[WFBowen]

Since Calif re-issued the VIN, it sounds like a recovered theft or what some call a cadaver car.
I'll try to tip-toe around this, but the cadaver is a car which has given up critical parts to help another car. This goes beyond a parts car, as the cadaver gives its numbers to another car. The other car is usually a '76 or later which has failed Calif. enhanced smog tests. The result here is a '76 with certain support members replaced, and is now a heavily modified 69. The '76 is now a few pieces of metal on permanent non-op status in a desk drawer envelope. Both cars are legally owned, so DMV isn't searching for either one. The remnants of the cadaver are either sold as parts or cut up and scrapped.
In the case of Predatoryfish's car, the chassis and all attached parts are legal to sell, so the buyer should merely consider this a rolling parts lot.