conflict between VIN and title?

911SCfanatic · 911SCfanatic's Garage

Looking at a car and the VIN plate in the trunk has a T VIN but an E stamped on the plate. Also the vehicle title indicates it's an E. What's the story here?

ubiquity0 · 01-05-2005, 07:42 AM

Does the door jamb VIN# jive w/ the trunk one?

Dantilla · 01-05-2005, 07:49 AM

As long as the stamped number matches the title, I wouldn't worry about it (I'm no concours guy- My long hood has a 3.2).

Several years ago I bought a '67 Camaro convertable. A few months later I discovered that the number on the title wasn't the same as the car. Title was still for a '67 Camaro, So I didn't worry about it. When I sold the car, I signed the title as normal, and there were no problems.

Rot 911 · 01-05-2005, 07:59 AM

What year is the car? If it is a '72 or '73 they were MFI fuel injected and the vin plate will have 911 T and in a box just next to it have the letter "E" which stands for the german word for fuel injected "einspritzung" or something like that.

911SCfanatic · 911SCfanatic's Garage

Ah ha, Kurt! You just solved it! I would imagine at some point during the titling someone saw the "E" and assumed that it meant the car was an E and titled it as such. Thanks.

Grady Clay · 01-05-2005, 08:26 AM

Thanks to Kurt V.

Here is what I was going to post. Everyone will benefit from reviewing their titles.

I would resolve the issue now, you don’t want it to come back and haunt you some day – six owners later.

First off:
What is the VIN stamped in the chassis (up by the fuel tank)?
What is the VIN on the aluminum plate in the trunk?
What is the VIN on the windshield post?
What is the VIN on the decal in the driver’s door jam?
What is the VIN on the title?
What is the VIN on the license plate registration?

Obviously they should all agree. Is there any sign of tampering?
If you find you have two different VINs, search on both.

Start by tracing the title back.
A Carfax search would be useful.
Expensive but “Build Sheets” from PCNA might be useful.
Have a friend in law enforcement check the numbers in NCIC.

At worst you find you “own” a stolen 911 and have to negotiate with an insurance company or theft victim that “actually” owns it.

At best it is just a paper screw-up and can be easily resolved with an affidavit or other paperwork.

A serious screw-up might require a title bond or re-titling the 911.

Whatever the issue is, you want to fix it now. Don’t wait until you want to trade 911s. It can be a rude awakening if you find you can’t get any money out of your 911. If you sell with improper title it will surely come back to haunt you some day. Worse, some jurisdictions have criminal penalties.
Right now you have the luxury of time.

Best,
Grady

Wil Ferch · 01-05-2005, 08:38 AM

Grady:
I couldn't agree with you more....Dantilla's reponse is such that it can "Still" come back to bite him.....many owners later ! This can't be taken lightly and is an area where precision and accuracy is a must.

Wil

911SCfanatic · 911SCfanatic's Garage

Thanks, guys--good info. I will go to work on this.

MotoSook · 01-05-2005, 09:02 AM

When I bought my lastest motorcycle, I had an incorrect VIN (missing a digit, but all the others were correct). I know the original owners so I was confident it was an entry error. So I got a form from the Sec. of Sate's office, and had a cop friend sign off on the correction. If my cop friend wasn't available I would have just had to go down tot the PD and have them verify and sign off on the form.