VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION General Discussions NORTH CAROLINA ISSUED SERIAL NUMBER

I'm looking to speak with anyone, living in North Carolina, who had their FACTORY serial number rejected by the state of NC, for whatever reason.

If your factory serial number tag was rejected, and you had to obtain the NC issued serial number decal, please advise ... either here or through a PM or my email ..... bobg1951chevy@ellijay.com

Thanks.

Hey Bob ....you can`t catch a break it seems .....I had no issues , and the state inspector was very easy to get along with .....mine came from Ga. ....be up soon ......David

David, I did not have any problems with the Inspector, he was fine .... but he also is on the bottom rung of the ladder, in the NC DMV world.

All went fine, the NC DMV issued my title quickly, telling me all was well with the inspection.

AFTER THE ISSUANCE OF THE TITLE is when the problems began.

The DMV issued the title, then basically went back on their word and have made life tough.

We'll see how it all plays out, still looking for anyone who had the NC DMV serial number decal placed on their car ..... and how that decal serial number affected the appraisal value of the car.

This is more involved than catching a break, this proposal to install a mickey mouse serial number decal tag will certainly diminish the value of a nice, professionally restored vehicle.

I kinda hate to write this but it may be time to get a lawyer involved. There are plenty of honest ones that have their clients needs as important as lining their pockets. When our government gets overzealous it is time to call them on it. They are supposed to be our servants not the reverse.

I am a little late to the party but looked at the number plate on my July 1950 Janesville car and it is attached with clutch head screws.

You didn't mention whether the original VIN tag is still attached to the vehicle. IF it is you can make a good case to have it registered with that VIN. You may need to provide photos of other original VIN tags for comparison.

Verne

As of this date, 5-4-2017, I am waiting to be scheduled with an appointment with the NC DMV Supervisor, in our area of western NC.

Verne,
Here is the irony of this scenario.

The factory issued serial number tag is secured with rivets, to the A pillar.

The low sequence number on the tail end of the serial number is in harmony with the low BODY sequence number, located on the cowl tag. LOW NUMBERS ON BOTH TAGS, serial number tag and cowl tag.

Serial number was run through NC DMV, no issues.
NEW NC Title was issued within 30 days of my application for title. No issues.

All my problems have occurred AFTER my NC title was issued. Much like "buyers remorse" or "title issuance remorse" on the part of the NC DMV in Raleigh.

Here is a LENGTHY recap of what has occurred.
If anyone stops reading midway, I will understand.
--------------------------------------------------------------

In October of 2016, I surrendered my clear and clean New Mexico title to the local NC DMV, applied for a NC title, and purchased my NC plates.

I had purchased a '51 restored Chevy from my late friends estate in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Because this was an out of state car, the police officer / state inspector came to my home, snapped pics of the car and the attached serial number tag.

The inspector informed me he would send his pics and his info to the Raleigh, NC DMV. Raleigh is the state capital.

Inspector stated if all checked out OK with my '51, in Raleigh, my new NC Title would be mailed out within 30 days.

Three weeks later, in early November, I had my NC Title, as I expected.

End of story ........ don't I wish.

Four weeks after receiving the new title, in early December, the inspector is back at my home, stating my serial number tag should be spot welded to A pillar, and not riveted, as mine is.

The Inspector did NOT know my new NC Title had been issued a month earlier, then stated my new title could be revoked, along with my new NC license plates, due to the above infraction.

Folks from AACA and VCCA sent pics of their 1951 riveted serial number tags, just like mine, which I forwarded.

Chevrolet began the serial number tag "spot riveting" procedure in 1953.

Three weeks after the above visit, in late December of 2016, I had the Inspector back again, this time the size, color and shape of my serial number tag did not match the illustration # 61, in the "unit serial number section" of the 1949 to 1953 GM Chevrolet Service Manual.

When this 1949 to 1953 manual went to press, GM did not update the illustrations up to the current years of the manual, so the serial number illustration shown was that of an earlier year Chevrolet(s).

The Officer / Inspector then sent me two emails, one in late December of 2016, the second email in early January of 2017, stating they were finished, nothing else was needed .... they were finished with their investigations with my 1951 Chevy.

We now move from early January of 2017 to April of 2017.

In mid April of 2017, the Supervisor of the inspectors contacted me, now believing my serial number was not correct.

The Supervisor wants to come out to view "the hidden serial number" on my 1951 Chevy, to validate the serial number tag on my A Pillar.

I explained the "hidden serial number" was not utilized in a 1951 Chevrolet.

The solution then was to inspect my engine serial number on my six cylinder engine, for that engine serial number will match the vehicle serial number, I was told.

I explained the 1951 did not have "matching numbers" plus the original 216 six cylinder engine was replaced with a 1961 235 six cylinder engine.

Two days after the above event, the Supervisor contacted me again, now saying the serial number tag attaching rivets are not the same "appearing" rivets, from the original factory installation, in 1951.

From my perspective, I have seen a variance in rivets, based on the ten different Chevrolet assembly plants operating in 1951.

Approximately 20 years ago, long before I owned this 1951, it was restored in Minnesota.

Not knowing the circumstances back then, I could imagine rivets being replaced, during a body restoration, if the rivets were broken or rusted or damaged.

I do know the cowl tag body production number and the vehicle serial number are close in numerical sequence, to one another.

No doubt in my mind, the serial number is the correct vehicle serial number for my vehicle, based on the stamped cowl tag number.

I have read a copy of the statute or law, illustrating the form followed, for the inspection of my 1951 antique.

The information is not next to me now, but the heading closely reads "for specially constructed, or reconstructed or foreign vehicles", none of which fit the criteria of my antique 1951 Chevy. ****
***** I have since discovered the NC phrase "foreign vehicle" indicates any vehicle which came to NC, from out of state.

It is quickly approaching seven months, since the initial nspection.

I must say the Inspector and the Supervisor have been civil and pleasant to me, throughout this "ordeal", as they carry out Raleigh's wishes, but honestly, I am at my wits end, truly at my wits end.

I'm certainly a very senior guy, these ongoing, unpleasant events take their toll.

According to the NC DMV, all these inquiries and inspections were to take place BEFORE my NC title was issued, and not after the fact.

If there was a problem, during the DMV initial investigation, search, etc., the problem needed to be addressed and rectified BEFORE the NC Title was issued.

My NC Title was issued three weeks after my application, with no concerns, delays or problems noted.

The purpose of this letter is to determine if anyone in NC has had the same experience.

If so, how was it handled and what was the outcome.

Thanks for taking the time