Where to get new VIN/Title for restoration project..

[ZoomZoomZoom]

So my hubby and his Dad and brother restored a 69 mustang from a lot of other mustangs. This is called "cloning" in the mustang world. There is no title to this car. There is a VIN, but its for a mustang with a smaller engine. They want to get a restoration VIN that more accurately describes what the car truly is today. I've read a lot of information and misinformation on the internet about a process of obtaining such a VIN, but no concrete information. My great state of Kentucky declares that all cars are born with titles and if it doesn't have one, they won't give you one ("but what if you pull one out of the creek?" I asked..She said, "Better just leave it in the creek honey."). No need to ask about getting a VIN. But other states are different. Any ideas/suggestions?

 

[te72]

Many states can issue titles as long as you have a VIN number. Wyoming is one such state. I bought a Celica off of a guy who did not have the title (was a 1979, pretty mint for $400!). Had to go through a process that took about 3 months, involving notifying the Licensing department, publishing an ad in the local paper for the owner of said title to respond (two week ad), etc, etc. Once nobody replies to your ad, you pay a certain amount in fees, and the Sheriff's department issues you a NEW title for that VIN/car. Long process, but VERY worth it if you plan on driving the car on the street.

Good luck!

 

[ZoomZoomZoom]

I need a new VIN as well as a title. In the mustang world, VINs are everything. The current VIN does not accurately describe what the car is right now. We supra people could care less if we start with a non-turbo car with a non-turbo VIN and replace the engine with a turbo. The mustang folks DO care. A restoration VIN would legitimize the work gone into the car. The original VIN would actually de-value it. Make sense? Maybe? It was tough for me to understand.

 

[bioskyline]

i dont know about the states exactly but in canada i can go to the dmv and get a new (province specific) vin assigned. once the car is finished, it just has to pass a standard inspection under a rebuild status(like it was in an accident and repaired), and once passed new papers are made, and a 2nd vin plate rivited onto the body.

you might have to trailer the car out of state and register it elsewhere, then bring it back,

 

[ZoomZoomZoom]

i dont know about the states exactly but in canada i can go to the dmv and get a new (province specific) vin assigned. once the car is finished, it just has to pass a standard inspection under a rebuild status(like it was in an accident and repaired), and once passed new papers are made, and a 2nd vin plate rivited onto the body.

you might have to trailer the car out of state and register it elsewhere, then bring it back,

That is the plan. I was trying to figure out what state would be best, and then I have to find someone who lives there to give the car to and, in turn, who can sell it back to me with vin and title. I have some family in Calgary, but thats quite a long haul from Kentucky. Michigan has a process, but if there is a vin already on the car somewhere, then they won't assign a new vin. But I may be wrong about Michigan. There is alot of misinformation out there. Illegal VIN swapping is rampant in the mustang world because the accuracy of the vin is so valued. I feel there ought to be a legal and legit way to get a "restoration" or "rebuild" vin somewhere, in some state.

 

[te72]

I need a new VIN as well as a title. In the mustang world, VINs are everything. The current VIN does not accurately describe what the car is right now. We supra people could care less if we start with a non-turbo car with a non-turbo VIN and replace the engine with a turbo. The mustang folks DO care. A restoration VIN would legitimize the work gone into the car. The original VIN would actually de-value it. Make sense? Maybe? It was tough for me to understand.

People who drive Mustangs don't really make sense to me, no matter how nice they are, you see 20+ of them at every car show I've ever been to. They're the domestic version of the Celica, a mildly performance oriented vehicle for the brand. That said, I don't understand how a string of digits makes a car any more or less valuable than the sum of it's parts could make it... might be something in the water the Stang folks drink?

 

[MKIIINA]

You cannot do what you are talking about. If its a v6 mustang, on paper it will remain the same. You would need to physically remove all the VINs from the chassis and get it restamped. This would be picked up by any enthusiast in about 5 seconds. This is why you see people talking about "numbers matching" and valuation based on how original a car is. No matter what it is NOW does not change what it left the factory as.

Getting a new title is simple compared to changing VINs..... also why you don't see 50000 Eleanore clones that are clones, not true Eleanores.....