Originally Posted by Mike B
I'm not condoning anything illegal and not trying to have the post locked down, but would really like to know why the door post tag is any different than an axle or transmission serial number.

If a vehicle is sold in 1952 with a title that used the engine serial number, then the transmission, rear and door post numbers just became irrelevant...there's no way to ever connect the dots between any of these numbers because NO one, not even GM recorded that info into a data base. GM just left it to the individual States to pick which number they would use for titling. Now, if the original engine is replaced, you've just defaced the only way to identify the vehicle as being yours, as none of the other numbers are on record anywhere.

Am I way off base with this thinking?

Mike B smile

Your reasoning is sound Mike, this is exactly why I kept my original engine for my truck.
The issue at hand is it is illegal to tamper with body tag numbers, so removing a legitimate body tag that has no relevance to the title number which was based on the engine number in many states back then, and replacing a facsimile body tag with an engine number to make it seem correct is illegal.

1953 Chevrolet 3100
261 cu inch, sm420, 3.55 rear, torque tube still,omaha orange, still 6 volt, RPO green glass, side carrier spare, all done
In the DITY Gallery
Video of the 261 running

1964 GMC 1000
305 Big Block V6, sm420, the next cab off restoration