Replacement VIN

[Predatoryfish]

I have a question, I have a 69 912 where the VIN has been reassigned by a state, I was curious since a prospective buyer told me this just kills the value of the car, is that accurate?

The car has major other issues as well but this was what threw me off the most during our discussions.

[Jaems]

Do you have documentation stating why that State assigned a new Vin number? Do you have the original Vin?

[Predatoryfish]

no to both questions,

the buyer believes the vehicle may have been stolen and recovered in the past.

the title shoes no "branding" or marking as a rebuilt, however the buyer stated that that replacement of the vin was often done like that in the past before titles were marked.

I have very little history on the car.

[WFBowen]

Is this currently an OR title? Did someone physically cut the VIN stampings out of the car? In my experience, reassignment of a VIN us usually the result of:
1. Total/salvage title issued at some past point.
2. Lost title, or legal questions of ownership (Probate, etc.)
3. Older car's title/registration not renewed and eventually the car "falls off" the records.

If the car is something less than a well-maintained or restored example and it has a legal title/registration, then a reassigned VIN is (to me) not that big of a deal killer.

[Predatoryfish]

the original vin plates are physically removed, the reassignment VIN plates are from CA, the title is a current and clear OR title. it hasnt been registered since 06.

the car is not really original in many ways having a later 911 2.2 engine in it a major project at best a rolling pile of parts at worst

[Jaems]

The original Vin numbers is also stamped on the bottom of the dash under the knee pad. With the 911 engine and other modifications, without pictures. It would be hard to tell how much modifications there are. So just consider it a Porsche Hot Rod and sell it as that.

The only difference between the 912 and the early 911 was the engine, a couple of different instruments and a number sequence. Once the engine is change out it is no longer a 912. With the 911 engine it becomes a 911 hybrid or Renegade, which will be acceptable to the R Group. With any other engine it is just a Porsche hot rod or Renegade. So a 912 or 912E will have the Porsche type engines they were born with.

[JT912]

A '69 won't have the VIN stamped on the lower dash. The number stamped is the production number. It however may be in crayon under the upper dash pad.
With regards to the value question, yes it is a killer. Added to the fact you have no idea of the Porsche VIN. It would benefit you to pull the upper dash and see if the original number is still there. Having a replacement VIN can mean too many things if you have no proof as to why it was re-numbered. Accident? Theft? Flood? Usually it isn't a good thing that results in a replacement VIN.

[matt demaria]

I have a 69E here that is stamped on lower dash.
I had here 15 years ago a 944 from Mass. It was a stolen recovered and the vin numbers were obliterated. Mass made up its own VIN.

[JT912]

The stamp on the lower dash of your 911 is the production number, not the VIN (although they may look similar). Up through '68 the number stamped on the lower dash is the VIN. Things changed in '69.

[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.