
Me_N_My_Z said:
I dont really want to go into details but it was assembled from 2 factory 340 cars, both of which he owned and 1 of which rolled in an accident at a local drag strip in the 80's.

So i guess it would be considered a rebody. While i guess not illegal per se. Some would question the ethical factor in the whole deal....
Click to expand...

IT'S ILLEGAL TO REBODY A CAR.

You should point out the dodgy VIN and turn the car over to the authorities immediately.

If you like, give me the VIN number and I'll do it for you.
 
Take responsibly for your self when buying an old car. It is not up to anyone else to ensure you are getting what you think you are.
Every time a person doesn't do their homework before laying down their cash and later calls in the
authorities invites more federal involvement into our
hobby. Do you want them confiscating classic cars from enthusiasts? Where will it end. Next will you allow them to take someone's car because it no longer has a #'s 14" factory wheel installed. Why stop there. Why don't we just appoint an armed federal
officer to each citizen to protect the minority. A blanket penalty or sentence for the rest of us who get along just fine without them.
My point is to let things be. It can only get worse never better when you allow or make them feel they have to step in.
 
Me_N_My_Z said:
I dont really want to go into details but it was assembled from 2 factory 340 cars, both of which he owned and 1 of which rolled in an accident at a local drag strip in the 80's.

So i guess it would be considered a rebody. While i guess not illegal per se. Some would question the ethical factor in the whole deal.....
Click to expand...

72bluNblu said:
Good for you sir. I was beginning to think there were no honest people left on this forum...
Click to expand...

Here ya go, 72bluNblu......you've got the full story now. Our "honest" friend from Ohio admits he's happy to own a rebodied Duster.

PILE ON, BROTHER!!
 
Mr Gorsky said:
IT'S ILLEGAL TO REBODY A CAR.

You should point out the dodgy VIN and turn the car over to the authorities immediately.

If you like, give me the VIN number and I'll do it for you.
Click to expand...

He said they took two cars and made one that is not rebody insurance companies do it every day using large chunks of salvage cars to fix other cars it's not illegal doing that... Sheesh!
 
This thread is so much holy crap it's just crazy.... So it was built from parts or two cars seems like nothing really fishy was done and grandma didn't know anymore than that is was her husbands car. So it's not a "nice" as a factory numbers machine but after so many years that is getting unreasonable
 
Why don't we invite the epa back into regulation of what were Allowed to do to our own cars. The tsa can already probe you and people say thanks...
 
Well it sounds as though the dash is out of another car shoved into a different body. At least it isn't stolen. I personally wouldn't give two ***** if it were mine. Of course there are those that think people should go to jail over it. If it were a hemi or six pack E body passing through Barret Jackson they probably should, but I wouldn't sweat it.
 
Sorry I must of misplaced your sarcasm sorry... I had been a long read over that couple days
 
There is a problem when everyone is ready to call in the cops and hand out prison sentences over a number on a classic car that is not part of the vin tag. It like they don't realize how many cars are out their that have this problem and no theft was involved.
 
Me_N_My_Z said:
First I want to say thanx for all the replies...
To clear everything up, I did purchase the car with the impression it was a numbers matching car..(Its not)
I checked all of those numbers basically right after I bought it, I figured it was my own fault for not checking before I bought it, but it has a healthy (higher factory hp) 340, 727, and 8 3/4 posi, fine, my bad..

Yesterday when I found an issue with vin stampings not matching up, I freaked out, kinda panicked.
Today
I spoke with the previous owner and got the shop info they bought it from.
I also spoke with the owner of the shop they bought it from, (he's retired now and super nice guy)
He actually remembers the car after all these years, he also assured me nothing is stolen on the car.
He said he probably has the all the paperwork to put me at ease about it. He also said he may have some parts from the car from years ago.

Im suppose to drive out to his building this weekend, (I wont be going in the basement not falling for that again).

I bought the car because it was supposed to be a numbers matching 340 Duster that was solid and complete.....
Its solid and complete but not numbers matching.... :(

I have a 70 Camaro that I finished last year so I know how much it costs to restore a car, I freaked because I figured I have a car that when finished and I get tired of it and go to sell it I either cant or have to give some sort of explanation as to why it has vin stamping issues, or even worse its a stolen car and Im out of my money I purchased the car with...

Anyways, I feel a little relieved for now, not better but relieved...
Again thanks for the replies and advice......
Click to expand...

Note highlighted text above. Beware, light comic relief follows:

"That's where the Gimp lives" :).
 
Holy crap. Maybe the feds wouldn't have cause to get involved in our hobby if we weren't suggesting that VIN tampering is a normal everyday deal and that the solution is just to take a grinder to any VIN stampings that don't match our titles. Maybe people wouldn't need to go to jail if they didn't break federal law. You can repair these cars LEGALLY. There is a process for doing it. It exists so poor people like the OP don't accidentally buy cars that have been re-bodied for profit.

So it's a re-body. Piece of cake. In California, if that was my car, I would get a signed statement of facts from the gentleman that did the work, preferably on a title transfer form from the DMV, explaining that the car was repaired using another car and that both cars were legally owned. I would take that to the DMV. They would run the numbers, find that neither car was stolen, and issue a state assigned VIN for the car, which would be permanently attached to the frame in the engine compartment and the A pillar at the door opening in the form of a blue VIN plate. The title would reflect the new number, and the rest of the numbers on the car would be meaningless as far as the DMV is concerned. Car is now perfectly legal, and you can explain the whole thing to anyone that will listen.

Why would I bother with all that? Because that's what the last guy should have done, because that's the legal process.
 
The rest of the numbers have already been proven to be meaningless in his state with the issue of a title in his name.
You could probably just have your car impounded
until it can be proven not stolen and have yourself arrested for the posession of property that has the possibility of being stolen. Then you can pay any fines and or fees for the rehabilitating yourself of such possible crimes. Sadly they probably would accommodate you on this.
The legal process is to take the title that has been issued to you and register, insure and drive your car.
 
So us "evil" members, who were trying to point out it was a fradulent rebody, were right after all......what a suprise. I have a couple hemi cars I would like to sell to the other dumbasses in this thread, PM for info
 
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