pete280z Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 In going over my 240Z I bought a few months ago, I made a startling discovery. All of the VIN tags are held in with SCREWS! After I found out about the number on the firewall and block, I checked them out. They're both different from the three body tags. I'm going to try to contact the previous owner to see if he has the original tags that were on this car. I figure that might help get this car back into a more legal status. Any Texas residents out there have any experience with this? Is my car doomed to be confiscated when I take it for inspection this month? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zhadman Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 I just ran into a similar problem out here in CA with my '73. While disassembling the body I had noticed that the tags were all missing. I was smacking myself in the head for not paying closer attention earlier (too excited when buying the car). The PO informed me that the car had been broken into and the VIN plates stolen! D'oh! I contacted the CA DMV and had them run the VIN... came back clean and un-registered. I can't remember if Texas actually has a DMV per se (I know Oklahoma doesn't... I was stationed there). Here are my suggestions: 1. Contact your local tag agency, take the car there if you can, and explain your situation. Hopefully they will run the VIN for you. They will be more inclined to help if you have the car there... kinda like proof of ownership (9/10's of the law! ). Have them cross check the license plates to verify which VIN it is registered under. 2. If the tag agency is un-cooperative then take the car to the your local PD (or county equivalent) and, again, explain your situation and see if they are willing to be more helpfull. Good luck![/i] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 The only tag the Texas inspector should look at is the one on the dash. As long as it's for a 240Z and it hasn't been reported as stolen you should be ok. Otherwise it's slammer time!! Seriously - I'd be all over the previous owner to find out what the deal is. Did you get a title with it? Check the VIN on the title. If it matches the dash VIN you'll be ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete280z Posted June 18, 2004 Author Share Posted June 18, 2004 I called Vehicle Titles and Registration and Stolen Vehicles this morning. They ran both VINs and they both came back clean (non-stolen and non-salvage), although my car is apparently a 1971, not a 1972 like the title says. An officer will need to inspect the car and if everything comes back OK, they will re-issue a VIN. Phantom - The VIN on the all three swapped tags (dash, door pillar, strut tower) all match what's on my title. I'm going to try to get some answers from the previous owner. :fmad: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sumo Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 Phantom's right, they just check your VIN to see if matches the insurance form. If you bought an out of state car and have the unfortunate luck of going to a DPS station (which i have never seen) they might confiscate it if it is reported stolen. Case in point, a couple i know bought a truck that originated from Louisiana, after checking the VIN they found out that the engine is out of a stolen RAM and confiscated the whole truck and returned it to them after removing the engine. But they never did explain to me how a DPS trooper was doing the inspection or how it got that far. Usually you can go to some corner dirtbag inspection station and they usually just wanna make sure your horn and brakes work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete280z Posted June 18, 2004 Author Share Posted June 18, 2004 Well, I just heard back from the previous owner. He denied knowing anything about the tag swap. I pushed the subject a little bit but he didn't slip. He called me back a few minutes later with the names of the two previous owners in case that was any help. An officer is supposed to call me Monday about doing a physical investigation of the car. I'd like to sell this car eventually, so getting a legitimate VIN assigned to it would really help. But I can't help thinking that I'm about to lose my Z. Maybe I shouldn't answer the phone on Monday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gramercyjam Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 Sounds like the old swaparoo. It starts like this - Somebody has got two cars - one with a title that is scrap and food for the crusher, another car that is pretty good but has no title. What to do what do ....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete280z Posted June 18, 2004 Author Share Posted June 18, 2004 Sounds like the old swaparoo. That was my first guess too, but when VTR ran the VIN, it came back with a clean, non-salvage title. I'm guessing that one owner lost the title and sold the car without it. The new owner likely did the swaparoo. I struck out with both of the names the previous owner gave me. I got a disconnected phone number for the most recent and no records for the earlier owner. I think the odds are good that I'll get a re-issued VIN and be done with this mess. Anyone know if that means I'll also wind up with a salvage/rebuilt title? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sumo Posted June 19, 2004 Share Posted June 19, 2004 If Texas DPS is going to give you a reassigned VIN they will stick it on the driver side door jam near the plate of your original one. I dont think the title will be assigned as salvage, but i think you may have to say "Theft Recovery?" good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete280z Posted June 20, 2004 Author Share Posted June 20, 2004 Sumo - thanks for the info. "Theft recovery" certainly isn't an better, but if it was stolen at some point, I guess that's how it crumbles. I'll keep my fingers crossed that everything comes out well and I only wind up with the extra tag on my car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sumo Posted June 20, 2004 Share Posted June 20, 2004 Well, it wont say "Theft Recovery" on the title the only stigma you will have is having the honor of having a reassigned VIN by DPS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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