Speaking of engine swaps....

[Licensed to kill]

Since the serial number is on the engine and not always on the frame, what was/is the proper protocol when one swaps out the engine regarding registration??. In my case, the car is an American '31 fordor but the engine is a canadian '30 coupe.

[denis4x4]

I would ask your local DMV. The advice you get here is worth what you're paying for it!

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Chief had stamps & just re-stamped it, he even had a STAR (*)
Bill Guilty

[SeaSlugs]

Originally Posted by denis4x4

I would ask your local DMV. The advice you get here is worth what you're paying for it!

yup - or just borrow yourself a set of stamps and match what your title says - then DONT blab about it...

[TRP]

Or... Just go to DMV and do it the legal/right way.

[H. L. Chauvin]

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Proper Protocol ?????

Years ago, when DMV guys were hired because of their intelligence and common sense, DMV guys knew Model A's had "original" motor numbers which were used for both original registration and original titles.

Former DMV guys also later knew that Model A engines were changed almost like socks, just about every 8,000 - 10,000 miles, just like similar vintage cars, because of not having oil filters, no air filters, and mostly because of loose silica sand being kicked up and sucked into engines all along the many vintage dirt and gravel highways.

My Model A 1930 Coupe was transferred in as late as 1958 by these same types of knowledgeable DMV guys with the "original" motor number even though the current engine and engine number was not original and had already been changed several times over the years.

On final transfer, because of not having the modern VIN number on my Model A, my last Model A title only took 20 years of preparing paper work for one DMV female manager, i.e., a cross-eyed, bucked-tooth, double-bubble butt, knock kneed, near and far sighted, big nose, wrinkled neck, half-bald headed woman with bad breath and a tight fitting pink dress that she outgrew at least 15 years ago.

Even though she was most rude and screaming, I just remained calm and very calmly waited her out.

To make this Model A story short, she either later quit, retired, or was casketed to the other side of the Rainbow .... I never even asked after finding out she was definitely GONE.

But I did meet a compassionate younger very nice lady who gave me a Model A title after this former 20 years of rude, non-caring DMV dictator type misery dealing Mrs. Lucifer; i.e., most probably Lucifer's wife.

Never give up !!!

[Roger Green]

I'm sorry you had to deal with my sister!

[old31]

That's no sister! That's my first wife.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Roger Green

I'm sorry you had to deal with my sister!

Originally Posted by old31

That's no sister! That's my first wife.

[eagle]

The VIN is assigned to the vehice. As long as you don't use the number on another vehicle, you can stamp it anywhere you want on the car that it is assigned to.

[Tony Hillyard]

I like that. That's a really good story Henry.

This happened to a friend of mine here in France last year.....

He wanted to import a car into France from another European country. Shouldn't be a problem with the correct papers, right?

He walked into the DMV sub-office to see behind the counter a large fat ugly woman with a scowl and a slim woman with a smile. He thought go for the woman with the smile.

Needles to say he ended up with the fat one. She demand photocopies of all his documents. Which he gave her except for one that was an original copy. But a spare original. Immediately a bigger scowl. She told him to go over to the photocopier and make a photocopy. He did not have change for the machine but the lady with the smile gave him the right money.

When he tried the photocopier the toner had run out and it only produced blank pages. He explained this to the fat one, obviously she felt this made her look stupid. Strange that!

So she said she would accept the blank sheet. She duly stamped this blank sheet (everything in France has to be stamped with an official stamp).

Two weeks later he received a letter from head office asking why had he submitted a blank sheet?

He finally managed to get his car imported into France.

This year France is in the process of closing down it's DMV offices and everything has to be done online.

Perhaps the French government heard the same story!

[mike657894]

minimally. you should file off the old engine number. Just to save the posibility of someone making the mistake of that being the vin for your car. And registering the same vin from some guys hot rod in Pakipsie. I would think you can stamp your title number to your engine. As that is not a legal location to identify vin on cars. my number plate on my engine is filed blank.

[denis4x4]

Originally Posted by mike657894

minimally. you should file off the old engine number. Just to save the posibility of someone making the mistake of that being the vin for your car. And registering the same vin from some guys hot rod in Pakipsie. I would think you can stamp your title number to your engine. As that is not a legal location to identify vin on cars. my number plate on my engine is filed blank.

Go directly to jail and do not pass go or collect $200

[pat59]

Can I take a ride on the Reading?

[WHN]

It is not uncommon for Model A period cars to have matching frame and engine serial (VIN) numbers. Because of the effort needed to read the number stamped on the frame, we go with the number stamped on engine. I would not buy a car if the engine number did not make sense with the year of car.

I have heard story's of new owners trying to register cars using titles that have correct frame stamped VIN but different number on engine. Do you want to take body off to confirm VIN. Fords official VIN is in two places and they should match. Engine and frame.

We all know for a number of reasons this is not always the case. Play it safe and enjoy.

[H. L. Chauvin]

This latest DMV recommendation I received would probably cause "all" DMV officials in all 50 States to unintentionally overdose on Imodium and Pepto-Bismol.

My nice DMV lady gave me instructions on how she would avoid future Model A Title conflicts when not having the today's required modern VIN number.

She suggested;

A. Stamping my Original 1930 Model A Ford Title/Motor Number on my frame anywhere where it can be easily seen in the future by a deputy or policeman "without" removing the body from the frame; and,

B. Re-stamping my Original Titled/Motor Number anywhere on my current motor to match my original Title/Motor Number already stamped on my Model A frame.

C. After asking her about possible future vehicle Title/Motor Number conflicts and possible vehicle/motor number investigations, she simply responded that I now have a legal 1930 Clear, Ford title with a legal title number; hence, just stamp your official legal title number on "your" legal car frame and stamp your official legal title number on "your" motor.

D. Nothing like a nice DMV compassionate lady with a gentle smile.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

And don't pay DMV with MONOPOLY-MONEY---They'll all die LAFFIN' & the office will be CLOSED for the FUNERALS!!!!
Bill Reverent

[Synchro909]

Brent stated an amusing thread earlier about terminology used in cars. The subject of titles comes up regularly on this forum and it amuses (and puzzles) me. We don't have titles for cars of any age so it's all a bit of a mystery.

[WHN]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

Brent stated an amusing thread earlier about terminology used in cars. The subject of titles comes up regularly on this forum and it amuses (and puzzles) me. We don't have titles for cars so it's all a bit of a mystery.

No titles needed in Connecticut for cars 20 model years or older. New York also.

I don't know how many other states use Bill of Sale for older cars. Enjoy.

[H. L. Chauvin]

FWIW: For #18 Forum Title Puzzle:

1. Every State was, and maybe still is, just a little bit different with procedures for transferring vintage cars.

2. About ten years ago, my 1930 Town Sedan came from an owner who had it stored for 20 years in NY.

3. He later moved with this car near Ft. Hood, Texas where this car now had no NY title but had a NY Registration Certificate as was customary at that time.

4. After meeting with the former owner, driving the car, and prior to purchasing, I obtained a copy of his NY Registration Certificate, went to my local DMV, (another nice lady), showed her on line where NY vintage cars could legally be transferred with NY Registration Certificates, she smiled, told me no problem and told me to just buy it and she would gladly issue a title.

5. Mrs. Pink Dress Lucifer mentioned in reply #6 above was still in charge of DMV at DMV higher headquarters. She must have been busy trying to harass and spook some other vintage car owner because some subordinate in her office approved this different Model A transfer with no problems.