1967 Mustang Coupe with wrong body serial code?

kidney_bean · 09-05-2008

I'm hoping someone might be able to help me out with "fixing" my VIN...sorry about the length of the post, but I figure it'd be better to give the details up front. I have a 1967 Coupe that doesn't seem to know what it is. I bought it years ago as pretty much a rolling chassis to strip down completely and build it the way I want it. I finally have time to work on it and started doing some research to get an idea of how I want to build it, during which I think I found some conflicting information regarding the VIN. Unfortunately, the doors were taken off it years ago, and subsequently stolen while I was out of town, so I no longer have the plate that was on the driver's-side door, but I do remember it to an extent. The VIN is stamed on the top of both fender aprons, but they don't match (I figure someone replaced them at some point) and neither matches the title, so they aren't any help (I do remember that the door plate did match the title).

To get to the root of my question, here's the VIN on the title:

7F08C231886

Based on this data plate decoding website BuyClassicCars.com Featured Link: http://www.vintage-mustang.com/topics/decode/decode.html this doesn't seem to be correct. If that website is correct, the body serial code is different from those used in 1967. If memory serves me right, there was a slight dent or something on the door plate, so it was probably 7F03... which would make sense if someone had replaced the door with one from a convertible at some point if that website is correct - it looks like 08 was only used for 1965-66 convertibles, and my car should have 01 since it's a coupe. The title clearly states it is a 1967 Ford Mustang Coupe, and the VIN on the title clearly states 7F08...

Does anyone know if 08 could have been used as a body code for a 1967 Mustang Coupe? If not, does anyone know if there is a way to have my title corrected to 7F01... or are there any other options to get this corrected? I kind of doubt that the DMV would catch the error (it's an out-of-state title that I'm getting ready to switch to South Carolina now that I'm no longer in the military). I may just be a little too picky, but since I have a 1967 Coupe I'd like the title to reflect it.

Thanks in advance!

blea9082 · 09-05-2008

With so much missing info (and mostly memory to go on) its hard to say the deal is. Having a mis-stamped VIN right from the factory was not as uncommon as you might think, so it is possible that it was origianlly stamped as 7F08C. I'm no expert on DMV policies, but I would think you would have a very tought time getting any sort of help there now, especially since your car no longer has any reliable VIN stamping anywhere on it. Trying to go that route might end up being a very bad idea.

Veronica · 09-05-2008

Hello.

It would appear that whoever got that title mis-read the 03 on the door tag for 08. The vin is stamped in three places on the car, twice on the d/s inner fenders and once on the p/s. Unless you have the correct vin still stamped somewhere, you have no chance of staightening that out with the dmv. Hope that helps.

kidney_bean · 09-05-2008

I appreciate the responses. I'll probably just leave it as is then...at least I have a title for the car...

gordie · 09-05-2008

You can always have your local DMV place an assigned number on your car and then the other numbers won't mean anything and you will not be hassled if you get stopped by the police. When my 65 Mustang was stolen the thieves stole the doors and cut the number out of the left inner panel. The police found the correct number on the right inner fender panel and thus the car was returned to me but as a mess. I removed the number from the right side and and had it welded onto the left side and it looks good. As you know you can get the missing data plate redone. If you restore what you think are the correct numbers and get the data plate you can probably get a title based on that information along with a bill of sale. Make sure that the numbers that you use are clear as you do not want to go to all of that work only to find out that the numbers are from a stolen car. Good luck!

andrewmp6 · 09-08-2008

Most states use the vin on the inter fender not the door mainly since doors are easy to change and the door tag is only riveted on.The 54 belair i had they had to find the vin on the car it was some odd place in the engine bay.

kidney_bean · 09-08-2008

Again, thanks for the continued responses...you've help me make up my mind on getting the punch set for properly marking the inner fenders with the VIN, in addition to a correct door data plate...I figure with both matching they shouldn't have any issue...

67sustang · 09-08-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by kidney_bean

Again, thanks for the continued responses...you've help me make up my mind on getting the punch set for properly marking the inner fenders with the VIN, in addition to a correct door data plate...I figure with both matching they shouldn't have any issue...

Hello kidney_bean,

I would try to contact Marti Auto Works at https://secure.alevelhigher.com/martiauto/vinreports.cfm for a reliable VIN Report, they come as cheap as $17 bucks; worth giving it a try with the VIN you believe is the right one.

Best Regards,

kidney_bean · 09-10-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by 67sustang

Hello kidney_bean,

I would try to contact Marti Auto Works at https://secure.alevelhigher.com/martiauto/vinreports.cfm for a reliable VIN Report, they come as cheap as $17 bucks; worth giving it a try with the VIN you believe is the right one.

Best Regards,

Funny you should mention that...I actually called them yesterday (probably about the time you posted this). As soon as I mentioned the 8 in the fourth digit after telling him it was a '67 he quickly cut me off saying that it can't be the right VIN. So, I made a decision to at least ensure that I can legally drive it once I'm done with the build...

I went to the DMV yesterday and just told them I wanted to get it put in my name. Just as I thought, they got out the book to make sure the title was legit (it was a NY title from 1969, which is hardly bigger than a business card), but that was all they checked. So, it's titled in my name with the VIN I posted above. I figure once I'm closer to being done with the build I can go back and ask if there's any way to get it corrected. If they can correct it, great...if not, only a Ford connoisseur would probably be able to tell...