Well, My Father checked with a Packard club here, and was told that the 38 had a sticker not a plate with the Vin number on it. He was told that it was a problem and that they (Packard) went back to a plate in 39. I don't know how true this is, but there is a spot on the firewall just under the body ID # and it looks like there was some type of sticker there at one time. Also, we have the old registration from 1963, and it clearly states a Vin # that cannot be found on the car anywhere. The police filled out form mentioned above using the body # and the registry didn't want to hear that. Of course it would help if I could get my 74 year old Father to get in line at the registry, just answer the questions and stop trying to tell everybody in the building a long story,(yeah, much like this one). Everytime he goes, he comes out with more questions than he went in with. Has anyone had experience with out of state dealers that can issue a Dealers bill of sale? I am under the impression that the registry will take that in liew of a title as long as it is notorized.