[SOURKRAUT68]

I just looked at a 1968 chevelle and put down a deposit. Here is where it gets interesting. I read the VIN number and thought it said 136xxxxx but when I looked at the receipt when I got home the VIN read 11369xxxx. I ran the VIN online and it seems to be a VIN from a 1969 Nova. I looked at the title and it is a legitimate title from the state of Pennsylvania. Is it possible to have a car registered this way? The title states that it is a 1969 chevelle. Help please, thanks

[mwiggett]

It could be a type o. But, no you can't legally swap VIN#'s from one car to another.

[DaleM]

Originally Posted by SOURKRAUT68

I just looked at a 1968 chevelle and put down a deposit. Here is where it gets interesting. I read the VIN number and thought it said 136xxxxx but when I looked at the receipt when I got home the VIN read 11369xxxx. I ran the VIN online and it seems to be a VIN from a 1969 Nova. I looked at the title and it is a legitimate title from the state of Pennsylvania. Is it possible to have a car registered this way? The title states that it is a 1969 chevelle. Help please, thanks

Generally people at the DMV aren't too aware of what VINs are compared to the actual car and often don't pay attention to data.

A 1968 Chevelle with a 1969 Chevelle title and a 1969 Nova VIN, huh? Is it possible the seller wrote down the VIN wrong? It's hard to tell from the description since a complete VIN is 13 characters; five for the division/series/model, the year, plant letter, and a 6-digit sequence number. In your example you list both an 8 and 9 character sets. If you'd list all but, say, the last three in the sequence it'd be easier to help and be accurate.

The 11369 indicates...
1 - Chevrolet Division
13 - 6-cyl Nova
69 - 4-door sedan
...and if that's indeed what the title and/or the car itself has, get your deposit back. If they hesitate just tell 'em the numbers are incorrect and you'll take legal action against them for selling a car with a bogus VIN.

BUT, get your ducks in a row with precise information.

Just the fact it's a 68 with the title saying it's a 69 is scarry enough. If the title (and car) also show a 11369...

[SOURKRAUT68]

Thanks for the vin info, I really appreciate it. I pulled out of the deal and am bummed but it was the right move. Hopefully find something soon.

[prostreet69camaro]

Here is the same issue you ran across. It is smart that you stopped the deal. No headaches now. This is on camaros.net

http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=167424

[AmericanMuscle]

Wow, Mike. I read that entire thread on the Team Camaro forums and I have to say that is quite the story!!!

I think it is great that the buyer of that Camaro went through the trouble of finding the history of his car, but if it were me, that car would be going back to the Ebay seller and I would be getting my money back for it.

I wouldn't risk losing my car to the authorities at a later time and losing the cash I laid down for it.

[SOURKRAUT68]

Seller contacted me and stated that they ran the vin and it came up as a nova as well. They said they then contacted Notary and Harrisburg PA dmv and the car comes up a Malibu sedan. Seller says that errors could have been made in the factory and this is a Malibu. My reply was that the car has been out there being resold for 40 years and I am the first person to discover the error, not likely, I am not that smart! They urged me to contact the person who sold them the car but I am not interested at this point. How would someone go about swapping out the VIN number? Would the nova dash/cowl fit in the chevelle? Just curious, Thanks everyone for the replies and I know I am better off but it felt great to drive that car.

[elcamino]

They are full of it. Call the cops, maybe they have committed a crime for knowingly selling a car with a bogus vin and across state lines to boot. Sounds like a conspiracy to me, they got screwed so they decided to sell it to someone else and screw them.

The factory never made this error, you can bet your life on that.

[1969 El Camino Dan]

If this is a very nice car you need to make sure that FACTS are straight.
Take a photo of the VIN on the dashboard and post it.
You said you thought it started as 136XXX - Take a picture and verify EXACTLY what the VIN really is. I'll bet it's a Chevelle number.
Most likely there has been a typo error that has been repeated thru the years on the title. It happened on a 1966 Corvair Corsa I bought.
Simply go in the car with the seller and your factual information to the DMV, get a supervisor to take care of the transfer.

Dan

[danelle]

I looked at a Chevelle this past weekend that had a 113 VIN - Came up as Chevy II Nova 4 door. They were up front about it, and I talked to the two pervious owners - two ago also knew the one before him personally and he had it for about 20 years. They have never had a problem transferring the title or anything and it's inspected and a daily driver. He has the title that has been with it for at least 25 years that he knows of the history and all the paperwork. I really loved everything else about the car and wanted to use that as a reason to lower the price a little but it was fair to begin with. What are your thoughts?

[AmericanMuscle]

I looked at a Chevelle this past weekend that had a 113 VIN - Came up as Chevy II Nova 4 door. They were up front about it, and I talked to the two pervious owners - two ago also knew the one before him personally and he had it for about 20 years. They have never had a problem transferring the title or anything and it's inspected and a daily driver. He has the title that has been with it for at least 25 years that he knows of the history and all the paperwork. I really loved everything else about the car and wanted to use that as a reason to lower the price a little but it was fair to begin with. What are your thoughts?

I think you are taking a HUGE risk if you decide to buy that car. If it were me, I would RUN away from it. I don't care who you talked to, the car has still had the vin # switched which is ILLEGAL any way you cut it. You don't want to get stuck with a stolen car, and I would imagine that trying to sell a car with the wrong vin # is going to be very difficult (if you ever decide to sell it.) Read the forum thread posted here from camaros.net if you want to see what kind of headache you are getting into. Just my opinion...

[brkyard]

I looked at a 67 Camaro last year and it had the same problem. It had a 67 Nova VIN on the inside of the door jam and the trim tag was missing.

Needless to say...I RAN FAST and you should do the same!

[SOURKRAUT68]

Just saw you posted on my thread. Nice black 1968 chevelle with a stroker pushing 500 horse registered as a 1969 chevelle with a 1969 nova vin tag. The car was worth the money but not the risk if you go to resell it. I don't know if you took out the car but it hauled a$$ and layed rubber all the way to Reading. Nice people and I am convinced that they knew nothing about this but how in the world was I the first person to discover the discrepancy? Deal cost me $100 deposit but could have cost me much more. Good luck, just walk away.