VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 Registration problem

We had the city police come and check our car for the registration process. The officer filled out the appropriate paper work. When we went to the DMV California. The person their said my wife could not register the car because there were already 2 other cars with the same numbers registered in CA. My guess is that all 33's of the same model had the same numbers at that time.
What do I do next???

Did you use the right number? You need to use a body or engine sequence number, not something like a head casting number… The fisher body # should be unique to the car. Also, have the DMV check out the other two cars and make sure they have original tags or numbers, and not reproductions...

Did the policeman use the engine number or car serial number? Did they say that "two '33 Chevrolets" had that number or "two Chevrolets" or "two vehicles"? If the former then you have a problem that needs to be sorted with California officials in Sacramento. If either of the others then you have a option of talking with another clerk at the DMV or ask for a supervisor. You may have to explain that there are plenty of duplicate numbers prior to the adoption of the federally specified VIN some 30 years ago. There should not be a duplicate number for '33 Chevrolets unless someone registered their car with a replacement engine.

I know a guy in California that MVD used the job number to register his car. That would be fine if they used the 1st & 2nd line together. That sequence would not be duplicated. You didn't do that, did you? California in the past have used the engine number that's stamped behind the fuel pump. Some states used the number on a plate that's on the floor by the passengers seat. Let us know what number CHP used on the form....Joe

Hi Don...Long time no see...Do you have any title papers on the '33...? If you do, it should have the engine serial # as the VIN...If you have no paper work, you could set up an appointment with the DMV for an inspection...Where's the nearest one...Redding...? They suggest if you can't drive it there you can trailer it...If they say you need to have the CHP look at it their misguided...Can't use the right word on this site...Like Chipper said, "Ask to talk to the supervisor"...And bring a flashlight...They don't own one at the DMV...lol Another problem here in CA is if it's hasn't been Reg. for years you will need to have it inspected, no matter what...As far as 2 other cars already the same #'s registered, their all screwed up again ( supervisor time ) They tried that number on my YOM plates...Turned out they said it was on someones motorcycle...Go figure...These plates ain't even the same size as bike plates...!

The plates thing I understand. They will not allow 2 plates to have the same # regardless of the size. When you hit & run someone, and they use their last breath to scribble your plate # into the gravel, they don't have time to measure and describe it too!!

I know...But, they backed off and registered the plates...Heck, I'm holding them right here in my hand...! lol

Besides...A bike only has one...I think they had it messed up...

WOW, thanks for all the input on my question. The numbers that were used were the number on firewall of the car. " It is clear that tag is the original. And the number stamped into the floor board just south of the battery box. These two numbers match. No other numbers were used.
Open for more thoughts.

In this case your firewall plate designates the correct title numbers and anybody else's is bogus.

mike

What do you do next?

Attempt the same number again but with no spaces or symbols.

The computer can't recognize spaces or symbols because VIN's don't use them.
And/Or it may require an over-ride authorization from some higher ranking drone for the peon's computer terminal to accept a VIN with less than 17 characters.

When my '36 truck needed to be registered using a VIN number, the California DMV stamped a 6-digit number into the top of the driver's side frame rail in the engine compartment. A prior owner had removed the factory I.D. plate on the firewall to install the heater, and all that's left are the two mounting holes. That stamped number is now recognized as the truck's VIN.

The number on the Fisher body tag on the firewall can't match the body serial number plate on the floor. There are things from both that coincide. If I knew what was on the first 2 lines of the Fisher body tag, I could tell you some of what should be on the body serial number plate. Is the plate on the floor new?

The only way that the information on the firewall tag would be correct is if the car was built in Canada....Joe

Down here in Aus a number was stamped into the Chassis just behind where the LHD steering box exits the rail. This was obviously done here but is the only number recognized by registration authority. If there is no number there is a time consuming process to acquire a suitable number.
Tony

California, from what I understood mainly used the engine number for title & registration. I wonder how Don's got off track?...Joe

Probably when a PO changed engines and then had to scratch for another number that could be used. That aided by inexperienced "officials" leads to some interesting registrations. All that compounded by moving a vehicle ownership between states! each with different procedures. Wonder why the feds decided to make it all the same with the VIN?

Yes, California used the engine number as the serial number on the title and for registration. If the engine was changed out then the title and registration had to be changed to reflect the new engine number.

Sounds like that engine has been in a couple of cars before yours! My Grandfather kept his old block after he switched the engine out. He striped it down to the bare block. It set under the tree in the back yard because if he ever sold the old car he needed the block with the registration number(the one above the fuel pump) to prove it was his car. That number was on the title!!! He did sell his car in the late 1950's and the old block went with it.

We found a lady who specialized in registrations problems. She took care of the problem. We have plates, registration and all. It's so sweet.

Sounds like it is time to go for a drive in the new old Chev. Well done.
Tony