give me your thoughts on this. our '55 title and registration matches the tag on the glove box door. it's a v-8 3 on the tree. looks like it was originally red. the tag on the glove box says it should be yellow, v-8 with a 4 spd synchro. i have wondered about all this. while the truck is yellow now, the original paint was no doubt red. i can't quite make out all of the v.i.n. on the frame with the fender on it BUT i can see the last few digits don't match the glove box door tag. should i go with what ive got or try to investigate the frame i.d.? i went thru a deal in the 80's on my 37 ford p/up that had no vin(rusted off as i remember). any where to be found. i tried to get the state of okla to issue a # for months and kept getting letters stating where i should look for it. this went on for at least 6-8 months. my dad told me to stamp my s.s.# number and my initials. so i did it. the highway patrol came out and looked at it and signed off on it and i had my new title in a week. this is a little diff though cause i have 2 v.i.n.'s but it's the cab that is the registered one. just don't want to open up a can of worms. obviously the cab or frame has been changed out some time for whatever reason. but i'd say it's been at least 30 years or longer since it was done based on the rust scale and grease build up. the truck had been sitting being used as a billboard for at least the last 15 years.

 

If you had a clear title on it, I'd be hesitant to stir the hornets nest. However, I know through my recent escapades, Nevada has a special "custom build" title that they issue to vehicles with different frame and cab stamps. You have to go through a department of transportation safety inspection, VIN verifications and then they issue you the specialty title.

 

If the info on the data plate/title doesn't match the frame number, or the items/color your truck was built with, it seems more reasonable to believe the tag was changed on the truck with one that a PO had papers to, and sold it. No one will probably ever know or care as long as you own it. But if you were to sell it to someone from out of state, and that state required a vin inspection prior to transferring the title, it would be a matter of concern to the next owner when his new truck was impounded for having non-matching numbers. In most states, the title is supposed to follow the frame. If the frame is ever swapped, that would require a state patrol inspection to stay in compliance with the law.

 

See what numbers are stamped on the cowl, about dead center. If those match the frame, I would be real inclined to bare your soul to MVD, and have them re-issue the title with the correct number. You take some risk doing that, but you take it now or later.

 

Technically only the serial on the frame is valid.
That's the one that's used to identify the vehicle.

Kirk