Seeking info for curiosity

[Dixon]

Greetings all,
We are working on the Blue Whale and have come across a couple things I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on.
1) The ID number being used in lieu of a VIN is North Carolina DMV Identification Number NCS95556. This sticker has been attached on the driver's door and back by the tailgate. Do you suppose this is some sort of "salvage identifier"? It is on the Florida Title so it must be legit.
2) While under her yesterday I noticed a sticker on the engine block Remanufacture No. Y238758. So, obviously the engine has been changed but any idea what company it may have been from? Doesn't matter. She runs great. Just curious.

Thanks all. Stay safe out there.

 

[Yeahrightgreer]

I imagine a vehicle that lost its vin tag and needed to be retitled. The state of NC would of appointed that number to the car probably upon request to enter it into the system.

Lots of old cars lose their vins and tags over the 50+ years. Especially one like you said without the original driveline in it.

 

[Big_John]

In the car's history, chances are it was either scrapped or stolen and the VIN plate lost or removed.

A friend's '67 GTX comes to mind. It was stolen... repainted (nice job too LOL) and the VIN plate was removed and replaced with another off a "cold" car. My friend chanced upon the car and there was a couple things that identified the car as his. A call to the cops and he had the car back... Minus the VIN plate. The car was issued a replacement number issued by New York State and a new plate riveted to the door jamb.

 

[Dixon]

I should have mentioned there is still a Vehicle number tag on the door 65-53133059. I'm thinking title was lost or stolen. Hmm. Thanks folks.

 

[cbarge]

 

[CBODY67]

Before states used the Car VIN to identify the car for titling purposes, the "engine number" was used for this purpose. Back when engines were not generally removed from the original chassis they were installed in at the factory.

When an engine was changed and the original engine was removed (for whatever reason), there was usually paperwork which was filed with the state's DMV so everything would be legal. In the case of some earlier cars with later engines, the state DMV would inspect the completed vehicle, then "affix a state-issued VIN to/for the vehicle". From that date onward, the state-affixed identifier would be used for titling purposes.

There was usually a brand/model year break in where the VIN was the engine number was used and when the OEM-issued VIN was used. Seems like the phase-in for that change was somewhere in the middle 1950s in most states?

Many years ago, a guy at a car club meeting mentioned that a buddy of his had bought a used engine from a guy that had pulled it out of his '40s Chevy to install a V-8 in it. The guy who bought the engine, went to the TX DMV to file the paperwork to make his car legal with the newly-purchased engine. All was well. THEN the state operative asked where he got the engine. He repeated what the seller had told him. THEN the state went after that guy for not filing the paperwork on HIS hot-rodded car. Whoops! Obviously, the seller didn't know about the registration situation?

Enjoy!
CBODY67