Transferring title/registration to California for a restored outa state car

[STREETFIGHTER50]

I’m really interested in a car from Washington. During restoration the cowl was replaced and the VIN tag/plate was not reinstalled to the new cowl. Seller still has the cowl tag though. Will this be a problem to transfer/register here in California?

[CSG]

Did he screw up the original rivits? If he cut out the entire piece then I would "graft" it back in.

[Bugzilla]

Yes that will be an issue if its not on the car. You will have to take it to CHP for a VIN verification and all factory VIN tags must be on it. The whole VIN verification process sucks to go through but you have no choice. Good luck!

[STREETFIGHTER50]

Are the cowl VIN tags a brushed stainless finish from the factory?

[STREETFIGHTER50]

He took the tag off really clean. He said he can rivet it back onto the factory location of the firewall. Should he spray paint it the new engine compartment color or just leave it in the brushed stainless finish?

[David Pozzi]

There were special clover leaf shaped rivets used on GM cars. You haven't said what year or model car you are discussing. 67 Camaros had the tag riveted to the driver's door jamb. 68 up had the tag on the dash, visible from outside the car. Ford and Mopar had them in the engine compartment but not firewall

[STREETFIGHTER50]

‘68 Skylark

[David Pozzi]

I know 67 Camaro VIN tag was on the door post, 68 up was located on the dash, viewable from outside through the windshield. On a First and Second gen Camaro there is a second vin under the cowl panel, one more below the heater blower motor inside the right fender. On Chevelles, there is a vin on the LH frame rail left rear top, so it's facing the trunk floor. 55 chevy is under the driver floor on top of the frame rail. I have no info for Skylark but do know California CHP has a guy who inspects and he has a list of VIN locations. I think he needs to see two of them & they must match the paperwork to verify a car.

[STREETFIGHTER50]

Having to go to CHP would be worst case scenario, assuming DMV has an issue with the VIN tag placement right? As long as VIN tags are in the factory locations and they match the title shouldn’t that be good enough?
Here’s pics of the tags. Should I have it painted body color before riveting back on?
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2019/05/EWar7Z-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2019/05/uXaTpw-1.jpg

[CSG]

Rivets have to match the tag. So if painting it needs to all be done at once. Like stated above, it needs to be the correct rivets too. It needs to look factory or you open up a can of worms.

[STREETFIGHTER50]

Seller will reinstall it on the new cowl section factory location with the correct rivets and match the paint.

[CarlC]

You may want to consider verifying that all the VIN numbers match and find out any history on the car. It would be awful to buy the car, only to find out the VIN's don't match / car is stolen. Then you're out a lot of time an money.

[STREETFIGHTER50]

I highly doubt that it’s stolen. Who would go through with such a build on any questionable stolen car. That would be so much labor, money, and time wasted. Here’s pics of the two VIN tags. Looks like they match.
https://i.vgy.me/EWar7Z.jpg
https://i.vgy.me/uXaTpw.jpg

[vintageracer]

why do you want to fool with all this hassle of VIN tag problems?

Buy another car without all these issues that EVERYONE now knows about on this car!

All I can say is that it better be CHEAP!

[dhutton]

I highly doubt that it’s stolen. Who would go through with such a build on any questionable stolen car. That would be so much labor, money, and time wasted. Here’s pics of the two VIN tags. Looks like they match.
https://i.vgy.me/EWar7Z.jpg
https://i.vgy.me/uXaTpw.jpg

The first tag is the cowl trim tag which has nothing to do with the VIN, the title, and title transfer. If that is the “VIN” tag you are referring to it is completely irrelevant to the title transfer process.

Pretty sure you were told this a couple of days ago on the other forum.

Don

[vintageracer]

VIN TAG.

Cowl TAG.

OP said "VIN tag/plate". Which is it???

Cowl tag irrelevant to registration.

VIN TAG is a big deal for registration!

Correct rivets? Correct cowl tag? Repo cowl tag?

All can be a big deal when it comes to value.

Let the seller deal with the mess they have created!

[STREETFIGHTER50]

Ok I’m confused. If that cowl tag doesn’t have anything to do with the VIN#/title/transfer, where would the next VIN tag be located aside from the one on the dash? DMV will be looking for two VIN#s right? This would honestly suck. It’s a really nice looking build.

[nokones]

There were special clover leaf shaped rivets used on GM cars. You haven't said what year or model car you are discussing. 67 Camaros had the tag riveted to the driver's door jamb. 68 up had the tag on the dash, visible from outside the car. Ford and Mopar had them in the engine compartment but not firewall

The rivets were referred to as "Rosette" rivets.

[CSG]

As far as DMV I am in Louisiana so it may not be the same but they have never even looked at my cars. A cop checked my VIN once because I had am unregistered plate on the car.

[dhutton]

Ok I’m confused. If that cowl tag doesn’t have anything to do with the VIN#/title/transfer, where would the next VIN tag be located aside from the one on the dash? DMV will be looking for two VIN#s right? This would honestly suck. It’s a really nice looking build.

For a full frame car it is on the frame. Another one may be on the engine block if it is the original engine.

Don

[STREETFIGHTER50]

Good news! There is a visible VIN stamped on top of the frame rail on the driver’s side near the fuel tank. Matches the last eight numbers on the dash VIN tag. He had to get in there with a small mirror, but it’s clearly there. Awesome! Moving forward.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2019/06/IB4kXF-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2019/06/soDRxm-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2019/06/1pGKHq-1.jpg

[scscamaro]

Hey what's up! This is Vin from CaFords. When I purchased my '73 Camaro from AZ, DMV was only able to locate 1 VIN so the guy made me go to CHP. They need to see 2 VINs. The previous owner did a cheap paint job and painted over the door tag or what looked like a door tag. I made my appointment and went to the one in Castro Valley. The officer there was very friendly and did not give me a hard time whatsoever. He took about 5min to look over the car and signed me off. Back to the DMV I went and all was good. My motor and trans were not original.

I don't think they will go over the car as thoroughly as something like a fox body lol.

[STREETFIGHTER50]

Hey wussup bro! Good to hear that from you. Still got that clean ass Fox vert? I should be picking up the Skylark soon. It has two visible VINs after all. Also, a cool local LEO from the Lat-G forum said to hit him up, he can do the VIN verification as well.

[scscamaro]

Hey wussup bro! Good to hear that from you. Still got that clean ass Fox vert? I should be picking up the Skylark soon. It has two visible VINs after all. Also, a cool local LEO from the Lat-G forum said to hit him up, he can do the VIN verification as well.

Sweet! Glad someone was able to help you out. I do still have that convertible money pit. It's currently getting a coyote swap done since the original motor went out. Once that's done, it's officially done.

[STREETFIGHTER50]

Damn Vin that’s a ton of money into the Fox now the Camaro too!? Can’t wait to see them finished, especially the split bumper!

[Bugzilla]

Some more words of advise.... AAA can do the VIN verification too and they really could care less whats done to the car. No month out appointment like with CHP either. But you have to be a AAA member to do it.

[67-LS1]

I bought a brand new car in Minnesota and drove it home to California. Great road trip with my younger brother. When I got here with just a Manufactures Certificate of Origin I had to have the DMV verify the car. They wanted to make sure it wasn’t a salvage repair, flood car, etc.

When it came time to pay registration and sales tax (that Minnesota didn’t collect at all), they asked me what the car was worth. I started to say “I paid....” The lady held up her hand and stopped me mid-sentence and said “I didn’t ask you what you paid, I asked you what it’s worth. It’s now a used car”.

I dropped 20% off what I paid and that’s what I paid tax on. Weird but nice.

[STREETFIGHTER50]

Some more words of advise.... AAA can do the VIN verification too and they really could care less whats done to the car. No month out appointment like with CHP either. But you have to be a AAA member to do it.

Thanks for the info. I’ve been thinking of getting a AAA membership for a while now instead of our Geico roadside service per car.

[STREETFIGHTER50]

I bought a brand new car in Minnesota and drove it home to California. Great road trip with my younger brother. When I got here with just a Manufactures Certificate of Origin I had to have the DMV verify the car. They wanted to make sure it wasn’t a salvage repair, flood car, etc.

When it came time to pay registration and sales tax (that Minnesota didn’t collect at all), they asked me what the car was worth. I started to say “I paid....” The lady held up her hand and stopped me mid-sentence and said “I didn’t ask you what you paid, I asked you what it’s worth. It’s now a used car”.

I dropped 20% off what I paid and that’s what I paid tax on. Weird but nice.

Wow that’s pretty damn cool of her! Usually everyone at DMV looks mad at the world.

[SD67]

There are mobile VIN verifiers here in the State of California that will come to your house for a fee. I bought my car out of state, had it shipped here with another state's title, which i verified to be clear. The verifier came to my house looked at one VIN and we filled out the paperwork, gave her $70 and took it all to AAA. Done and very easy with no CHP wait. The car didn't have a motor and trans installed at the time but both were available to view. AAA is the best when it comes to this stuff, dealing with the DMV is tough.