[billyzack]

Hello all, I am at my wit's end. I bought a nice 67 6 months ago and instead of a VIN# on the inner fender, it has a WA# assigned by Washington State DMV. It has a valid Arizona title that shows the WA# on the inner fender. I am assuming they assigned the number because the car was in an accident and someone replaced the inner fender. There is no evidence of the Ford VIN# anywhere else. The previous owner is no help and I am trying to sell the car but everyone questions the WA#. I don't know what to tell them. My question is is there any way I can trace this car back using that WA# or is there anywhere I don't know about to find a number I can use to get this car's history so I can sell it. It's not a show car, I'm only asking $7500 and it is a very nice car but everyone thinks something is shady because of the number. Any suggestions? Thanks, Billyzack

[andrewmp6]

Theres a couple places the vin is stamped check the door tag.There is another one in the engine bay but i can't remember where lol.

[Cobrajet67]

On a 1967 there is a few places the original VIN will be-the driver door, the driver side dash panel(visible thru the windshield), the fenders should be stamped with the original VIN, and there should be a tag by the hood hinge as well. Radiator support I think also.

[Wildman]

I have found that the cars with these numbers are harder to sell. A friend of mine bought a 70 Coronet R/T that had a Illinois tag just like you said but as luck would have it they used the original vin.. and even with that it was for sale a long time before he bought it and the price was much cheaper than one without that tiny little tag.. good luck.

[bradsalex]

hey bud, i also have a '67 coupe and i had a similar question when i first got it. Check out my post about VIN number and you should find everything you need there.

[Jay H 237]

Originally Posted by Cobrajet67

On a 1967 there is a few places the original VIN will be-the driver door, the driver side dash panel(visible thru the windshield), the fenders should be stamped with the original VIN, and there should be a tag by the hood hinge as well. Radiator support I think also.

No dash VIN on a 67 and no VIN on the radiator support.



The door tag is ONLY good if it's original to the car. The only other places on a 67 would be both inner fenders..........if they haven't been replaced or the VIN removed. You could try loosening both front fenders and looking at the top of the inner fenders and you might find the VIN stamped further back. If the car is Metuchen or Dearborn built then it might still have it's buck tag near the passenger hood hinge.


Basically you WILL have trouble selling this car. People will be wondering what happened to the car to loose it's original VIN plus a state issued VIN hurts the value. The car may never have been in an accident, it could have been a theft recovery that lost it's identity and the person who bought it got a state VIN to get it back on the road. It could have been a restored or worked on at some point where the person removed and lost all the original VINs from the car and needed the state VIN to get it back on the road again. Someone could have changed the driver's door and then that VIN and the one under the hood didn't match during a registration inspection and the DMV decided to issue it a new VIN. These are several scenerios I have heard of happening. Without knowing the history of your car it's anyone's guess.

I don't doubt the PO isn't intersted in helping you. He may have had problems with selling the car or something elsse and doesn't want to go there again. It's very possible he has no idea why the car has the state VIN and he bought it that way and then there isn't anything he could do except tell you where he bought the car from.

Keep the car for sale, someone will buy it, you just need the right buyer. The VIN will scare many of them but there are ones who don't care. If I was buying a state VIN vehicle I'd be a little worried but it wouldn't outright stop me from the purchase.

[billyzack]

Thanks for all the help. It looks as if the drivers side fender and possibly the inner fender were replaced. The other side looks older and maybe it is the original. I am going to pull the fender and see. But, what can I do then? OK, I will know the number but it still won't be visible to the buyers or the DMV inspector. I would like to get the number on the title. Thanks, Billy Zack

[Cobrajet67]

No dash VIN on a 67 and no VIN on the radiator support.

I assumed the 1967 had a dash VIN since my 1967 Fairlane does. If you take a pic or video of the inner fender where there might be the VIN that's good proof to the buyer of what the car is. Also, you may be able to get the original VIN put on the title for that car with a lot of work and time at the DMV. You'd need to contact your DMV titling department and find out. They may also be able to tell you exactly what the reason for the new VIN is.

[Jay H 237]

The Mustangs got a dash VIN in 1968, on the pass side. It's riveted to the metal frame underneath and slides up through a slit cut in the dash pad. It's quite common for the plate to get trapped under the dash pad when the pad gets replaced and the VIN tag to be hidden if the person doesn't realize it.

In 1969 and later they moved the dash VIN to the drivers side. The bad thing is with the 71-73 cars they riveted the dash VIN to the dash pad itself! Remove the pad and the VIN is gone unless you remove it and put it on the new pad.

[billyzack]

I emailed Washington State DMV explaining my problem since they were the ones that assigned the number in the first place and have heard nothing. I didn't think they would be much help but that's about the only thing left I can think of to do. I talked to the previous owner and he is no help either. he doesn't know how to contact the guy he got the car from. This is really frustrating, I would really like to sell the car. Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. Billy Zack