Lifting the body

[BillCNC]

Hello All,

Well I have been told by the DMV that I need to have a VIN inspection by the California Highway Patrol (CHP). OK, ... I'm fine with that as the title has to many characters and the shortened version is even wrong. The title has 10 numbers and the reg from 2 other states has a shortened version that has 8 numbers.

I have the left side front & rear fenders, running board and splash along with the right side rear fender and hood removed. I also have the body unbolted and will remove the foot pedals and lower the steering column onto the floor boards. Considering I have nothing above the car to lift with, my plan is to slightly lift the front of the body and slide a 2x4 under it and then do the same to the rear. This should allow me to slide the body over to the left a few inches so I can get some clear pictures of the VIN from inside the car to show the CHP field inspector.

So I am going to be looking for the frame VIN and know where to look but I am unsure of what the VIN should look like. Is there stars on the frame in front of and behind the VIN? Is there a letter A on the frame VIN.

I know these frames are old and sometimes the VINs are barely legible so I'd like to know what I am looking for exactly.

For the frame VIN are there:

Stars?
The letter “A”?
And how many actual numbers?

ALSO, ... There are only 2 of us so lifting the front is brutal, we couldn't do it. Is there any safe jacking points on the body so it wont distort the shape?

Regards
Bill

[2manycars]

The count of the numbers depends on the year, since it started with 1 and went to about 5 million.
Ford specified that the Engine number was the serial number with which to register the car.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by BillCNC

ALSO, ... There are only 2 of us so lifting the front is brutal, we couldn't do it. Is there any safe jacking points on the body so it wont distort the shape?

Regards
Bill

Two guys should EASILY be able to lift the front of a Model A body. It sounds like you have missed a bolt or two. DD

[Jim Mason]

Star A numbers A is the format. check my site for location. don't forget speedometer cable, fuel lines, throttle links etc. two should be to left the front.

[asapguy]

I restored a 30 tudor for a gentleman, he had no title only a 30 yr. old Montana license plate & this was in Wash. State. I had the restored body on the restored frame & took it to the Washington State Patrol Office with the body raised enough (on a 2X4 block) so the # could be seen. The gal sanded the paint off the frame where the # was located (even though you could read the # w/o sanding the paint). She went in & entered the # in the national stolen vehicle data base. It came up clean & she told me a temp. 3yr. reg. would be received in 3 days & a permanent title issued in 3yrs. If the # had come up for a stolen vehicle the car would have been impounded.

[BillCNC]

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Thanks guys,

No missing bolts, just 1 old guy (me) and one young guy (my son).

Engine is not the original one.

The car is a 31 tudor.

Can someone pop a picture up of a VIN from 31 so I can see what it should look like?

Regards
Bill

The CHP just wants a picture and said if 4-5 numbers match, he will give it an OK.

[Jim Mason]

http://www.fordgarage.com/pages/ABenginenumbers.htm

[Ruth]

Originally Posted by BillCNC

Hello All,
Well I have been told by the DMV that I need to have a VIN inspection by the California Highway Patrol (CHP). OK, ... I'm fine with that as the title has to many characters and the shortened version is even wrong. The title has 10 numbers and the reg from 2 other states has a shortened version that has 8 numbers.

Regards
Bill

Hi Bill. Did you buy this car in California? Just curious how the last owner registered it. Or is it out of state?
My car is registered by the engine number and pink says the body style is a 170 (Fodor Blindback) but the body is clearly a 155D (Town Sedan). Obvious engine change at sometime. Nobody at the DMV cared or even knew something was amiss. Only when I went to insure the car did I notice the discrepancy on the pink. The insurance guy was oblivious so I didn't say anything.
I know your situation is different, I guess I just don't understand why you have to go to all this trouble to see the number.
I wish you good luck with your adventure, there's always more with these cars.

[Chris Haynes]

My car is registered by the non Ford number stamped on the ground down number boss. CHP told me I had the bring the car in with the number exposed for them to verify it.

[Bill G]

If the gas tank is full, that would weight it down, and compared to a body being taken off for painting, one with all the glass installed would also be heavier than not.

[Slowplane]

(So I am going to be looking for the frame VIN and know where to look but I am unsure of what the VIN should look like. Is there stars on the frame in front of and behind the VIN? Is there a letter A on the frame VIN.

I know these frames are old and sometimes the VINs are barely legible so I'd like to know what I am looking for exactly.)


This one is June '29.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by BillCNC

Thanks guys,

No missing bolts, just 1 old guy (me) and one young guy (my son).

Engine is not the original one.

The car is a 31 tudor.

Can someone pop a picture up of a VIN from 31 so I can see what it should look like?

Regards
Bill

The CHP just wants a picture and said if 4-5 numbers match, he will give it an OK.

So the bigger question is, what happens if you don't find a number?

[BillCNC]

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

So the bigger question is, what happens if you don't find a number?

I will find out tomorrow.

The plan is to use wedges to lift the body enough to get a 2x4 under the front and back. I tested the process on the driverside front corner and it worked like a champ. The best part is it can easily be done by one person without much effort.

Regards
Bill

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[BillCNC]

Snowplane,

Thank you for the frame VIN picture, ... that should help.

Regards
Bill



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[Railcarmover]

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

So the bigger question is, what happens if you don't find a number?

The same thing he should have said when they asked for the verification in the first place.. "run the numbers I provided, if they come back clear,then assign a new VIN number"
Blabbing about frame numbers without knowing if they exist,then tearing your car apart to find out they don't is funny,DMV only knows what you tell them..