Engine Serial Numbers as VIN

[jmeckel]

Maybe try reading the Federal law about this, and read all of it, there are exceptions that allow the re-marking.
18 U.S. Code § 511

[Chris Haynes]

California Vehicle Code Section 10751
(a) No person shall knowingly buy, sell, offer for sale, receive, or have in his or her possession, any vehicle, or component part thereof, from which any serial or identification number, including, but not limited to, any number used for registration purposes, that is affixed by the manufacturer to the vehicle or component part, in whatever manner deemed proper by the manufacturer, has been removed, defaced, altered, or destroyed, unless the vehicle or component part has attached thereto an identification number assigned or approved by the department in lieu of the manufacturer's number.
(b) Whenever a vehicle described in subdivision (a), including a vehicle assembled with any component part which is in violation of subdivision (a), comes into the custody of a peace officer, it shall be destroyed, sold, or otherwise disposed of under the conditions as provided in an order by the court having jurisdiction.  No court order providing for disposition shall be issued unless the person from whom the property was seized, and all claimants to the property whose interest or title is on registration records in the Department of Motor Vehicles, are provided a postseizure hearing by the court having jurisdiction within 90 days after the seizure.  This subdivision shall not apply with respect to a seized vehicle or component part used as evidence in any criminal action or proceeding.  Nothing in this section shall, however, preclude the return of a seized vehicle or a component part to the owner by the seizing agency following presentation of satisfactory evidence of ownership and, if determined necessary, upon the assignment of an identification number to the vehicle or component part by the department.
(c) Whenever a vehicle described in subdivision (a) comes into the custody of a peace officer, the person from whom the property was seized, and all claimants to the property whose interest or title is on registration records in the Department of Motor Vehicles, shall be notified within five days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, after the seizure, of the date, time, and place of the hearing required in subdivision (b).  The notice shall contain the information specified in subdivision (d).
(d) Whenever a peace officer seizes a vehicle described in subdivision (a), the person from whom the property was seized shall be provided a notice of impoundment of the vehicle which shall serve as a receipt and contain the following information:
(1) Name and address of person from whom the property was seized.
(2) A statement that the vehicle seized has been impounded for investigation of a violation of Section 10751 of the California Vehicle Code and that the property will be released upon a determination that the serial or identification number has not been removed, defaced, altered, or destroyed, or upon the presentation of satisfactory evidence of ownership of the vehicle or a component part, if no other person claims an interest in the property;  otherwise, a hearing regarding the disposition of the vehicle shall take place in the proper court.
(3) A statement that the person from whom the property was seized, and all claimants to the property whose interest or title is on registration records in the Department of Motor Vehicles, will receive written notification of the date, time, and place of the hearing within five days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, after the seizure.
(4) Name and address of the law enforcement agency where evidence of ownership of the vehicle or component part may be presented.
(5) A statement of the contents of Section 10751 of the Vehicle Code.
(e) A hearing on the disposition of the property shall be held by the superior court within 90 days after the seizure.  The hearing shall be before the court without a jury.  A proceeding under this section is a limited civil case.
(1) If the evidence reveals either that the serial or identification number has not been removed, defaced, altered, or destroyed or that the number has been removed, defaced, altered, or destroyed but satisfactory evidence of ownership has been presented to the seizing agency or court, the property shall be released to the person entitled thereto.  Nothing in this section precludes the return of the vehicle or a component part to a good faith purchaser following presentation of satisfactory evidence of ownership thereof upon the assignment of an identification number to the vehicle or component part by the department.
(2) If the evidence reveals that the identification number has been removed, defaced, altered, or destroyed, and satisfactory evidence of ownership has not been presented, the vehicle shall be destroyed, sold, or otherwise disposed of as provided by court order.
(3) At the hearing, the seizing agency has the burden of establishing that the serial or identification number has been removed, defaced, altered, or destroyed and that no satisfactory evidence of ownership has been presented.
(f) This section does not apply to a scrap metal processor engaged primarily in the acquisition, processing, and shipment of ferrous and nonferrous scrap, and who receives dismantled vehicles from licensed dismantlers, licensed junk collectors, or licensed junk dealers as scrap metal for the purpose of recycling the dismantled vehicles for their metallic content, the end product of which is the production of material for recycling and remelting purposes for steel mills, foundries, smelters, and refiners.
- See more at: http://codes.findlaw.com/ca/vehicle-....HOkOXxC7.dpuf

[ronn]

In Pennsylvania the VIN is on the title. I never have been asked to verify a VIN. I did notice that my VIN has been ground off the motor. Should I try to re stamp the # on the motor?


why not just place a period correct repro tag on the cowl with the number?

this way you are not "doctoring" anything.

[Charlie Stephens]

duplicate post, where did the delete button go???

[Charlie Stephens]

Originally Posted by ronn

In Pennsylvania the VIN is on the title. I never have been asked to verify a VIN. I did notice that my VIN has been ground off the motor. Should I try to re stamp the # on the motor?


why not just place a period correct repro tag on the cowl with the number?

this way you are not "doctoring" anything.

I live in California (very important, laws very by state). I was involved in a car accident (drunk driver turned left in front of me). The police officer recorded the VIN when he took the report. It was nice to be able to show the insurance company that the car I had repaired and was filing claim on was the one they insured (that way they paid for it). Police frequently check VINs when they write traffic tickets. Placing a "period correct repro tag on the cowl" could easily cause a knowledgeable (yes some of them collect antique cars) police officer to look further into the ownership of the vehicle. The correct way, in California, is to have the DMV attach one of their tags to the door jam.

Charlie Stephens