The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Insurance on Truck with Mismatched numbers

I have my VIN number on my '54 3100 but its not on the original chasis. The chasis is about a '53. Any problems with insurance coverage or with police report if stolen? What is the best legal way to assure proper coverage and identification? As I mentioned, I have the VIN number at the door jamb and I also have the engine number from the engine. Do I need other numbers etc?
Thanks,
DC

your fine. carry on.

EDIT: I'm making this edit after Tim's reply below and certainly respect Tim's knowledge tremendously. I simply want to add that there is no need to create problems for ones self. Whether the chassis is the original one is known only by you and the good Lord above. I feel sure there is no criminal intent here on your part so don't make a mountain that you may never climb with some of the dimwits you will deal with at the DMV....most of which don't give a rip. Take your info, fill out the paper work and go get your insurance and title. The state and county will be glad to take your fee's and tax money. I'm not sure about Ark. but most of the time a vehicle is "identified" according to the vehicle it most closely resembles and appears to be anyway. Heck, what if you replaced a piece of the chassis one piece at a time until the entire chassis had been replaced....what then???
Just saying folks, the DMV doe NOT need, or have to know everything. If they do you'll need divine intervention
Don't create problems for yourself.

There was no "VIN" in 1954.

The truck was originally registered based on the Vehicle Serial Number or the Engine Serial Number.

If you have a title with the VSN and/or the ESN, you can get insurance, and you should then be able to get the vehicle registered.

When you register the vehicle, the form might ask if the truck is original or if it has been modified. That is where the fun might begin.

Getting insurance is usually easier than getting a registration. The insurance company usually only wants a picture/pictures and a valuation.

What is your ID code (what you referred-to as a VIN)?
Do you have a title with that code on it?

The VIN number is actually the serial number (or ID code) on a plate on the driver's door jamb. My bad that I called it a VIN number.

Now, The serial number does not match the number on the title. That's what I'm more concerned about to get corrected. Do I go with what's on the title or what I found on the plate? The plate has been painted over but I can vaguely read the numbers.
Thanks Tim

Noted. Thanks for the heads up. I will keep it as simple as possible.

The whole "VIN" thing can be a tad confusing. In a literal sense the definition of VIN is Vehicle Identification Number. That can be any number from a factory assigned number to your birth date. The number used on your title, wherever it is on the vehicle, whatever the number is, is the VIN because that is the Number used to Identify your Vehicle. To Tim's point, the modern use of the VIN wasn't around when your truck was made. As he noted if your truck was titled using the Unit Serial Number or the Engine Number AND that number is still part of your truck you should be good to go.

In Arkansas they don't get really concerned about older vehicles. If the number on your Arkansas Title matches the number on the door plate or the number stamped into the engine block on your truck you should be just fine. Now if you don't have an Arkansas Title and you are trying to get one the process may get a bit more complicated.

Is the number on your title stamped on your door jam plate or engine?

Or is the number on your title not on your truck at all.

If the number on your title is nowhere on your truck then you will probably have issues of you have an insurance or theft problem

I should have stated that we have a permanent home in Tennessee and a second home in Arkansas where the truck is now. It will be a Tennessee registered vehicle because that's our primary home. Hope I didn't confuse the issue too much.

The Title you have in hand is from what State? If it's not from Tennessee you may be in for a hassle from Tennessee DMV. Most States require a Title number inspection (title matches number on truck) by a DMV representative when bringing a vehicle in from another State. This helps combat stolen vehicles being reregistered in another State. If Tennessee uses the door post numbers as their official location and your out of State Title has the motor number as the vin you will more than likely have to visit the State Police for an inspection and to get the proper paperwork for registration in Tennessee. Insurance on the other hand just probably wants to see that the truck is roadworthy and has a title. Pay your premium and your on your way.

Thanks to all for your feedback. I'll get it straightened out.

Check your title...

1954 Chassis numbers look like this; H54S 001001

1954 Engine numbers look like this; 001050 F54X

Hope this helps you figure out if you have an engine or chassis number on the title.

Mike B

Thanks Mike B

Today we traveled from our Arkansas home back to our Tennessee home to where the title is located. Great news! After looking over the title, I see that the title number is the ENGINE number! I guess I'm good to go with it like it is?
Thanks again for all your help.

Great news!

If that was my truck, I'd see what I needed to do to have the DMV issue the title with the Chassis number. That way you and the next guy will never have an issue if the engine needed to be replaced.

Mike B

Yes, I will more than likely do that just to help keep it less confusing.
D C

If it were my truck I'd register it as is without trying to stir up a hornet's nest.

There shouldn't be a hornet's nest created, the title matches the truck now, so everything is legal. I would just want to get the title off of the engine number so it can be replaced without issues at a later date...to me it would be worth the call...if it's a pain then leave it alone.

Mike B

What does one run into if the vehicle is registered with engine sn. And has been changed over to another engine and not changed on the title? I guess this means a trip to the DMV to correct with numbers on door plate. Is this a correct assumption on my part? Pat.

Every state has a method of resolving that issue. I imagine the missing engine issue is why states dropped titling to the engine after '55. The best course of action if your face that problem is to contact your state licensing authority & get the state requirements from the people you'll be dealing with.

Probably you the truck and the title will have to make the trip to the DMV or State Hiway Patrol where they will listen to your story and try to verify if the truck is stolen or not. Then paperwork will be exchanged along with your money and a new title will be issued.

The Chevrolet Engine Serial Number became completely useless as a Title/Registration ID in 1957 when the ESN no longer contained a serial number or date (thank goodness - the DMVs that previously used the ESN had caused us plenty of problems).

First, get a clear title since you can do it with what you have. I'd LATER approach changing the title number from the engine to the ID plate BEFORE changing the engine. The laws change all the time, depending on the state. S.C. for example, no longer requires an out of state vehicle to be inspected by someone. Just the "correct" paper work is all. I know as I just registered a vehicle from Va. I had it on the trailer for them to look at and they "explained" I didn't have to anymore.

Your state may be different but I'd surely get a "clear" title while you can and then have it changed to a different number later.....and as years go by, it may get even tougher, or surely more costly to do the paper work!! Just my .02.

What does ESL stand for?

Depending on what number is already on the Title.
Why couldn't you put both or add the VSN = Vehicle Serial Number or the ESN = Engine Serial Number to the Title?

Lost Engine Numbers Jim Carter

Screw On ID Plates Jim Carter

Anybody For a Stovebolt Acronym page?

Thanks, Jorb, I edited that post (I slipped on the L for the N)

What happens when you go to sell your pride and joy? Would you expect someone to spend thousands of dollars to buy a truck that has a title with different numbers?

What if you get in a wreck and the insurance ajduster looks at the vehicle damages and then checks the serial number to confirm it's the correct insured vehicle and the numbers don't match, what then? You might have a hard time getting them to write a check...

Just food for thought...

Mike B