Factory error on VIN tag!

[CUSTOM/10]

I'm not sure how it works in the Netherlands, but here in New Hampshire if the vehicle is more than 15 yrs old you don't need a title ! You can go to the DMV with a bill of sale with the vehicles vin number on it and you can apply for a new title. As long as nothing comes up on that vin ( Stolen or something like that ) the DMV will issue a new title ! So in that case ( Here in NH ) you wouldn't even have to show the DMV the old title and the conflicting vin numbers.

Other states are not like that. Some people even sell vehicles ( On paper ) to someone they know in NH, get a new title, buy the vehicle back, then it's clear to go anywhere !

NH is easy as long as the vehicle is 15 yrs or older and the vin # doesn't come up as stolen. You can even put together a vehicle from many different ones, IE; frame from one, cab from another, and motor from yet even another. The DMV or State trooper will inspect it, record any numbers found, and issue a new vin # as long as none of the numbers come up as stolen.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by erikgto

And here are the pics.



Attachment 1300247

Notice the lumps of JB Weld oozing out of the corners of the "VIN" Plate?
That's not natural. The Factory riveted those plates on straight, without needing body putty. That VIN plate may have come off another truck, perhaps an actual half-ton.

[no1udknow]

I would approach your motor vehicles department and show them that it is obviously a typo and that the sequential serial number is unique to each vehicle and that someone, at some point entered the I formation wrong when preparing the documents and that you would like to get it corrected. .... by the way, you didn't by chance get that importen by a guy named Gorin Lassel did you? He is a friend of mine that buys and exports classic cars to the netherlands.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

That VIN plate may have come off another truck, perhaps an actual half-ton.

I don't think so, since the sequence F710902 has already been used.

There cannot be, by US law, another 1972 model year truck, 1/2 ton or otherwise, with that same unique serial number from Flint.

Unless they doctored other parts of the VIN plate as well (which I also don't think happened).

K

[Vintage Windmills]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Notice the lumps of JB Weld oozing out of the corners of the "VIN" Plate?
That's not natural. The Factory riveted those plates on straight, without needing body putty. That VIN plate may have come off another truck, perhaps an actual half-ton.

Not possible on a couple levels. Even if we pretend it were possible to have the same sequence number, the odds would still be astronomical since the GVW ratings are for a 3/4 ton. The plate contradicts itself so the odds of finding the same number then of it being a 3/4 rated 1/2 ton just isn't believable . Good eye on the putty, they maybe took the plate off when the truck was repainted.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Vintage Windmills

. Good eye on the putty, they maybe took the plate off when the truck was repainted.

Isn't removing the VIN plate illegal?

[leddzepp]

Hard to prove it's been removed when it is still attached with the proper rosette rivets.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

Hard to prove it's been removed when it is still attached with the proper rosette rivets.

Yup, and those are pretty tough to get. Lots of vehicle thieves get caught when the police discover pop rivets on the VIN tag. erikgto, this isn't news that you would want to hear, but the primary reason may well be that the truck was stolen, so it couldn't be registered in the Netherlands, and the previous owner discovered it too late (after shipping home).

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

Hard to prove it's been removed when it is still attached with the proper rosette rivets.

Hard to figure that high-end international truck rustlers would go to the trouble of scrapping a good cab to grind out behind the B-Pillar saving only the VIN plate and the rosette rivets and then get sloppy in the final process by just gooping it on with JB Weld like some amatuers. But they do have deadlines to fill their container by, sailing times and tides to meet, cops to dodge -- who knows?

[leddzepp]

Without being there to physically examine it, there is no way of knowing if that is jb weld or exactly what it is. I do however agree with Keith Seymore in that there is nothing "devious" going on here it's one number off and obviously a factory mistake.

[erikgto]

Hi Guys,

Just want to let you guys know everything worked out ok.

I made an appointment to go to our DMV's tech inspection and had the full tech inspection yesterday.

The inspector looked the truck over and was very suprised with the GMC's originality and condition.
He never made a fuss about the 1 on the tag. I showed him the factory SPID, door decal, frame number, and VIN tag, plus he noted all the GVW data.
If you could see all these in person, you'd see they are originals.

After he okay'd that he went on to do the full safety inspection and that was a 100% pass too after adjusting one headlight just a little bit.
I had a full service done to the truck before I went there and replaced one CV boot, so I knew it was pretty much ok.
After that he went on to engrave the VIN number (242xxx) in the chassis with a special tool they use. It kinda prints the number in the frame.
From now on that engraved number is the trucks official id number, not the VIN TAG itself anymore.

So for now I'll have to wait for the regsitration docs to show up in the mail...
Then I can start driving and working on it

Really need to do something about the gears or trans; driving 3.000rpm @ 50 and over 4.000 @ 70 mph isn't my cup of tea..... way too expensive with the fuel prices here... Cost me over $ 110 to drive the 105 mile round trip to the DMV

['68OrangeSunshine]

Your truck probably has a 4.11:1 rear end ratio. It might be possible to swap in 3.73:1 rear end gears and that would improve your mileage without diminishing towing ability.
BTW, glad to hear your registration went OK.

[davepl]

Congrats that it all worked out!

I have 4.88s in mine but with a tall tire and 200-4R overdrive it just puts along on the highway. But with a loose converter wow that's a lot of gear off the line.

[71K20chevy]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Your truck probably has a 4.11:1 rear end ratio. It might be possible to swap in 3.73:1 rear end gears and that would improve your mileage without diminishing towing ability.
BTW, glad to hear your registration went OK.

Sounds like he's got way more than that. My 4.10s with 33" tires will run about 2600 rpm at 60 mph.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by 71K20chevy

Sounds like he's got way more than that. My 4.10s with 33" tires will run about 2600 rpm at 60 mph.

OK. I was guessing. I'm not that familiar with 3/4 Tons.
His options are:
1]Taller tires
2]Taller differential gears (numerically lower)
3] Overdrive --200-4R, 700-R4, gear venders OD.
Or any combination of the three.

[DeadheadNM]

Cheers! Glad that worked out well in the end. With the last truck I titled (a 72 GMC) no one bothered to inspect the vehicle in any way. The DMV employee transferred the title and handed me the registration.

BTW - that VIN plate putty is within limits of normal from GM. Here's one of mine on OEM paint:

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by DeadheadNM

Cheers! Glad that worked out well in the end. With the last truck I titled (a 72 GMC) no one bothered to inspect the vehicle in any way. The DMV employee transferred the title and handed me the registration.

BTW - that VIN plate putty is within limits of normal from GM. Here's one of mine on OEM paint:

OK, if you say so.

[erikgto]

Deadhead, thanks for showing your tag.
I knew mine was okay and Original.
No tampering on this truck besides the factory mistake.

The weird thing about the gear is that the SPID shows nothing so it should be a 4.11, but if I use the online calculators they all lead to a 4.68 or something close to that.
It already has pretty tall tires; 235/85R16's.

Right now I'm debating what to do' change the rear axle, or add an overdrive or go on and do a 5 lug conversion with some eco C10 rear axle and fornt spindles.... choices choices mmmm

erik

[Vintage Windmills]

Thanks for sharing your story. Its interesting and good to know the factory made mistakes like this. Your truck looks amazing by the way.

As for the rear axle, since you already have discs up front, I wouldn't bother with a 5 lug conversion unless you want the wheel choices that provides. I think you have a spicer (Dana) 60 since this is a GMC. You can get many gear ratios for that axle. Factory big blocks received 3.55 gears in the C20's. Too bad you aren't closer, I have a spare 3.55 Dana 60 I'd practically give away.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by DeadheadNM

Cheers! Glad that worked out well in the end. With the last truck I titled (a 72 GMC) no one bothered to inspect the vehicle in any way. The DMV employee transferred the title and handed me the registration.

BTW - that VIN plate putty is within limits of normal from GM. Here's one of mine on OEM paint:

It's a moldable sealer, also used on the cowl data tags of passenger cars of the day (there are large attaching rivets underneath).

K

[old Chevy guy]

Beautiful truck ,glad it all worked out. just one thing that confused me, '' replaced one CV boot"? That's an option I was unaware of...?

[erikgto]

Old Chevy guy; I think I kinda messed up my translation.
I replaced one of the upper ball joint boots / covers or whatever those rubber things are called.
3 were just fine but the upper right one was ripped/torn and that won't get an ok during the tech inspecion, so I had to replace it.

Vintage windmills: I already saw you ad for the GMC 2500 parts in the for sale section.
If only I had a way to get the axle here at an affordable rate. Too bad it doesn't fit in a USPS mail box
Guess I'll have to wait till a late model 14 bolt 3.something axle pops up here in The Netherlands or Belgium...

erik